No One Left Behind partners with REACT DC, funds mental health program for wartime allies in Northern Virginia

Partnership with REACT DC brings therapy in Dari, Pashto, and English to one of the largest SIV communities in the United States.

ARLINGTON, Va. – No One Left Behind provides funding for mental health services and treatment for a newly launched initiative with REACT DC for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders in Northern Virginia. 

Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Prince William counties are home to one of the largest concentrations of Afghan wartime allies in the country. Many arrived after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021 with direct exposure to combat and forced displacement, and few clinicians in the region offer culturally competent trauma-informed care in Dari or Pashto.

“We are incredibly proud to launch this Mental Health Program in partnership with REACT DC,” said Janis Shinwari, founder of No One Left Behind and Afghan wartime ally who arrived in the United States after receiving an SIV. “Mental health support is an essential part of helping individuals and families build stable, healthy, and successful lives.”

“Every new beginning carries the weight of a painful goodbye. Our clients were forced to leave behind people they love, some of whom they may never see again, along with their homes, treasured photos, keepsakes, traditions, and memories that shaped their lives,” Said Noor Trumbull, Chief Operating Officer of No One Left Behind. “At the same time, they are arriving at a place of hope, new opportunities, and the possibility of a brighter future. We are honored to offer mental health resources that support them through both sides of this journey and help them process what they have lost while embracing all that lies ahead.” 

REACT DC's licensed therapists will provide individual and group therapy, short-term therapeutic coaching, and psychoeducational sessions on sleep, stress, and trauma responses. Every service runs with trained interpreters, in person in Northern Virginia or virtually. A cultural advisory council of four to six members of the local Afghan community reviews the program monthly.

“REACT DC is thrilled to collaborate with No One Left Behind to provide essential support to our SIV Allies,” said Sarah Cady, the Chief Executive Officer of REACT DC. “Mental health support and services are vital to successful resettlement and long-term integration.”

The program grew out of No One Left Behind and REACT DC’s work together to resettle 5 SIV families in 2025. NOLB in total resettled more than 1,300 individuals across 42 states in 2025, and saw patterns and gaps in culturally sufficient mental health care, with mental health challenges existing even after housing and employment were in place.

“Forced displacement brings myriad challenges, and REACT DC is deeply committed to working with No One Left Behind to make sure that the men and women who supported our military forces for decades are offered life-altering services to help them thrive as our newest Americans,” said Cady. “As a Licensed Social Worker, providing trauma-informed client-centered care to SIVs is a huge priority.”​

The services provided through the program are designed to meet a diverse array of unique needs within the wartime ally community.

“Through this program, we are committed to providing accessible, compassionate, and meaningful services to those who need them,” said Shinwari. “We are grateful to work alongside ReactDC and look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on our community.”

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About No One Left Behind

No One Left Behind is the nation's oldest charitable organization dedicated to America's wartime allies, the interpreters and U.S. government employees from Afghanistan and Iraq eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa program. Founded in 2013 by Janis Shinwari, an Afghan interpreter who saved the lives of five American soldiers in combat, No One Left Behind helps allies reach safety, resettle in communities across the United States, and build new lives as Americans, and advocates on their behalf before Congress and the White House. Learn more at nooneleft.org.

About REACT DC

REACT DC was founded in September 2021 by professional military spouses and veterans with backgrounds in law, intelligence operations, military service, education, and nonprofit work. We came together to assist our Afghan allies amid a humanitarian crisis. Guided by core principles of empathy, fidelity, and adaptability, we are now at the forefront of innovative resettlement support operations, leading national and DC metro area programs to pilot new delivery methods, fill key gaps, and improve outcomes for refugee populations.

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