Caroline Clarin, who works from her rural Minnesota home and attempts to bring hope to those who convey heart-wrenching messages of desperation from a world away, has had her phone ringing for days with pleas for aid from Afghans.
Ms. Clarin, who headed a US Department of Agriculture program in Afghanistan, and her wife, Sheril Raymond, have assisted in the immigration of five Afghans and their families from her program since 2017. They are now attempting to assist over a half-dozen more Afghans and their families in escaping Afghanistan.
Americans around the country are scrambling to assist Afghans fleeing their homeland following the Taliban's quick takeover. Those pitching in are everyone from volunteers at refugee resettlement groups to individuals like Ms. Clarin and Ms. Raymond who are helping on their own, all motivated by compassion.
More than 2,000 Afghans have been transported to Fort Lee Army Base in Virginia since late July, with thousands more on the way. Afghan government employees and their families may be eligible for special immigrant visas. Due to a backlog of visa applications, tens of thousands of others who also qualified have been left behind.
Nonprofit groups that operate on a combination of government grants and private donations provide temporary food and shelter help refugees during the first 90 days. Long-term services, such as language and citizenship programs, are available, but they are expected to become self-sufficient.