Local organizations respond to the growing need for international family hosts

International students are increasingly heading abroad to study.

As of the 2023-24 school year, the United States hosted over 1.5 million international students, which marked significant growth from previous years according to the Association of International Educators.

However, many of these students face a significant challenge — finding a supportive and welcoming home away from home.

The amount of host families has decreased in 2024 according to data from The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

To tackle the shortage — organizations are posting information on their websites and creating frequently asked question (FAQ) sheets to educate and recruit potential host families.

College of the Desert's International program aims to support students by pairing them with local host families.

Cody McCabe, Director of International Education, said about 100 students are starting school this fall.

He said host families support plays an instrumental role in helping International students thrive.

"They're a critical part of our programing and it's a great way for students from other countries to learn about our culture," McCabe said.

He said people interested in becoming host families can contact him at iep@collegeofthedesert.edu.

Jessica Cruz, Regional Advisor at International Student Exchange, said throughout the year the program works diligently to find local volunteers to be host families for high school students.

Cruz also said for every approved host family a person refers, her organization is offering a $300 reward.

Stay with News Channel 3 to learn how the shortage in host families has impacted Coachella Valley International programs.