Home Bridge: A Home They Love – No Matter the Circumstances

Everyone deserves a home they love. This is the mission that drives us day-in and day-out at Apartment List and it extends to our community members experiencing the unimaginable.

Since its inception in 2018, Apartment List’s Home Bridge program has worked with real estate and community partners to donate over 8,400 nights of housing for individuals and families who need a bridge during times of adversity and crisis. From natural disaster relief to assisting those experiencing family medical crises and violence at home, we’ve expanded our footprint and now support families in seven regions across the United States.

Like the rest of the world, my coworkers and I were devastated to see photos and videos of thousands of refugees in Afghanistan fleeing for their lives last summer. Many of these refugees were making their way to the U.S. without a job, shelter, or support system, and only the clothes on their backs.

When is having a safe, secure place to call home more important?

We knew we had to spring into action. We set out to find homes for Afghan families here in the Bay Area in partnership with HIAS, a global nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid to refugees, as well as Veritas, one of our long-standing Home Bridge partners. Soon, we encountered the many emotionally-filled variables that would impact these efforts.

• Is the elevator wide enough to fit the wheelchair of the father whose legs were damaged in an explosion upon evacuation?
• Will the father and two sons who were separated from their mother prefer to share a room? Or sleep separately?
• Will the expectant mother of twins and mother of two young boys be able to handle taking the laundry all the way downstairs?

It’s in moments like these when one truly recognizes the value and stability of a home. While it may seem like it's just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's something that should never be taken for granted. Home Bridge provides the foundational support needed for these families to rebuild their lives.

Seeing the families' faces as they walked into their new homes is something I will never forget and will go down among my most memorable days at Apartment List. During one of our first move-ins, my colleague Nicole and I were delighted to set up the apartment for a family with two little boys before they arrived. We made their beds with Spiderman comforters and filled their closet with clothes, books, and toys. Soon after, we were greeted by two smiling boys who bounced out of the car to shake our hands and continuously repeated the only English words they knew – “thank you”. I looked down to see that they had Spiderman sneakers on and nearly cried.

I knew at that moment that this was the most important thing I’ve done all year – providing these boys with a new home, Spiderman comforters and all.

I carried a similar feeling with another family we moved in, as I watched a two-year-old boy rolling around on the floor of his new home, in fits of hysterical laughter, as he played with his toys. I was struck by the simple joys of this young boy, in hopes that his horrific experiences may have already become a distant memory. His sweet laugh seemed so innocent and carefree - just how it should be for any toddler.

As heartwarming as these moments were, I couldn’t help but think of all the families still facing the terrifying unknown of living in a foreign land with no belongings or a stable place to sleep.

We’ve since connected with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to support their efforts to place over 80,000 Afghan families in the United States. And so, the next phase of support has begun

Abdul agreed to share his story with us to help garner national support and dedication to the cause.

Shortly after this video was filmed, Abdul secured a job – an incredibly important step in rebuilding his family’s lives in the US! We are doubly proud that Home Bridge was able to play a role in providing for their growing family, as Adbul and his wife just found out she is pregnant with their second child.

I feel humbled and honored to have been a part of this program and work for such an incredible company that truly lives its mission and goes the extra mile for those in need. Thank you to the Apartment List team for your unwavering support and to our partners for raising their hands and being willing to give these incredible families a home.

While these are great success stories, the work isn’t over. There are still thousands of refugees awaiting their home bridge.

To get involved and learn more about our Home Bridge program, please visit: relief.apartmentlist.com