How to Help Afghan Refugees: Donations Accepted at Berliner, Lapis

The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban has triggered a rush of refugees from that Central Asian nation. In Washington, D.C., friends of the Afghan people are asking how they can help — the following is one way to assist new arrivals to America.

“We are using our restaurant spaces in Berliner and Lapis to collect donations for the Afghan refugees that are resettling in Virginia, Fatima Popal of the Popal Group told The Georgetowner.

“We are working in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee and Lutheran Social Services to distribute all the donations to them. As a note: we are only collecting new items for the specific categories: clothing, linens, pillows, blankets, washcloths, towels, hygiene items. Items such as household goods can be slightly used,” wrote Popal, who with her parents Zubair and Shamim Popal and brothers left Afghanistan in 1980 at the start of the Soviet-Afghan War.

Drop-off locations: The Berliner, 3401 K St. NW; Lapis, 1847 Columbia Road NW — through Aug. 27, weekdays only. Gift cards are recommended and welcome.

For more information, contact Fatima Popal, partner, the Popal Group at 202-621-7000 — fatima@thepopalgroup.com.

Click here to read a Georgetowner cover story on the Popals from 2014. 

tagsAfghanistanFatima PopalInternational Rescue CommitteeLapisLutheran Social ServicesrefugeesThe Berlinerthe Popal Group