Get Involved
Support the Journey
Hundreds of refugees are resettled with CWS each year in Rochester after fleeing persecution in their own home countries. Refugees often arrive with little to no English, limited familiarity with U.S. culture, and no financial resources. Their resettlement journey is long and full of challenges.
You can make that journey easier and volunteer to support refugees and programs as they rebuild their lives and help us continue welcoming refugees to Rochester. Please email CWS Community Engagement Specialist Jenna Cohen, at jcohen@cwsglobal.org.
Volunteer
Church World Service Rochester provides direct services to groups of hundreds of refugees annually and volunteer support is beneficial for client integration. Refugees are resettled into our communities with minimal English training, limited familiarity with U.S. culture, and limited financial resources. The resettlement process is complex, but CWS Rochester hopes to relieve this pressure through support and a path to self-sufficiency.
Volunteers help in this process though individual and group opportunities! Please email jcohen@cwsglobal.org for more information. See below for specific volunteer opportunities with CWS Rochester.
Apartment Set-Ups:
Assist in preparing new homes for newly arrived refugee families. Many families are resettled we need your help in making these apartments a home!
Arrival Help:
Volunteers are needed to help assist with driving clients to their new homes.
Grocery shopping:
Sign up for a CWS Rochester “Store Shift.” Support families in learning how to grocery shop.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Attend a brief training via Zoom to learn about refugee resettlement and CWS Rochester
- Complete a background check.
Community Sponsorship
Join us and become a welcome ambassador!
Community Sponsors work together to welcome refugees by helping with resettlement and integration.
For more information, check out this Community Sponsorship | CWS (cwsglobal.org)
Co-sponsors are expected to fulfill 8 out of 16 core services in 7 Support Areas, which are:
- Housing
- Transportation
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- Cultural Adjustment
- Employment and Finances
- Health and Mental Health
- Education
For support and learning opportunities, co-sponsors can visit Refugee Welcome Collective to learn more: Training - Refugee Welcome Collective
To view our core services checklist, visit this link checklist_core-services.pdf (refugeewelcome.org)
