Heed the Call: A Logistical Response
By Max Rosner
Heed the Call is a student-led initiative started by Max Wolfgang Rosner calling for Georgetown to sponsor a refugee family. The initiative has garnered hundreds of student supporters, as well as the endorsement of both the Hoya and the GUSA Senate. In the spirit of Lent, Heed the Calls asks the Georgetown community to make a sacrifice in order to fulfill its calling as a Catholic community and to welcome the stranger.
Since its launch last week, Heed the Call has received tremendous support from the Georgetown community, especially from students and alumni. Hundreds of students have signed a petition calling for the university to champion this initiative and take on a more active role in the refugee resettlement process. Many of my peers have reached out to express their support of the initiative, and professors have even promoted the petition in class. While the outpouring of support has been both encouraging and inspiring, it is imperative that we channel this momentum into action and ultimately deliver on these noble goals.
Recently, a news story highlighted the vast scope of such an undertaking. Father Gillespie of Holy Trinity parish, one community that is currently sponsoring a refugee family, comments, “For students, I think the student call may be in a different direction (than our own).” Father Carnes, a Georgetown professor, also affirmed the idea, but added, “I would want to make sure that every last detail was worked out before you take it on because it would be unfair to the family to not be absolutely sure that you can accompany them for the long haul.”
For me, Fr. Carnes’ words are particularly striking. Sponsoring a refugee family is a large undertaking, and we must be confident going in that our Georgetown community is positioned to follow through on the commitment to a family in need. In this piece, I hope to address some of these concerns.
The first hurdle is cost. Holy Trinity Parish has raised nearly $70,000 for resettling just one family. Generous parishioners eager to engage in assisting refugee resettlement stepped up in a big way and helped Holy Trinity far surpass the financial requirement. I believe that the Georgetown community can mirror this example of generosity. In fact, this initiative has the chance to cost very little. Georgetown, by virtue of its resources, can meet the requirements of the “Good Neighbor” program in a unique way. The university could leverage its existing housing options and donate housing in-kind. If funds must be raised, however, the goal is modest, as the program commitment is for three months of rental assistance. Additionally, students could lead supply drives, collecting the necessary furnishings and supplies through community donations. Heed the Call is promoting a hybrid fundraising system, one that relies on both supply drives as well as donations from the university and the university community. As a community of thousands, we are well-equipped to meet such a need.
The second hurdle is coordination. Holy Trinity has developed six committees to serve the family needs, some of which include diaper drives, ESL teams, and cultural ambassadors. Luckily, Georgetown already has vibrant student organizations that are qualified and well-prepared to serve in these areas. A number of CSJ-sponsored organizations, the DC Reads program for example, already take part in tutoring programs. In the Heed the Call petition, over 200 students have expressed interest in joining a student task force to support the initiative. The student support is evident. Another question that is inherently connected with coordination is long-term sustainability. After all, many Georgetown organizations come and go over time. For Heed the Call, the Good Neighbor commitment at the highest level is for 12 months, a realistic timeline given the momentum behind this issue within our community.
The United Nations is reporting the highest levels of displacement on record, with over 21 million refugees registered worldwide. We have a humanitarian crisis on our hands, and Georgetown is well-equipped to lend a hand, make a difference, and welcome the stranger. In doing so, Georgetown will not only fulfill its obligation as a Catholic institution, but it will also uphold the Catholic principle of "call to family, community, and participation," a duty that will unquestionably unite the campus. Our community is eager to step up and heed Pope Francis’ call, an action that will uniquely elevate other Catholic universities—and henceforth other Catholic communities—to promote the dignity of each person. The support has been overwhelming, but it is time for us to channel it into action.
Max Rosner (C'18) is an undergraduate studying government and theology at Georgetown.