Orientation
Your first step to serve is to attend an Orientation.
Orientation is a one-hour, interactive session where we discuss refugees, resettlement, and how to serve. You may RSVP for an upcoming Orientation below. We are adding new dates frequently!
If your church or organization would like to host an Orientation or request a speaker, please complete our Connect form.
Still have questions? Email info@houstonwelcomesrefugees.com.
welcome kits
Refugees arrive to the United States with very little and have to quickly begin their lives over again. Welcome Kits are filled with household items that provide refugees the starting essentials needed in their new homes. The hope is that these kits would honor refugees arriving in Houston, welcoming them with dignity, while also meeting a very tangible need.
move-in teams
The resettlement journey is a long and difficult one, and most refugees arrive unsure of what life in a new country holds. While they’re provided a small amount of funding for an apartment, what they need most upon arrival is people who can make them feel welcome in a new place.
Volunteer Move-In Teams are responsible for turning an empty apartment into an inviting home for the refugee family.
Unpack Welcome Kits
Deliver groceries and a hot meal
Leave notes of welcome and encouragement
Interested in joining or forming a Move-In Team? Your first step is to attend an Orientation.
Welcome teams
Resettling in a new country without speaking the language, understanding the culture, or knowing anyone suddenly makes simple daily tasks daunting and overwhelming. What’s needed are friends to help with the transition!
Volunteer Welcome Teams partner with a refugee family during their first six months in Houston. Welcome Teams connect refugees with critical resources and community, act as a support system, and honor and esteem refugees with the gift of friendship.
Attend an Orientation, complete an online application, and attend a Welcome Team Training
Join a team of 4-10 people
Be ready to commit to one refugee family for 4-6 months
Be prepared for one personal visit with the family per week initially
Teams should expect to visit the family 2-3 times per week collectively in the first 2 months, then once per week thereafter
“The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”
— Leviticus 19:34