Our Work

Every two seconds someone in the world is forced to leave their home and everything they know. With the threat of violence, persecution or disaster knocking on their door, they make the only choice they can to find safety—they run.

In recent years fewer and fewer of the 100 million people who are forcibly displaced have access to the protection they need to rebuild their lives. Many nations that are hosting asylum seekers and refugees—including the United States at our southern border—deny them access to fundamental rights and critical services or have effectively closed their borders.

We believe every family has the right to live in safety and dignity. That is why we welcome refugees and asylum seekers with open hearts and helping hands. Faith leaders and refugee communities lift their voices to advocate for better policies, and by standing in solidarity, we are helping keep immigrant families together. Whether through the U.S. asylum system or refugee resettlement program here at home, or by aiding communities overseas, we help the vulnerable build lives free from fear.

We have seen community groups and volunteers step forward to help new arrivals do everything from donating household supplies to providing housing – we simply could not do the work of welcoming humanitarian newcomers without the support of our community.

We will continue to find more ways to engage with the community to welcome new arrivals who seek safety, dignity, and the freedom to build a new life in Rochester and Western NY.

Looking ahead to 2024, I invite you all to reach out to find new ways to support refugees in our community. We are excited to share with you what can truly make a difference in the lives of so many, and we would love your engagement into this next year. Thank you for your ongoing support.