PenFed Foundation's Afghan Rescue and Resettlement Program Steps Up for Afghan Women Heroes Who Served Alongside U.S. Service Members

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Aug 04, 2022, 17:03 ET

Program Resettles Over 180 Refugees and 50 Families in the United States

TYSONS, Va., Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The PenFed Foundation, a national 501(c)3 founded by PenFed Credit Union, is proud to announce its Afghan Rescue and Resettlement Program (ARRP) has helped 50 families and over 180 refugees resettle in the United States as the nation enters the one-year anniversary of the dramatic fall of Kabul, Afghanistan. The program was founded in November 2021 to assist refugees who are proven to have supported our country's values in exemplary ways, with a particular focus on resettling Afghan women soldiers and their families who worked alongside U.S. Army women soldiers through the Army's Cultural Support Team (CST).

U.S. and Afghan soldiers serving together in Afghanistan.

These Afghan women soldiers were crucial to supporting the U.S. as they worked to hunt the Taliban during night raids and to gather valuable intelligence from other women in remote villages.

"The war in Afghanistan may officially be over, but the sisterhood developed between the American and Afghan women soldiers who served together certainly is not," said Rebekah Edmondson, program manager for the PenFed Foundation's ARRP and a U.S. Army CST veteran. "The group of women I served alongside during my four deployments to Afghanistan were remarkable and they deserve our support."

A video of Rebekah telling her story can be found here.

The ARRP raises funds to provide food, clothing, housing, transportation, childcare, English classes, job training and other services to the Afghan refugees as they resettle in communities across America. Those interested in making a difference for these Afghan allies as they make their long and arduous resettlement, are encouraged to visit the ARRP website to learn more.

About PenFed Foundation
Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship, and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. Equal Housing Opportunity. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org.

SOURCE PenFed Foundation