Our REACTsponsors Private Sponsorship Director is Ally Brown.
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Email: reactsponsors@reactdc.org
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Ally, a military spouse residing in Arlington, Virginia, wears multiple hats as a family advocate, substitute teacher, and seasoned activist. With a wealth of experience, she has significantly influenced policy within the Virginia Department of Education through her involvement with the Military Child Education Coalition. Additionally, her expertise led to her selection for U.S. Senator Tim Kaine's Military Family Roundtable, where she contributed invaluable insights to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.
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Before dedicating herself to advocacy, Ally spent over a decade as a software engineer in the telecommunications sector. Her journey as a mother of three, including two children with special needs, and surviving 14 military relocations, has fortified her resilience and resourcefulness.
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Ally's advocacy extends beyond military families; she is equally committed to supporting refugees and addressing the needs of families with special circumstances. She is adept at engaging with public officials and senior organizational leaders, leveraging her experiences to champion initiatives that enhance the lives of those she represents.
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Email: ally@reactdc.org
Executive Order on Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration
FEBRUARY 04, 2021
President Biden issued an executive order on February 4, 2021, regarding refugee resettlement and the impact of climate change on migration. The order aims to rebuild and expand refugee programs, improve their administration, and address climate-related migration. It emphasizes the importance of dignity, transparency, and security in the process. The order also calls for a review of programs for Iraqi and Afghan allies and the preparation of a report on climate-related migration.
Through the Welcome Corps, Americans work in groups of at least five to welcome refugee newcomers by securing and preparing initial housing, greeting refugee newcomers at the airport, enrolling children in school, and helping adults to find employment.
Under the Welcome Corps, REACT DC serves as a Private Sponsorship Organization that serves these individuals that form these Private Sponsorship Groups. Sponsor groups offer a sense of welcome, belonging and inclusion for families that have left far more than their worldly goods behind—they’ve left behind friends, families, and the social networks that help us thrive. These shared acts of welcome bring communities together while making it easier for refugee newcomers to adjust to life in the United States.
REACT DC also serves as one of the five original Sponsor Circle Umbrella organizations, responsible for ensuring that Sponsor Circles meet all program requirements and guiding Circles through the processes involved in carrying out core resettlement responsibilities.
The Sponsor Circle Program equips U.S.-based sponsors with additional tools and resources to navigate the sponsorship process and welcome newcomers. Sponsors welcoming Cubans, Venezuelans, Haitians, or Nicaraguans through Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans and Ukrainians through Uniting for Ukraine can access these resources by forming a Sponsor Circle.
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​Since the launch of the program, more than 4,500 people have contributed to sponsor circles across the country. Join the movement!
Through the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans, Uniting for Ukraine and the expanded Welcome Corps Program, REACT DC has served 85+ Sponsor Circles and welcomed 200+ individuals in nearly all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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Interested in learning more? Watch a recent information session to hear from sponsors who have already welcomed newcomers into their communities and members of the Welcome Corps team.
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You may also wish to register for an upcoming Sponsor Circle Program Information & Application Support Session, held every other Monday at 6pm. You may do so by clicking on this link.
