If you were able to join us on Saturday, thank you for taking time out of your weekend. Whether or not you were able to attend, I’m deeply grateful for your commitment to ensuring the future of AFS-USA — by welcoming a student into your home, inviting others to join you, and advocating for the continuation of the YES program.
Author: Tara Hofmann
Please take action to support international exchange programs today!
In this video update for volunteers, I reflect on the themes of my recent article “What We Do Matters – Now More Than Ever”, and how our work today is demonstrating that Americans continue to believe in connection, empathy, and global citizenship. If you can’t click on the above photo please click on the video link […]
In my recent op-ed, I share why person-to-person exchanges are not only meaningful, they’re essential.
Further to my message of May 28, I am pleased to share that various news sources have reported that the pause on scheduling visa appointments has been lifted.
You’ve probably read or heard news reports regarding a freeze on interviews for students seeking a variety of visas for the USA. I wanted to share some information relevant to our students planning to arrive this year.
As in previous years, Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA-4) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) are circulating bipartisan sign-on letters in support of FY2026 funding for educational and cultural exchange programs.
In this short video message, I share a few thoughts about our ongoing efforts to recruit host families and send students abroad. I’ll also provide insight on the White House’s proposed budget and what it means for programs like ours.
Released this past Friday, the President’s FY26 budget proposal would essentially eliminate State Department international exchange programs. I am writing to you, as I need you to write to your members of Congress now and tell them to reject this budget proposal!
On behalf of everyone at AFS-USA, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your participation in advocating for the timely distribution of funding for exchange programs. Thanks to your efforts, our AFS community contributed significantly to the more than 24,000 letters sent to over 500 Congressional offices from the international exchange community. This was […]