You’re invited to join AFS-USA and the Alliance for International Exchange in the Summer of Action—a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about the powerful impact international exchange programs have on Americans and their local communities. 

This effort is a unique opportunity for Alliance member organizations and supporters like you to show Members of Congress how educational and cultural exchanges help make their districts—and our nation—safer, stronger, and more prosperous. 

Here are 5 easy ways you can get involved this summer: 

1. Use this easy letter generator from the Alliance to contact your Member(s) of Congress and ask them to support vital international exchange programs like CBYX, YES, FLEX, and NSLI-Y! Please consider customizing your messages to Congress with specific examples of how exchange programs have positively impacted your family, community, school, organization, etc. 

2. Share your exchange story or involvement with AFS on social media using the hashtag #ExchangesStartHere. Post your own photos or videos—or simply repost from the AFS-USA national social media pages. 

3. Spread the message by sharing this short video and information found in this one-pager to show how exchanges benefit the U.S. 

4. Support our mission with a donation to AFS-USA at afsusa.org/donate. 

5. Host a student this fall or encourage others to open their homes to a high school exchange student for a semester or full year. Learn more at afsusa.org/host. 

Local advocacy is essential to our shared mission. It allows us to build strong relationships with Congressional offices, demonstrate the value of exchanges to their communities, and reinforce our message both locally and on Capitol Hill. 

Thank you for everything you do to support international exchange—this summer and always.