While the rise of activism has spread awareness about various nonprofit organizations, many that change lives still go unnoticed. Voice of Refugees (VOR), located in Anaheim, California, is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to aiding refugees in Southern California as they navigate through the challenges of resettlement. Their wide array of resources, emotional support, and dedicated volunteers helps restore a sense of belonging among the refugees who have lost their homes and identity due to the consequences of violence, war, and persecution.
According to Chris Khoury, Voice of Refugees’ Executive Director, VOR started as a small group of volunteers led by immigrants from Jordan and Palestine in 2009. Seeing that their neighbors, who were also volunteers, needed assistance acclimating to the United States, the founders started teaching Arabic and English and providing furniture from their garage to those in need. Overtime, as they gathered more volunteers and refugees, they evolved into a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing the refugee community with a voice of their own, thus the name, Voice of Refugees.
Khoury shared an interesting anecdote behind the organization’s name. Voice of Refugees isn’t grammatically correct, highlighting the fact that it’s named and created by immigrants. Only knowing minimal English, the founders didn’t catch this small grammatical error while filing for their nonprofit organization, and they didn’t realize how they’re changing the intent behind their name. Intending for their name to represent the various voices of different refugees, their name speaks to a collective voice shared by refugees.
With the goal of breaking barriers to integration in mind, three main services are catered to helping refugees be independent in the US.
For one, VOR offers free English classes, varying in difficulty, taught three days a week over 10-week sessions. The teachers are volunteers, and each class usually includes 3-4 students. The volunteers work with the students, teaching them vocabulary, grammar, and conversational phrases. Beginner classes focus on teaching the refugees the basics of English, emphasizing conversation and everyday language. Advanced classes start to incorporate the nuances of the English language, such as syntax and how to write.
Secondly, a large part of independence in Southern California is the ability to drive, so VOR has driving simulations and assistance that teaches the refugees how to drive. This simulation is free for the refugees to use whenever they want, and they can even request an instructor to sit next to them while they practice. Once both the refugees and instructor feel that it’s time for the behind-the-wheel test, volunteers help the refugees register and drive them to their testing place.
Lastly, through VOR’s partnerships with companies like Chick-fil-A and Upwardly Global, Khoury states that refugees get guidance with every part of the job search and application process, often scoring a stable job at the end of the program. Volunteers show refugees how to build their resume and prepare for interviews through workshop sessions and mock interviews, respectively. At the end of this program, refugees are equipped with the skills needed to successfully find a job in the US.
While these services are a notable part of VOR, the organization also acknowledges how emotionally difficult it is to be uprooted one moment and expected to settle down somewhere completely new. To combat emotional trauma, VOR offices are open to refugees who can visit offices freely, without appointments.
“Voice of Refugees exists to serve people with dignity, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and supported,” a Khoury said.
Despite the successes of VOR, this organization still lacks the resources and funding that bigger government owned organizations have. Because it still relies on donors and sponsors, any contribution ripples and creates a huge impact for the organization and the refugees. Besides donating, there are several other ways someone can get involved and make the world a better place. If you are able to, volunteer to teach English, donate your unwanted items, such as food or furniture, or support VOR’s mission through financial contributions.
To learn more or support the Voice of Refugees, visit http://www.voiceofrefugees.org
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