World Relief Southern California Announces New Office Director, Heather Kwak
June 2, 2021 CONTACT:Lauren Carllauren.carl@pinkston.co(703) 388-6734 GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — Today, Heather Kwak was announced as the new office director of World Relief Southern California. Heather established her career with World Relief Southern California in 2012 as a volunteer resettling refugees. Four years later, she became the program manager for World Relief Southern California’s Department…
Read More“Thank You” from the Early Childhood Program
Just like us at World Relief, we know you care about refugee and immigrant children and families. You’ve proved that this year. You showed up when there was a need. Through your donations, you served nearly 100 refugee and immigrant students. You provided students with learning tools they need to develop holisitically. Without your partnership,…
Read MoreBeneath the Chaos Resilience Bloomed: Our Global COVID Response
It was three o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon when Laura Fontaine, Director of World Relief Quad Cities, got the call. A woman in the Congolese community had contracted COVID-19. Shutdowns had already begun across much of the U.S., and World Relief followed suit, closing our offices and suspending all in-person programming. Halfway across the globe,…
Read MoreMore to Offer: Abe’s Story
In honor of the recently increased refugee cap, we’re sharing stories from some of the brave Quad Cities refugees and immigrants who strive to create a community of welcome for those following in their footsteps. Together, we can [Re]Build. Mbanzamihigo “Abe” Ibrahim’s first memory of the U.S. is of fireworks. “It was two days away from the Fourth of July.…
Read MoreSurviving to Thriving: Dim’s Story
In honor of the recently increased refugee cap, we’re sharing stories from some of the brave Quad Cities refugees and immigrants who strive to create a community of welcome for those following in their footsteps. Together, we can [Re]Build. When Dim was a child, her father had to leave Myanmar to work in another country. It was the only way…
Read MoreWelcome begins with you.
“For I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” — Matthew 25 Welcome begins with you. Join us. Original Music — The Brilliance Music
Read MoreRebuilding Dreams
Meet Medina! She’s 17, has learned four languages, and her dream is to be an English teacher. Her family is from the Afar people group of East Africa, and they were forcibly displaced from Eritrea to Ethiopia when Medina was a little girl. When she arrived in the U.S. in 2018, it was the second time she started learning a new country and new language. “When I went from Eretria to Ethiopia, it was a…
Read MoreH.O.M.E. Program
Through the H.O.M.E. Program, we at World Relief are partnering together with you – the church and community – to come along side asylum seekers by providing housing and community support. The program’s priorities are in the name: Housing, Opportunity, Mutuality, and Empowerment. Join us on Thursday June 3rd to learn more about the program…
Read MoreFrom Mentee to Mentor: Alphonse
When Alphonse stepped off the plane in Memphis nearly five years ago, he thought he would be alone. He had his sister by his side, but his mother was still in the Democratic Republic of Congo along with his other siblings. Yet to his surprise, he was greeted at the airport by his name—one that…
Read MoreThe Other Side of the Storm
At 10-years-old, Alliance already understands the responsibilities that only an adult should. As she gets ready for school, she glances at her three siblings, worrying about what she will prepare for them for lunch that day. As she steps out of the door of their home in the Gihembe refugee camp in Rwanda, she sees the storm clouds rolling in over…
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