Earlier this month, the International Welcome Center in New Franklin announced an agreement with the city of Barberton and other partners to help resettle refugees in the Magic City.
The deal marks a significant advancement in the capabilities of the IWC, which began as an organization helping individuals who had already been resettled in the Akron area for three months or more.
Now, the IWC has become an affiliate of World Relief to help refugees on Day 1 of their journey from some of the most ravaged areas of the world.
The risks of helping the U.S.
Wadsworth resident Essa Adeeb served as a translator for U.S. and allied forces for 13 years in Afghanistan. He started when he was 17 and faced numerous life-threatening situations while working side-by-side with soldiers.
Mark Carpenter, an Ohio National Guard member who served in Afghanistan, said he and Adeeb found themselves at the front of a major battle in 2010, well ahead of other allied forces. They came under fire and had to take cover in a trench.