The U.S. Committee on Refugee and Immigrants’ Des Moines office is hosting its third annual Welcome Iowa benefit supporting Afghan allies and the 465 refugees and evacuees coming to Central Iowa over the next year. Since 2010, the agency has welcomed more than 4,000 refugees and helped them establish homes, find jobs, gain access to health care and more. The guest speaker is Lanon Baccam, who is the son of Taidam refugees from Laos. Baccam served in the Iowa National Guard for eight years before serving in the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Obama administration and currently in the Biden administration. The event is on Oct. 14, from 5-6:30 p.m., at the Foundry Distillery Co. in West Des Moines. Learn more and register