As the number of refugees grow around the world, ensuring the greatest impact and success requires flexible funding to power the most important parts of the IRC: the people, the innovation, and the evidence we need to grow our efficiency, effectiveness and outcomes for our clients. If you would like to have an impact that goes beyond critical funding, there are many ways to engage with our work personally, with your family, community or workplace. We would love for you to make a hands-on impact and below are a sample of options which can be customized. Your IRC contact can discuss any of these options with you.
Individual & Family-friendly Actions
Connect the IRC to housing resources to host newly-arrived refugees. Whether you are a landlord or know one, the IRC is always looking for safe, clean spaces to house new arrivals.
Whether you are near an IRC office or virtual, there are many options to support clients. You can search for volunteer opportunities on our website or ask your IRC contact. All volunteers complete a background check and training to ensure client protection.
A few options include:
- Mentor a family on how to navigate US health, financial, and transportation systems.
- Build welcome kits or set up a new home for a family.
- Chaperone an IRC youth program field trip.
- Be an interpreter to help clients with minimal English navigate their legal and case worker meetings.
- Support our economic empowerment work by mentoring clients on how to do business-related activities like tax preparation, financial literacy, resume-writing, interview training, or more.
- Lawyers can help process asylum claims and represent IRC clients as they seek residency.
- Psychologists and psychiatrists can conduct evaluations for clients to help with their asylum claim. Each evaluation costs the IRC around $4,000 but skilled, trained volunteers would save money and help clients seek asylum.
Beautify a space to ensure clients feel safe and welcome. Renovate or beautify an IRC space to ensure clients feel safe and welcome while receiving services.
Record a story in one of our clients’ native languages. Videos will be posted online for IRC staff to share with families. Click here for information on the program and instructions to record your video.
Spread awareness about the IRC by sharing a video or post share on social media, tagging the IRC. Here are sample posts with IRC content to share.
Join an ongoing IRC action or talk with our policy team on how to influence your networks for change, particularly if they include elected officials.
Read a refugee-related book by yourself or with a book club, choosing from an IRC-recommended list of reads and prepared discussion questions.
Community & Workplace Actions
An expert IRC staff member can speak about an area of our work. Here is more information with a sample agenda.
Have an IRC Executive Director or program expert host a talk with your network or company.
Support a refugee or family as they navigate life in a new country through community sponsorship.
Community garden in one of our New Roots locations. Learn more or reach out to your IRC contact to sign up.
We can discuss employers matching donations, engaging your company in campaigns for large moments, such as World Refugee Day, or find other ways to partner.