Woman supporting refugees in honor of husband killed in hate crime
Click here for updates on this story
LENEXA, Kansas (KMBC) — For her husband’s 37th birthday, Sunayana Dumala asked the community to give to people seeking refuge in the United States.
“As an immigrant ourselves, we came as students, both Srinu and I, and so this place gave us the opportunity to realize our dreams, to fulfill our dreams,” said Dumala.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla’s dream was cut short four years ago when he was murdered at a bar in Olathe. According to witnesses, the shooter yelled ‘Get out of my country’ at Kuchibhotla and another Indian man before he opened fire.
“When the incident happened I got so much love and support and everybody telling me and giving me the message that you are welcome here and so the same message I wanted to take onward and give it to others,” said Dumala.
She started a non-profit called “Forever Welcome,” with the goal of generating empathy and understanding for people who immigrate to the U.S. by bringing their personal journey and contributions to light. Saturday afternoon she partnered with volunteers from the organization KC for Refugees to collect donations of hygiene products including toothbrushes, shampoo, and toilet paper. KC for Refugees board member Linda Zemke said many of those items could not be purchased with food stamps.
“We help any refugee family that is not being helped by the resettlement agencies because they have a window of 90 days, the refugee is supposed to be self-sufficient and speaking English by 90 days,” said Zemke.
She said they help about sixty families a month with supplies distributed every second Saturday in Kansas City’s Northeast.
Refugee admissions to the United States dropped under the Trump administration with the cap set at 15,000 for 2021. Preside Biden has proposed quadrupling that number.
“We haven’t seen too many new refugee families for a long time but I think things are going to pick up quickly and when they do we are going to need even more families that need our help,” said Zemke.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
