World Refugee Month
No one chooses to be a refugee
It usually happens at a moment’s notice. It can include a dangerous journey. But no one chooses to flee their country and leave everything—their home, possessions, loved ones—behind. Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their home country due to violence, poverty, persecution, or disaster.
No one chooses to be a refugee, but we can choose how to respond.
Get involved
Co-sponsor a refugee family
This often involves welcoming refugees upon arrival, helping set up their home, transportation to appointments, engaging in cultural orientation, and practicing English. Overall, a co-sponsor is a welcoming neighbor, friend, and community guide. Bethany offers co-sponsorship opportunities across the country.
Provide a foster home
Refugees face a difficult journey when they resettle in a new country. The journey is even harder for refugee children separated from their families. By becoming a foster parent, you can help an unaccompanied child feel safe, loved, and connected as they navigate life in a new place.
Give
Your support will help provide food, shelter, and more for refugees fleeing violence.
Refugees add value to their communities
Refugees living in the United States make tremendous contributions to the economy. With their high employment rate and entrepreneurial spirit, refugees sustain and strengthen their new communities.
Top industries that employ refugees:
- Manufacturing
- Health care
- Retail
- Tourism
- Transportation
- Education
Source: U.S. State Department
185,000+
Number of refugee entrepreneurs in the U.S.
$5 billion
Total business income of refugee entrepreneurs
$26.1 billion
Total taxes paid by refugees
Source: American Immigration Council
Refugees and neighbors do life together
“We will always be family”
A young couple step out in faith to become foster parents to a girl from Guatemala.