As we reflect on 2024, we are grateful for the journey we've shared with the families we serve and the communities that support us along the way. We're excited to share 10 of our favorite photos that capture the spirit of our mission. Each image tells a story of moments that have shaped our work and inspired us all.
Photo: Julian Spath
We kicked off our 85th year with a rebrand to Global Refuge. This change centers our name in the people we serve and helps us build a bigger table of supporters, while remaining true to our Lutheran heritage. Here’s to the next 85 years of service!
Nearly 50 years ago, Hoa and Trinh were resettled in San Diego after the fall of Saigon. Refugees from Vietnam, they quickly made a new home in America with the help of a Lutheran congregation in the area, St Andrew's. Photo: Julian Spath
“Trinh and Hoa continue to be active members of St. Andrew's, worshipping almost every Sunday and regularly attending our fellowship events for seniors. They are particularly proud of their grandkids and extended family…
At a recent community event, members of St. Andrew's also got to reconnect with another family that they sponsored in the early 70's following the end of the Vietnam War. Sean's family is Hmong and originally from Laos. Sean remembered fondly being sponsored by St. Andrew's, who helped to settle his family in a nearby apartment and supported his parents in finding work. He then attended Confirmation Classes with his peers and was confirmed before his family moved out of the area. Now Sean is grown and has his own family and is back living in San Diego… We are grateful for the work of organizations like Global Refuge who extend care and welcome to people seeking safety and stability here in our communities.” – Pastor Sarah, St. Andrew's in San Diego
Photo: Phil Laubner
To commemorate World Refugee Day, Global Refuge hosted the Welcome Works Hiring Eventin Baltimore alongside the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED), the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA), and Tent Partnership for Refugees. The event drew more than 160 attendees and 31 employers from various industries, including healthcare, construction and carpentry, hospitality, and manufacturing.
Following the event, Berry Global signed on as a Preferred Refugee Employer and joined our Employer Engagement Program. To date, Berry has hired 11 local Global Refuge clients, and another dozen clients got jobs through the event. The feedback from employers and attendees was overwhelmingly positive! One employer told us that they have been to seven hiring events this year, and ours was by far the best. They praised the diversity and drive of the jobseekers, the variety of employers from different fields, and the welcoming atmosphere. – Molly Tidwell, Senior Program Officer for Employer Engagement
Canopy staff and clients meet to play soccer, supporting mental and physical health. Photo: Julian Spath
“Celebrating diversity and unity on the soccer field! Canopy staff, clients, and community members came together to share cultures, stories, and the joy of the game. As the great Zico once said, ‘Football is not just a game. It’s a chance to unite people, build communities, and spread joy.'” – Khalid Ahmadzai, Sr. Director of Community & Economic Development, Canopy NWA
Baltimore Welcome Center staff member James Dejean gives Haitian client Fabienne cultural orientation. Photo: Julian Spath
“The day that Fabienne landed in the Baltimore metropolitan area, she told her sister that she never felt so safe in her life. Fabienne arrived in the U.S. with little money to spare and needed help to apply for her work permit. Her sister connected her with us, and she was able to get all the help available to her including a fee waiver to get her work permit. Today, she is a proud full-time employee for Amazon, and her English has improved considerably.” – James Dejean, Baltimore Welcome Center
Khalis Noori, former employee of LIRS and Global Refuge, runs a local Afghan restaurant in Laurel, MD. Recently, he was the recipient of a small loan to help him purchase equipment for the kitchen, allowing his business to grow and thrive. Photo: Julian Spath
“MyKabul, a restaurant run by Afghan refugees, seeks community support to expand nationally, offering diverse, freshly made cuisines with up to 50% discounts for refugees of any background. MyKabul seeks support to enhance services and improve infrastructure fostering cultural inclusivity and supporting growth.” – Khalis Noori, Owner, MyKabul
Samaritas employee Hamzah plays with newly arrived refugee children from Syria. Photo: Kenny Kaprov
“I love this picture very much. I keep it in my laptop ([0n] desktop ). I see it every day many times [and] I feel very happy & forgetting how much I am tired.” – Hamzah Barood, Career Coach, Samaritas
Photo: Adria Malcolm
Louise has been a part of the Tres Hermanas Farm program in Albuquerque, NM for five years, serving as an interpreter, farmer, and even farm manager this past year. She brings a wealth of agricultural knowledge from her family farm and her education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Each season, she cultivates her favorite vegetables for cultural dishes, including African eggplant, okra, tomatoes, and amaranth.
Global Refuge's own Dan Beirne, Director of Mobilization, is ordained as a pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore. Photo: Julian Spath
“I feel so grateful to God and the communities I’m a part of to have celebrated my ordination as a Pastor in the ELCA this year. While my faith had always been at the heart of my motivation to work with immigrants and refugees, being able to do this work now as a Pastor has had the effect of affirming and deepening the commitment I feel to this work. Whether I’m visiting a church who supports the work of welcome, interacting with new neighbors directly, or visiting our partners in this work in Guatemala – I am blessed to show up as a pastor in these spaces now, and that is not a responsibility I take lightly. I’m thankful to the Delaware/Maryland Synod, Bishop Bill Gohl and Global Refuge for this call and support.” – Pastor Dan
Ariz accompanies his young daughter, Rahil, on her first day of school. LFSRM ABQ assisted in enrolling her in school and getting her ready for her new adventure after the family arrived from Afghanistan. Photo: Julian Spath
Advocacy in Action: Congress backs Afghan relocation office as part of end-of-year vote on defense bill
In its annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress approved language that authorizes for three years a key U.S. government office that coordinates Afghan relocation and resettlement efforts, CARE.
Discover 5 ways to help refugees and immigrants in 2025. From volunteering to advocacy, learn how you can make a difference through Global Refuge, the nation’s largest faith-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to serving children, refugees, and immigrants.
Jesus Was a Refugee: An Advent Calendar Devotional
We invite you to download our Advent Story Calendar. Each day of Advent, as you reflect on the Holy Family's journey as a displaced people at the vulnerable time of childbirth, experience stories of immigrants, former refugees, and supporters in their own words as together, we build a more welcoming world.
Global Refuge Reaffirms Commitment to Refugees and Immigrants as Nation Prepares for New Administration
In the wake of the 2024 presidential election, Global Refuge remains steadfast in its mission to serve vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities across the United States.
