News & Views

HIAS PA’s 2023 Golden Door Awards

Honoree Spotlight: Nelofar Asadi

Nelofar Asadi fled to the United States as an unaccompanied minor during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. She had a tumultuous journey—her family was at risk from the Taliban because of their activism for women’s rights. Nelofar herself was shot at by the Taliban and suffered an injured leg in the stampede at the airport in Kabul.

When Nelofar arrived in the United States as an unaccompanied minor, she was shuffled between a military base and multiple children’s shelters before she was transferred to a youth shelter here in Pennsylvania. There, she met Mary McCabe, HIAS PA’s Detained Children Program Supervisor. Mary and her team are working to help her win asylum and obtain permanent legal status in the United States.

Like all unaccompanied minors, Nelofar was completely alone.

Most children in youth immigration shelters are either released to their US sponsors or find themselves placed in the federal foster care system. However, Nelofar’s status as a humanitarian parolee meant that when she left the shelter, Community Resettlement Coordinator Roger Cheng and a community resettlement team were able to find Nelofar a home with a volunteer family while she waited for her family to join her in the US. She is thriving in her new community.

Nelofar fought for women’s rights in Afghanistan, and continues to speak up for her Afghan sisters. Since arriving in Philadelphia, she has performed songs at multiple marches and protests in support of Afghan women. She shared with us a painting she made (pictured above) that represents the mask Afghan women wear that cloaks the butterfly-like beauty and freedom contained within each Afghan woman. Nelofar is now safe in Greater Philadelphia, and has been reunited with her sister.

TONIGHT (4/20) - Join us ONLINE at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!

Join us ONLINE at 6:45PM TONIGHT, Thursday, April 20th, for HIAS PA's 2023 Golden Door Awards: United for Immigrants!

Happy Passover from HIAS Pennsylvania!HIAS PA is closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover

HIAS Pennsylvania will be closed in observance of the Jewish holiday of Passover from 1PM on Wednesday, April 5th through Friday, April 7th, and on Wednesday, April 12th and Thursday, April 13th.

Join us at the 2023 Golden Door Awards!United for Immigrants

The Golden Door Awards is HIAS Pennsylvania's annual fundraiser. Your generous support helps us serve low-income immigrants from all over the world as they build new lives in our community.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

Building closed until further noticeHIAS PA remains open!

HIAS PA’s physical offices at 600 Chestnut Street are CLOSED until further notice due to a burst pipe in the building.

Our organization remains open, and HIAS PA staff continue to work remotely at this time.

Please call (215) 832-0900 with any questions.

TONIGHT: Join us at the table!Join us for Thankful Together!

Thankful Together, formerly known as Refugee Thanksgiving, is happening TONIGHT at 6PM!

Register here to join us tonight: https://hiaspa1.wpengine.com/event/thankful-together-2021/

Celebrate our volunteers who make this all possible!Click here at 11:45AM to join our Annual Meeting!

Click here to join our virtual Annual Meeting!

The Annual Meeting starts at noon, but join us at 11:45AM for an informal chat before the event!

POSTPONED! Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan

Today's Speed Advocacy: Afghanistan Facebook Live event has been postponed due to a worldwide Facebook outage. We will update you as soon as possible about rescheduling the event.