About World Relief Chicagoland

We’ve been doing this work globally for over 80 years and locally in Chicagoland for over 45 years. We’re glad you’re here and are eager to tell you more.

In Fiscal Year 2024, throughout Chicagoland

We served over 10,700 refugees and other immigrants

We engaged volunteers in 30,000+ hours of time served

We mobilized 160+ churches

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What makes us different

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Church & Community Partnerships

No other international humanitarian organization engages local faith leaders like we do. We believe that God has a plan to save our broken world, and the heart of that plan is his church — and his people — leading the way. Working with these community leaders is not only a good strategy, it’s truly the most sustainable and transformative way to create change that lasts. We want to see the global church creating and leading change in their communities so the work can continue long after we depart.

Find out more about how churches can engage

Holistic Approaches

We believe in transformation of the whole person — mind, body and spirit. That’s why our programs focus on addressing the root causes of vulnerability that are often unseen. Beyond physical change, we focus on driving mental, social and spiritual transformation. We know that lasting change requires more than quick fixes and band-aid solutions, and that by going deep to uncover systemic issues, we can create change that lasts.

Read Khin Lay’s story to find out more.

Interconnected Solutions

We see the world’s greatest challenges as inextricably linked. We take a global, whole-picture approach to addressing challenges across multiple contexts with a distinct “here and there” approach that unites our work in the U.S. and other nations with a shared purpose and vision – from a refugee camp in Susan to the employment office in Aurora.

Read Too Too and Poe Wah’s story from Burma to Chicagoland.

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Leadership

Susan Sperry
Executive Director

Isoken Aiwerioba
Director of Operations

Stephanie Clark
Director of Strategic Engagement

Jon Ebersole
Senior Director of Programs

Nancy Ko
Director of Finance

Stephanie Webb
Director of Grants Management

Program Leadership Team

Jon Ebersole - Senior Director of Programs
Christine Cummings - Counseling Center Director
Jenny Ferraro - Children & Youth Programs Director
Rett Janzen - Workforce Development Director
Liza Khalil - Case Management Director, DuPage/Aurora
Catherine Norquist - Immigration Legal Services Director
Sarah Taylor - Adult Education Director
Peter Zigterman - Director of Immigrant Family Services, Chicago

External Engagement Leadership Team

Internal Advisory Team

Susan Sperry - Executive Director

Wilfredo Abarca - Case Management

Susan Bachmeier - Senior Specialist, Immigration

Reyna Celedonio - Volunteer Coordinator

Akua Datsomor - Systems Database Administrator

Owen Flasch - Office Manager

Barb Galli - Employment Specialist

Jorah Griffin - Career Pathways Specialist

Khatira Khan - Case Management

Karyna Lomeiko - Case Management

Angelica Lucero - Case Management

Jessica Matos - Case Management

Paige Rasmussen - Mental Health Counselor

Katie Schnizlein - Children & Youth Specialist

Silvia Soler - Community Outreach Specialist

Liz Stickel - ELL Instructor

Linda Yang - Employment Specialist

Financials

At World Relief, we are committed to prayerful, efficient and thoughtful stewardship of every donation. When you invest in us, you can trust not only that your resources are being directed to the right places, but also that those resources are being used in the smartest, most efficient ways possible due to the collective expertise of our organization.

Year in Review | Gratitude Reports

View Financials

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