Meet Exodus Refugee – 2021 Give Back Finalist

How long has Exodus Refugee been serving the Indy community? 

Exodus Refugee has been serving the Indy community for 40 years.

Describe the impact your organization has had on the Indy region. 

Exodus Refugee Immigration (Exodus) is dedicated to the protection of human rights by serving the resettlement needs of refugees and other displaced people fleeing persecution, injustice, and war by welcoming them to Indiana. We provide a safe, welcoming space where our clients can receive the culturally and linguistically appropriate social services they need to rebuild their lives. Exodus helps our clients start new lives.

When refugees first arrive, we help them adjust to life in the United States and help them access housing, culturally appropriate food, employment, healthcare, and more. We help children enroll in school and provide English classes and cultural orientation services for all clients. Last year, we welcomed 175 newly arrived refugees from 6 countries, including Burma/Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan, and Syria.

Long-Term Supportive Services

We also provide long-term supportive services, such as mental wellness services, legal services, and ongoing case management through our Women’s Program and Youth Program.  We served a total of 939 people in 2020 through all of our programs.

Helping our clients resettle in Indianapolis benefits not only our clients, but all of Indianapolis.  Refugees and other immigrants of humanitarian concern help make our city a more diverse and interesting community. Our clients bring their rich cultures and traditions with them to the United States, and share these with not only their neighbors, but also the wider community, as they start small businesses, engage with local faith-based and community organizations, attend school and work in Indianapolis.

Talk about the impact that $14,000 could have on your organization and for the communities you serve.

A $14,000 donation to Exodus would make such a difference for our clients!  This donation could be used to help support our extended programs, including our Legal Services Program, Mental Wellness Program, Women’s Program, and Youth Program. These programs help us provide clients with the assistance they need to continue to build new, self-sufficient lives here in Central Indiana. 

Clients participating in these programs receive a variety of assistance. For instance, in our legal program, clients may receive help with reuniting with family members still waiting to join them here in Indiana, receiving a green card, or becoming a U.S. citizen. Our mental wellness program provides linguistically- and culturally-appropriate individual and group counseling sessions to help clients process the trauma they encountered before arriving in the United States, as well as the struggle they face as they adapt to a new life.