Community Outreach & Advocacy For Refugees, Inc.

While there are many organizations that serve resettled refugees, COAR's approach is unique because it focuses on mobilizing a previously untapped resource - the very communities in which refugees are resettled. Inadequate staffing and scarce resources prevent refugee service organizations from conducting the outreach and education needed to engage community members in this work. COAR's energy and initiatives have attracted large numbers of volunteers who otherwise would not have become involved in refugee issues. Refugees transition better if they are supported by a community that values cultural exchange and reinforces their efforts to adjust. Through its programs, COAR is cultivating this type of community and connecting refugees to it.