Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 3, 2020, I’m logging 20 miles on foot (as much running as I can manage) in support of CWS and their #Run4Refugees campaign. As I complete the miles, I’m sharing the reasons I’m running. If you missed Day 1, you can catch up here.
I covered two more miles today, so here are two more reasons.
5. Generally I run for my mental health as much as for my physical health. When I came home from work today, I was overwhelmed and anxious. This doesn’t always lead to a good run, and it’s hotter than I want it to be in the last week of September. When stressful situations and anxiety overwhelm me, I run. How does that help refugees? Well, the money I’m raising (and that you’re contributing) takes care of some things that cause stress for refugee families such as health care, hot meals and a welcoming dinner when a family resettles in the United States. When basic needs are met, stress and anxiety ease. I know this from experience. It is no different for refugee families, except that their stressors are not ones I’ve ever experienced on that scale.
6. By October 1 of each year, the president must set the ceiling for the number of refugees that can be admitted to the U.S. For fiscal year 2020, that number was 18,000, the lowest it has been in almost 40 years. Compare that to the number of refugees worldwide: 26 million. Globally, less than 1 percent of refugees have been resettled in 37 countries. (Source: National Immigration Forum.) Another comparison, in fiscal year 2016, the U.S. set the cap at 85,000 refugees. Please understand that this is the maximum number of refugees who can be resettled. The U.S. does not have to meet that number.
For a country that likes to tout itself as a “land of opportunity,” we have too often limited who is afforded those opportunities. I’m running to remind us that much is required of those who have been given much. (We could have another entire discussion about this, but for now, I’ll leave it at this.)
If you want to support my quest, you can give a monetary donation here. While I have surpassed my initial fundraising goal, I would love to continue surpassing it. (I set the goal low on purpose because I like to hit the mark, and I was insecure about my ability to fundraise.) And I’ve heard that right now donations are being matched at 100 percent, so if you’re on the fence about giving, why not do it now?
Keep checking in to read more reasons as I complete more miles.