Supporting Nashville's Local Afghan Refugees

Relief Without Borders Hosts East Meets West Charity Event at the W Hotel Nashville

In early February, Relief Without Borders briefly shifted its focus from providing humanitarian relief to developing nations in order to tend to the needs of Afghan refugees that have been evacuated to the U.S by putting on our East Meets West Charity Event at the W Hotel Nashville. Since the fall of the Kabul to the Taliban in August of 2021, the U.S has welcomed more than 76,000 Afghans seeking asylum and a new beginning. Rebuilding a life in a new country poses many challenges from inadequate access to basic resources and medical care, cultural and language barriers, lacking a sense of security, unemployment, phycological trauma, and so on.

Hoping to shed light on the numerous struggles of Afghan refugees in the U.S., Relief Without Borders sponsored a fundraiser that took place in Nashville, Tennessee at the W Hotel on February 3rd, 2022, to support the resettlement of our newest neighbors. The East Meets West Charity Event, co-hosted by Savannah McKinley, Matt Woodson, James Dutton, and Tayler Jordan used the purchased tickets and donations to provide necessary household items and services to the 500 Afghan refugees residing in Nashville. From 7 to 10pm, live music was featured by DJ Grant Fisher, Sean C Kennedy, Emily Weisband, and Lakeview as well as a 360° video-booth and editorial style portraits thanks to Austin Lord. Other live performances included tabla drumming, aerial, and belly dancing along with complimentary henna tattoos for everyone in attendance.

A huge thank you to all those came out to the event, volunteered their talents, or donated. Your contributions made this evening a huge success in raising awareness and funds to support the Afghan allies in our Nashville community.

Written by Ava Katz

Click Here to see a recap video of the event.