“The people at the IRC really care about refugees. They are doing everything they can to make sure refugees are completely resettled. They are not just a "paper work" organization, they really care and help. I do believe in the IRC and their work . . . Everyone at IRC, no matter who or what their position, tried to help me however they could.”– Arin, Resettled in Los Angeles from Iran, 2009
Every day, all across the globe, innocent families are uprooted from their homes and forced to flee their lives – because of war, natural disaster and persecution. The IRC in Los Angeles knows these stories. The Los Angeles IRC office has been in operation since 1975 when large numbers of Vietnamese refugees began arriving on the West Coast. Over the years, the Los Angeles office has worked with refugees from many countries including Iran, Bosnia, and the Former Soviet Union. The Los Angeles region has historically been a major U.S. destination for refugees and asylees, as well as documented and undocumented immigrants. The IRC helped more than 1700 refugees resettle in the Los Angeles area in 2009 alone. This year, the IRC in Los Angeles expects to welcome refugee men, women, and children from Iran, Iraq, Burma, and Afghanistan, as well as assist asylees from Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
IRC staff and volunteers are there to help these courageous individuals on the final leg of their journey from harm to home. We provide housing and cash assistance, access to basic social services, financial literacy courses, and help men and women gain the skills they need to secure stable employment. We also help refugees realize their dreams of becoming U.S. citizens.
For more than 30 years the IRC and its partners in Los Angeles County have helped tens of thousands of people from around the globe re-establish their lives in Southern California. Partnerships, community support, volunteers, funding, pro-bono work, and contributions in kind are encouraged, appreciated, and go directly towards helping people reclaim their dignity and their hope. You can learn more about how the IRC serves the immediate Los Angeles area through our Glendale office here or email us at VolunteerLA@theIRC.org to get involved.
Thank you,
Thomas Hill
Executive Director, the IRC in Los Angeles
