Evacuee Support Network

The Evacuee Support Network (ESN) works hand in hand with the State Department Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO), to assist families being evacuated from overseas posts. In March of 2026, the ESN team led 19 teams of volunteers that met 13 evacuation flights. Families were welcomed at local airports with snacks, pet treats, games, and most importantly, a friendly face and warm hug. 

The support from the ESN does not end at the airport. For the most recent evacuation in March, the ESN partnered the Junior League of Washington during its large “Tossed and Found” rummage sale. This allowed over 20 evacuee families to receive special access to the AAFSW Community Partners table, which included purchase assistance and other perks.  Evacuee families were also welcomed at AAFSW’s monthly coffees and invited to join a local WhatsApp chat.  These gestures gave them a chance to make connections and be a part of a strong and supportive community.

Due to recent events in the Middle East, the ESN is gearing up to assist more evacuees in the coming weeks.  The team currently has a strong volunteer base, but is always looking for more assistance!  If you would like to join the team and help welcome evacuees, please fill out this form.  The help can range from airport meet-ups to clothing and baby gear donations, and/or transportation assistance. If you have any questions for the ESN team, whether from an evacuee or volunteer standpoint, please send a message to evacuations@aafsw.org.

Background

The Evacuee Support Network was founded in the 1980s by a group of AAFSW members who were concerned about the rising number of family members who were being evacuated from posts around the world for a variety of reasons.

Since then the ESN has helped over 1,500 evacuees to the Washington, D.C. area and other states, and assisted them in their journeys. Over the years volunteers have babysat and offered advice on housing, schools, and hotels. Volunteers have lent winter coats, toys, strollers, and cribs. Evacuees have spent Thanksgivings, Christmases, and Passovers with volunteers who have been friends to frazzled families.

The ESN launches from disaster to disaster. There was the Rwanda Genocide in 1994 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 followed by the Arab Spring in 2011 where volunteers helped more than 100 families evacuate from Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. The summer of 2017 brought families home from Venezuela, from the Embassy and three consulates in Russia, and from the hurricane-plagued Caribbean region. The year 2020 was rich in crisis. The Pandemic which began in China brought families home from the Embassy and multiple consulates in February. Global authorized and ordered departures followed this first wave of evacuees. The Network was able to coordinate with the Junior League of Washington whose annual giant rummage sale had been canceled due to the pandemic. Evacuees were able to shop “free”.

GCLO has compiled an extensive list of help for evacuees, from the definition of Authorized and Ordered departures to Go bag/Stay bag to lists of furnished housing in the area. For other questions, people can email GCLOAskevacuations@state.gov. 

Authorized Departure vs. Ordered Departure:  An evacuation can be either an Authorized Departure (AD) or Ordered Departure (OD), or a combination of both, for designated persons (e.g., AD for government employees and OD for eligible family members). The key difference between AD and OD is choice. Under OD, designated personnel and/or family members are required to depart post, while AD is voluntary and allows designated employees and/or family members to depart at their own discretion. The Department tailors evacuations to fit posts’ particular circumstances.  The Department may change from AD to OD for designated persons as the situation evolves, but switching from OD to AD is not permitted. Allowances for both OD and AD are the same although allowances may vary according to circumstances.

Resources

• Resources for unexpected repatriation to the United States
• Go-bag, Stay-bag: Packing a Go Bag and a Stay Bag – United States Department of State
• Important Documents to have:  List of Important Documents for Foreign Service Employees and Family Members – United States Department of State
• Personal Preparedness:  Personal Preparedness Planning – United States Department of State
• General overview information:  Post Evacuations – United States Department of State
• Counseling Resources: Counseling Resources and Referral Services
• Pets and International Travel: Pets and International Travel – United States Department of State