Open Doors for Refugees

Helping refugees make a home in the Madison area

About
- Who We Are
  - Open Doors for Refugees
    Open Doors for Refugees is a volunteer-driven organization based in Madison, Wisconsin whose mission is to help refugees make a home in the Madison area.
- Who Are Refugees?
  - Who are Refugees?
    People who have fled their country to escape persecution, violence, or war are refugees.
    Refugees in Wisconsin
    Between 2019 and 2021, 1,254 refugees have settled in Wisconsin.
- Community Resources
  - Community Resources
  - Legal Resources
  - Jobs
  - Rent / Billing Assistance
  - Healthcare
  - Food
  - Transportation
  - Internet
  - Diapers & Menstrual Care
  - ESL
- Our Partners
  - Partnering Organizations
    A huge thanks goes to these neighboring organizations that make it possible for us to fulfill our mission.
- Contact Us
  - Contact Us
    General: [email protected]
    
    Donate Furniture and Household Items: [email protected]
    
    Volunteering Inquiries: [email protected]
    
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OpenDoorsForRefugees/
- DEI Statement
  - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    Everything we do is designed to help refugees overcome challenges in housing, employment, culture, and language (to name a few), ultimately making Madison a place of greater equity and inclusion.
    Read our full statement.
What We Do
- Upcoming Meetings & Events
  - Upcoming Meetings
    We regularly host and partake in community events to support our newest neighbors.
    Upcoming Events
    We host a series of events throughout the year.
- Programs
  - Our Programs
    We have a variety of programs that directly benefit refugees.
  - Home Setup for Recent Arrivals
  - Transportation (rides)
  - Bus System Training
  - Free Bikes for Adults & Kids
  - ESL Tutoring & Mentorship
  - Childcare for Afghan Moms Learning ESL
  - Childcare Support for Health & Wellness Classes
  - Rental Assistance for Recent Arrivals
  - Winter Wear
  - Food Gift Cards for Recent Arrivals
  - Sewing Machines & Supplies
  - Events
Newsletters & Articles
- Past Newsletters
  - Past Newsletters
    Every month, Open Doors for Refugees releases a newsletter.
    Sign up to begin receiving email updates every other month.
- Open Doors in the News
  - Open Doors in the News
    A timeline of articles and other media that reference our work.
- Refugee Stories
- Community Updates
  - Community Updates
    News posts about ODFR and our interactions with the local community and updates about past ODFR events.
- World News
  - World News
    Posts about current world affairs.
- Special Topics
  - Special Topics
    Posts that go into detail about major world events and other important topics. We tend to keep these updated over time.

Freeze for Food is in One Week!

Posted by Alex Houghton

Please join us at Vilas Park Shelter on a March 1st walk/run to support refugees and food security!

Race Details

March 1st, 2025
5K Run/Walk: Starts at 12PM
10K Run: Starts at 1PM

Vilas Park Shelter
1602 Vilas Park Drive
Madison, WI 53715

This 44th Freeze for Food event would not be possible without the continued efforts of the Returned Peace Core Volunteers of Wisconsin!

Food Drive for the Goodman Community Center Fritz Food Pantry

Bring your non-perishable pantry donations to the Vilas Park Shelter on race day. We will also be collecting plastic, paper, or cloth bags for the food pantry. Thanks in advance to all contributing racers!

Learn More

Learn more about this event at: https://www.rpcvmadison.org/freeze-for-food

Any questions? Please get in touch on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/freezeforfood/

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring this or a future event? Please send an email to [email protected]
100% of the proceeds go to Open Doors for Refugees!