How You Can Help.
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Welcome Kits
Through donations and volunteer support, we compile what we call "Welcome Kits" for refugee families. To do this, we accept donations of funds, items, or even complete kits. Click below to learn more.
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Warm Clothing
We are looking for the type of winter outerwear items a refugee would wear while waiting for the bus in the middle of January. In particular we need warm coats, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, warm socks, and boots.
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Friendship
We offer friendship, mentoring, tutoring and practical support for our new neighbors. We can also provide support after initial government support has ended.
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Approximately 500 refugees are resettled in Kansas City each year through 9 resettlement agencies. These resettlement agencies assist refugees with housing, furniture, kitchen supplies, linens, appropriate clothing, groceries, pocket money, transportations, health screening, employment coaching and community orientation.
These resettlement agencies provide the majority of their services for the first 3-6 months that a refugee is in the US. After this time period is when RefugeKC can step in and provide continuing services to these refugee families. The federal government has developed guidelines (found in the Cooperative Agreement) that require that refugees receive household items appropriate for their new life in America. This resettlement program is designed to be a public-private partnership.
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This means that resettlement agencies must solicit members of the local community for donations (funds and gifts-in-kind) to set up households for new arrivals. That is why we collect donations and create welcome kits.
Do You Know A Refugee?
Resettlement Agency Partners
If you or someone you know is a refugee resettling to Kansas City, RefugeKC partners with three resettlement agencies in the area and we would love to help. Please reach out to one of the following agencies to receive initial support.
- Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) – “JVS engages, encourages, and empowers people to achieve social, cultural, and economic integration. We assist individuals and families in achieving self-reliance by providing support, personal development, employment and training services.” www.jvskc.org
- Della Lamb Community Services – “We provide low-income families with early education, child care, youth services, adult services, adult education, transportation, emergency social services, international refugee services, Elementary Charter School education, back-to-school supplies, Thanksgiving groceries and Christmas groceries and gifts.” www.dellalamb.org
- Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas – “Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ Refugee and Immigration Services programming has more than 35 years of experience in resettling refugees in the state of Kansas. The agency is seen as the area expert on refugee resettlement and provides information to numerous community agencies that have contact with refugees. While health departments, SRS, ESL schools, mental health providers, and other agencies have contact with refugees to meet specific needs, Catholic Charities is truly a point of information, referral, service provision, and service coordination of refugees in the area.” https://catholiccharitiesks.org
