Safe Haven in Warsaw

Lincoln Literacy addresses language barriers for immigrants and refugees through a volunteer-based ESL program that offers over 100 classes across nine locations in Lincoln, Nebraska. The organization's model includes community classes, workplace partnerships where employers pay for on-site instruction during work hours and a student-centered curriculum that adapts to real-world communication needs. The group has been operating since 1975.

Building Ukraine Together (BUT) gathers volunteers across the country to help rebuild homes, cultural centers and repair public facilities that were damaged or destroyed as a result of the war with Russia. With a team of more than 6,000 volunteers from several walks of life, BUT has repaired or created comfortable, safe living conditions for more than 5,000 people impacted by the war.

An organization called Ukrainian Ants rents out a hotel in Transcarpathia for people who are displaced due to the war. During their stay, they help the organization with various tasks and are given food and necessary household items.

The Change Makers Network established a library and provided volunteer teachers to serve children in a camp for people displaced by violence. The program allows students to access free classes and educational materials and improve their literacy skills.

A father/daughter dentist duo provides dental services to refugees in need of care by setting up a pop-up clinic at a refugee camp on the Greek island of Chios. The pop-up clinic provides much-needed dental care to the refugees who haven’t had the ability to care for their teeth during their journey to Europe and dentists from around the world will take turns staffing the clinic on a volunteer basis.

The Sponsor Circle program mobilizes local community members to raise money and provide technical and cultural support to Afghan refugees resettling in the United States. One such refugee is Mohammad Agha Mohammadi, who has been able to enroll in benefits, get his driving learner's permit, and sign up for college courses with the help of his circle since arriving in Connecticut.

Community health workers are stepping in to deliver essential healthcare services where conflict has destroyed local health facilities. These locally-trusted health workers conduct door-to-door visits to provide immunizations, screen children for malnutrition, refer emergency care and offer mental health support to those who need it, bridging gaps where traditional services can’t operate.

Riverton Park United Methodist Church has become a shelter for people navigating the immigration and asylum process, hosting 200 to 500 people in the past year. The church recently received $500,000 in donations, spending the majority of it on supplies, staffing, legal assistance and other resources and services to continue supporting refugees.

The L’Chaim initiative consists of a group of volunteers who visit women working in prostitution to build relationships to help these women prevent sex trafficking and to help victims find a way out. During visits, volunteers educate women on their rights, raise awareness of sex trafficking, and help them understand they may be victims and then connect them with appropriate resources, serving as a liaison between “victims” and “rescuers.”

The International Institute of Minnesota’s refugee resettlement program finds and prepares apartments for refugee families moving to the state. Through a combination of donations and buying new or used items, the organization stocks the home with all of the essentials, groceries, and furniture. And volunteers help set it all up.