Friends of Welcoming, Welcoming America’s new online platform, launched on June 15, 2011.  Friends of Welcoming allows individuals, teams, and organizations to earn points for engaging in welcoming activities listed on the website, including interviewing an immigrant about his or her story, writing a welcoming Letter to the Editor, or hosting larger community events designed to bring people together across race, language, and culture. Click here to register so you can be one of the first people to use this exciting new interactive website!

Participants may use their points to earn fun prizes from pens and t-shirts to books and DVDs, and even the opportunity to win cash to start a Welcoming initiative or donate to charity.  There will also be a small monthly cash prize awarded to those who earned the most points in that month.  Participants will move through 5 Levels of activities that become progressively more challenging and that have more of an impact in their community.  If an organization moves through all 5 Levels successfully and earns the most points, they will be eligible to win a $4000 prize to support them to become an affiliate.  The team and the individual who earn the most points will also earn a $4000 prize that they may donate to the charity of their choice.  In addition to points and prizes, there are many other benefits to joining Friends of Welcoming.  Participants will be able to connect with like-minded people who want to make their communities more welcoming and take part in rewarding and enriching activities.  Welcoming America sees Friends of Welcoming as a way to engage people in a fun, interactive, and meaningful way.

Friends of Welcoming attracts individuals and groups who are interested in doing welcoming work, but do not yet have the capacity to become a Welcoming America affiliate.  The online platform gives participants an opportunity to engage in welcoming work in their communities, network with others across the nation, and potentially earn a cash prize to support them in becoming an affiliate.  Friends of Welcoming also offers Welcoming America many benefits and opportunities.  Welcoming America is now able to engage significantly more people in the country and learn more about their experiences doing welcoming work through their uploaded stories, photos, and video.  Welcoming America has begun to collect first-hand accounts of the benefits and challenges of doing welcoming work in different communities around the nation.