We build bridges between refugee communities and local individuals, institutions, and organizations. We do this by building relationships with refugee community leaders and responding to their felt needs. Some examples include a citizenship class we offered at a Burmese church, an ongoing literacy class for Somali women, and our Face to Face mentorship program.

We also conduct community dialogues with specific refugee communities to help them dream about a better future. Then we share the results of these meetings with local partners and equip them to meet those needs.

Finally, we serve local organizations by equipping them to understand refugee cultures. We've liaised and offered culture trainings at local schools, taught ESL principles to local ESL instructors, and facilitated the Panhandle Refugee Celebration in honor of World Refugee Day.

You can be a big help! People have a wide range of skills, and none of them is more important than another. First and foremost, you may be interested in just attending Table Talk. Everyone who comes will get a free meal. All you have to do is show up and talk about the topic of the day. You'll meet an important need for a refugee, and get free food. Can you imagine a better use for an hour of your time?

Our Somali women's literacy class can use you too. Most of our tutors have never taught English before, and they love it! You can also sign up to be a friend with a local refugee family as part of our Face to Face program.

If those options are outside of your comfort zone, consider volunteering to provide food for an event, take pictures or video for the website, or help with administrative tasks.

We'd also love for you to consider supporting us with monthly donations.

Have another idea? Let us know!

Absolutely! We would love an opportunity to share about our project with your group. Not only do we need community support, but we believe the community needs to know what we're doing. You can connect the dots!

We are happy to share about our programs, but we are also happy to provide culture training to help you meet your own goals.

Please send us an email to schedule something soon.

ESL stands for "English as a Second Language". In this context, it refers to English instruction for those who have a first language other than English. There are many acronyms that are used in overlapping ways, including ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). English learners are often called ELLs ("English Language Learners").

While the greatest needs in Amarillo involve refugees, our scope is broader. Our linguistic strengths enable us to work with all immigrants, regardless of which category they fall under.

Our primary focus is on the ethnolinguistic communities which are primarily made up of refugees (as well as people who were at one time refugees before becoming citizens). This includes groups such as: Afghani, Burmese, Burundi, Chin (Burma), Congolese, Dinka (S. Sudan), Eritrean, Ethiopian, Kachin, Karen (Burma), Karenni (Burma), Iraqi, Iranian, Lao, Nuba (Sudan), Nuer (S. Sudan), Rwandan, Somali, Somali Bantu, and Vietnamese.

Our programs are focused on adults at this point, though we collaborate with local organizations who focus their efforts on serving children. Some of our programs, such as the Somali Women's Literacy Class, do offer childcare.