NBARC is pausing operations as of October 2026

For the past 10 years, NBARC has had the privilege of bringing together

congregations, volunteers, donors, and community partners in support of asylum

seekers and refugees seeking safety, stability, and a new beginning in our community.

Together, we have welcomed and accompanied families fleeing war, political instability,

religious persecution, and profound social and economic hardship. We have helped

families secure housing, navigate schools and healthcare systems, pursue legal

pathways to remain in the United States, learn English, find employment, and begin the

long process of building new lives.

We are deeply proud of what this community has accomplished and of the resilience,

determination, and courage demonstrated by the families we have been honored to

support.

Recent changes in federal immigration and refugee policies have significantly altered the

landscape in which organizations such as NBARC operate. With pathways for newly

arriving refugees and asylum seekers increasingly restricted, opportunities to welcome

and support additional families have become extremely limited.

After thoughtful consideration, NBARC's leadership has decided to place our welcoming

and resettlement operations on hold for the foreseeable future.

This decision does not signal an end to our commitment. Rather, it reflects the reality of

the current environment and our responsibility to steward our resources wisely while

continuing to honor the commitments we have already made to providing rent assistance

to the Syrian family through June and legal support of the Haitian family with whom we

are currently working. We also want to reassure our supporters that careful stewardship

of NBARC's financial resources will remain in place.

To our steering committee, volunteers, donors, partner congregations, and community

members: thank you.

Thank you for your generosity of time, resources, compassion, and spirit. Thousands of

volunteer hours, countless acts of kindness, and extraordinary financial support have

enabled families to find safety, dignity, and hope. Every meal delivered, ride provided,

form completed, donation made, and friendship offered has helped transform lives.

We are especially grateful to the leadership and staff of Temple Reyim and then Temple

Beth Zion for their administrative, fiscal, and organizational support throughout NBARC's

journey. Their partnership has been instrumental in enabling this work and sustaining our

coalition.

While NBARC's active resettlement efforts are being paused, we remain hopeful about

the future. Immigration needs will not disappear, and communities like ours will continueto have an important role to play in welcoming newcomers and strengthening the fabric

of American society.

We believe that when circumstances change and new opportunities emerge, NBARC

can be thoughtfully reimagined to meet the needs of that moment. The relationships,

experience, and community infrastructure built over these years represent a powerful

foundation for future action.

Until then, we remain committed to the families in our care and grateful for all that this

community has accomplished together.

With appreciation,

Jenny Berz and Fiona Epstein

Co-Chairs

Newton-Brookline Asylum Resettlement Coalition (NBARC)