Bringing People to Safety and Building our South Dakota Workforce

Join Freedom's Haven Network to be eligible for Grants

Freedom’s Haven raises funds to provide grants for specific extraordinary resettlement needs.  This is meant to be a “backstop” to local fundraising in support of sponsors and others who are helping to resettle Ukrainian refugees.
ABOUT FREEDOM'S HAVEN GRANTS

Typically, a sponsor and their local community supporting organization (often a church or other non-profit organization), under Uniting for Ukraine, will have saved or raised funds, in-kind donations, or made other arrangements to cover the costs of things like:

  • Travel to South Dakota
  • Housing for a minimum of about six months
  • Transportation/car/insurance
  • Initial health insurance
  • Initial general financial support.

The following are needs that would tend to be considered extraordinary (and more likely to receive a Freedom’s Haven grant):

  • Unexpected car repair
  • Unexpected extra housing costs
  • Immigration legal fees
  • Emergencies
  • High medical co-pays/deductibles

Freedom’s Haven will only award grants to help refugees/beneficiaries for whom the sponsor has received approval from USCIS.

HOW TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR FREEDOM'S HAVEN GRANTS

As a fund under the South Dakota Community Foundation, Freedom’s Haven may only issue grants to non-profit organizations.  To be eligible, a non-profit organization simply needs to join the Freedom’s Haven Network.  To do so, the organization must submit an email or letter (attached to an email) to Freedom’s Haven (calvin@freedomshaven.com), The letter/email should:

  • request Freedom’s Haven Network membership,
  • confirm status as a non-profit or not-for-profit organization,
  • confirm the organization’s intent to sponsor or directly support sponsors,
  • affirm the organization’s commitment to support Ukrainian and other legal immigrants and refugees.

The request will be reviewed, clarified if needed, and approved by the Freedom’s Haven Board.  Freedom’s Haven will provide a written response affirming network membership and associated privileges.

HOW TO REQUEST FREEDOM'S HAVEN SUPPORT

To request a letter to attach to an I-134A (sponsorship application), Network member organizations may request (via message to us – use link below) a letter from Freedom’s Haven that names a specific sponsor and specific refugees (called “beneficiaries” on the I-134A) that states Freedom’s Haven intent to help the sponsor defray emergency or extraordinary expenses associated with sponsoring should such expenses arise.  The letter will note that support would come through the Freedom’s Haven Network member organization.  

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To request help covering specific emergency or extraordinary expenses, the Freedom’s Haven Network member organization must complete the form below and submit it to us.

The request will be reviewed, clarified if needed, and approved/denied by the Freedom’s Haven Board.  FH will inform the Network member of the Freedom’s Haven board decision and, for positive decisions, provide the approved funds.

Freedom’s Haven will only award grants to help refugees/beneficiaries for whom the sponsor has received approval from USCIS. Typically, this means that USCIS has confirmed that the sponsor’s I-134A forms are sufficient and the beneficiaries have travel authorizations.  If they’ve already arrived, their I-94 will have an annotation such as “UHP.”

Within one month of expending the funds, the Freedom’s Haven Network member organization must submit documentation (such as a receipt and/or signed letter) to demonstrate that the funds were used as intended. This documentation should be submitted to the Executive Director (use link above).

Please use this form to request a grant from Freedom's Haven.   Please fill out a separate form for each family being sponsored. After completing and submitting this form, check all of your email folders for an email from Freedom's Haven. 

Organization supporting the Sponsor
Sponsor Full Name
Enter Sponsor's Phone Number
This is the primary beneficiary on the U4U
This is the primary beneficiary on the U4U
Date of Birth of Primary Newcomer Month/Day/Year
List Full Names, Dates of Birth (Month/Day/Year), current location and degree of Kinship
What Date did Primary Newcomer leave Ukraine?
List Other Countries Visited After Newcomer Left Ukraine
Date Primary Newcomer Arrived in the US
Please list assets of Newcomer declared on the I-134
What are the current assets of the Newcomer?
What is the nature of the emergency or extraordinary expense(s) for which you are requesting a grant?
If this grant request is for housing, what was the Sponsor's housing plan listed on the I-134 for this newcomer?
Please answer why the expense cannot be covered without the assistance of Freedom’s Haven.
What is the amount of the grant requested from Freedom's Haven?
Please upload a copy of the Newcomer's I-94
If you have additional comments, please write them here.

Freedom's Haven of SD

Bringing people to safety and building our
South Dakota workforce

Contact Information

Phone: +1 (605) 880-1278

Address: The Commons of Harmony Hill,
2527 Prairie Park Trail SE, Watertown, SD
57201

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