American Fund for Czechoslovak Refugees (New York, N.Y.)

The American Fund for Czechoslovak Refugees (New York, N.Y.) was formed in 1948 following the Communist coup in Czechoslovakia. Its purpose was to help refugees with their immediate needs and to aid in their resettlement in and all aspects of adjustment to their new homes. It was founded with the help of Ján Papánek and its first chairman was Dr. James T. Shotwell of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The American Fund for Czechoslovak Refugees established working relationships with other relief organizations such as the International Refugee Organization and was recognized by the United States Department of Defense as a voluntary agency. It was staffed mostly by volunteers and assisted by organizations such as the Czechoslovak National Council of America. It was active in a number of states and also had offices abroad.