Contact Building | Welcoming Refugees

Finding common ground: Stay-at-home mom and Sudanese refugee share culture and welcome

Stay-at-home mom Becca Clary found common ground with Sudanese refugee Fatima Bakhit through a cultural exchange program at Kentucky Refugee Ministries. Not only has Becca helped Fatima feel welcome in her new home and learn English, she also has gained a friend.

Building a nation of neighbors starts right where you are: in your community, and there are ways you can make a difference, too. Together, let’s build bridges and demonstrate that our differing identities are assets in making our communities and nation stronger.

Mommy & Me Family Literacy Program

English school gives refugee mothers and their young children an opportunity to build community and a sense of belonging and helps reduce barriers for inclusion among this often overlooked group.

Hawa Abdelrahmin’s kind smile hides that by 8:30 on a sunny Thursday morning, she’s already had a very busy day. After walking a mile to take six-year-old son Ahmed to kindergarten with siblings Youssef (3) and Susan (8 months) in tow, she headed next to English class before getting a call that Ahmed was sick with pinkeye and must be taken home.

Boise Police Department's Refugee Liaison Builds Trust and Safety

Boise, Idaho, has a thriving refugee population that enriches the community’s social and economic fabric. This Welcoming America member is committed to inclusion and as part of their mayor’s priorities, has invested in a full-time police refugee liaison officer to respond to the unique needs of new Americans.

“Law enforcement isn’t just about making an arrest, but truly providing justice and making sure everyone feels safe and a part of their community,” said Officer Dustin Robinson, the unit’s second Police Refugee Liaison Officer since the program launched.

Communities Benefit from Welcoming Refugees

Friendship Across Cultures Brings Women Together

The Friendship Across Cultures program brings together newly-arrived refugee women and retired U.S.-born women.

Promising Practice: University of North Florida

Creating More Welcoming Communities for Refugees

Tampa Bay Garden: Growing a Connected Community

Refugees and established community members gather at the Tampa Bay Garden to plant and tend crops, all the while breaking down barriers, getting to know one another, and learning to understand each other. This garden, which is located outside of St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Church, provides community members with the opportunity to grow vegetables and fruits for sustenance and sale.

Empowerment through employment: Georgia nonprofit 'capitalizes' on the creativity of women seeking refuge

Peace of Thread purses are trendy, gorgeous and one-of-a-kind. Best of all, they’re skillfully made by refugee women who are learning what it means to be an American…and how to live and thrive in the United States.

Dayton Public Schools' mentoring program helps refugee students fit in and succeed

Dayton Public Schools (DPS) in Dayton, Ohio has established a number of efforts to help refugee children with academic performance and socialization. Recognizing that newcomer children often struggle in their transition to U.S. schools, DPS has established a Welcome Center and individualized mentoring and tutoring with community volunteers, with the goal to smooth their transition and help them thrive. It’s a reciprocal relationship, for refugee students enrich the lives of their mentors, as much as the mentors help them.