South Bay Non-Revenue Looking out For Properties To Welcome Afghan Refugees – CBS San Francisco

LOS GATOS (KPIX) – Now that the emergency evacuation deadline has expired in Afghanistan, communities in the Bay Area and across the country are preparing for the arrival and resettlement of thousands of Afghan refugees. Housing is one of their most urgent needs.

The Silicon Valley Jewish Family Service expects to relocate around 200 refugees by the end of September. Board member Dorene Kastelman publicly appeals to homeowners to consider offering vacant bedrooms and vacant properties.

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“It really is a kind of experience that allows you to have your own privacy and your own life and still have this excellent cultural exchange. And a chance to help someone in need, ”said Kastelman.

Kastelman and her husband Jim have taken 8 refugees in succession to their home in Los Gatos since 2018. Some stay for a few months, others for up to a year. And they all shared the same bedroom that once belonged to one of their own children, with an adjoining bathroom on the ground floor.

“For some people, lying on a bed instead of lying on the floor was a big transition,” Kastelman said.

In the kitchen, too, the Kastelmans ensure that the refugees have their own space by creating space in the refrigerator and pantry. Guests are cordially invited to attend evening family dinners. The refugees often cook local dishes to share with their hosts.

“You did a fantastic job cooking,” said Kastelman.

JFSSV offers case management, employment counseling, medical care, mental health services, gift cards and debit cards for groceries and other personal expenses, and a bike and VTA bus pass for transportation.

“I didn’t think any of us would expect refugees to be as grateful and respectful as they were. It was just amazing, ”said Jim. “They did everything to make us comfortable.”

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The Kastelmans said it was “rewarding and enjoyable” to take refugees on day trips around California, teaching them about American life and connecting through their shared love for nature.

“Once the action starts and people know the great experience like the one we’ve had, I think it makes it a lot easier to take the risk,” said Kastelman.

The latest count of people evacuated from Afghanistan is 120,000, including 5,400 Americans.

Images of the chaos at the airport in Kabul and the nearby American facilities from Afghanistan sparked deep feelings of solidarity and empathy in the Vietnamese community, who fled their homeland after the end of the Vietnam War.

Thi Tran came to the United States in 1978 and was relocated to Kentucky. Tran, who has lived in the Bay Area for a long time, recently donated several hundred dollars to refugee aid organizations and is looking for ways to find shelter for the arriving Afghans, including possibly opening their own home.

“We have to do something, because we know the feeling of leaving our home. It’s a moral obligation, ”said Tran.

Tran remembered a social worker named Mr. Manly who took several of her family members into his home.

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“How could you forget? And it means so much. It means so much. And that’s why I think it’s so important that we have to do the same. To welcome the people now who are like us years ago,” said Tran .