Amazon, Chobani and UPS vow to hire Afghan refugees

Amazon, Chobani, UPS and more than 30 other companies have vowed to hire and train refugees fleeing Afghanistan for the U.S.

The companies said Tuesday that they want to help the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees coming to America to integrate into the economy. A first group of 37,000 Afghan refugees started making their way to states this month.

The 33 companies said they were joining the Tent Coalition for Afghan Refugees, a coalition founded by Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of yogurt and food company Chobani.

“The moment a refugee gets a job, it’s the moment they stop being a refugee,” Ulukaya said in a prepared statement. “It’s the moment they can stand on their own two feet; it’s the moment they can make new friends; it’s the moment they can start a new life.”

UPS, the package delivery company, said it would work with refugees to place them in the right jobs.

Online shopping giant Amazon said it offers refugees jobs in its warehouses or transportation hubs, as well as corporate or tech roles. It also pays for training and education, such as college tuition or English language courses.