Lancaster | PA
A City of Welcome
From its earliest days, Lancaster has been a city and region that welcomes people starting a new life, and this tradition continues today! In fact, the BBC designated Lancaster as the “refugee capital” of the US based on number of residents and the large number of refugees resettled in Lancaster in recent years—as high as 20 times the national average! In 2019, Lancaster was recognized as a “Certified Welcoming” city, the fifth US city to receive that honor from the National Welcoming America Initiative.
As new refugee families enter our community, they are faced with multiple challenges: language, employment, new culture, recovering from trauma, schooling for kids, racism and social exclusion. In the midst of these challenges we welcome our new neighbors by walking alongside them as a coach and friend to help them thrive in Lancaster.
Our Lancaster network of churches and volunteers not only wants to help refugees to survive, but to thrive and make this a home where they can live the full lives God wants them to live. Through sports programs, shared meals, one-on-one English tutoring, and meeting people’s practical needs we desire to share with our new neighbors the love that Jesus has shown us.
What We Do
Cultural Coaches
Bringing dignity and purpose to a person happens when we take the time to listen, encourage and empower people to be all that God desires them to be. Our cultural coaches do this one person and one family at a time.
Help Churches Connect
We love to help churches learn ways to connect to their new immigrant neighbors. We believe that through some basic cross-cultural training and building new relationships churches can build bridges to empower these new friends as they embrace a new life!