In addition to Open Doors for Refugees, there are numerous organizations across Wisconsin dedicated to supporting refugees as they make a home in their new community.
This list is an ongoing effort. Know of another organization outside of Dane County that helps refugees make a home in Wisconsin? Email [email protected] to let us know!
By County
Multi-County Organizations
Catholic Charities Milwaukee
This organization services the following counties:
Dodge, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.
To foster integration, we develop programs in partnership with refugee & immigrant communities that promote social bridges and bonds, develop desired skills and cultural knowledge, and encourage U.S. citizenship. We offer a spectrum of learner-centered trainings so that refugees build the real-life knowledge, attitudes, and skills that they want to achieve success.
Forward Service Corporation
This organization has programs in 49 counties.
Adjusting to life in a new country is difficult – there’s a new language, different culture, and finding a job can be challenging. Road to Livelihood helps make this transition easier for refugees. We can help you connect to your new home and community in Wisconsin.
Brown County
Catholic Charities Green Bay
Catholic Charities is an affiliate resettlement agency for USCCB (United States Catholic Conference of Bishops), one of the few national organizations authorized by the US State Department to resettle refugees.
In addition to resettlement services, Catholic Charities offers service coordination services to primary and secondary migration refugees and immigrant families to help them access community supports and provide individual education to help them adjust to residing in Northeastern Wisconsin.
COMSA
Through employment, housing, education, health services, and other emerging programs, COMSA’s multi-lingual staff helps individuals and families navigate the complexities of starting a new life in Brown County, empowering them to confidently and pridefully contribute to the community that has embraced them.
Dane County
Open Doors for Refugees
Open Doors for Refugees is an all-volunteer organization based in Madison, Wisconsin whose mission is to help refugees make a home in the Madison area.
Learn more about us here.
Other Organizations We Work With in Dane County
- Jewish Social Services of Madison
- Forward Services Corporation
- Returned Peace Corps Volunteers – Madison
- Madison College
- Stoughton Resettlement
- Dane County Department of Human Services
- Catholic Multicultural Center
Fox Valley
World Relief Corporation
At World Relief Wisconsin, we come alongside refugees and other immigrants in vulnerable situations as they rebuild their lives in the United States. Since 2012, we’ve been welcoming immigrants and refugees across the Fox Valley, from Appleton to Oshkosh.
Marathon County
Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. (ECDC)
ECDC’s Multicultural Community Center in Central Wisconsin assists newcomers, giving them hope for the future and helping them become self-sufficient, productive members of their new communities!
New Beginnings for Refugees
New Beginnings for Refugees is a Wausau-based community organization which supports refugees throughout critical stages of the resettlement process in Central Wisconsin. We strive to complement the work of ECDC, an experienced national resettlement agency who is opening an office in Wausau.
Milwaukee County
Hanan Refugees Relief Group
Our goal is to transition refugees into contributing members of their host communities by providing long-term solutions, such as housing, labor opportunities, and medical relief.
International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW)
We provide a variety of services including safe and secure living arrangements, basic necessities, and links to community resources.
International Learning Program (ILP)
ILP provides English as a Secondary Language (ESL), literacy, adult basic education, and citizenship classes tailored to the needs of refugees with little or no prior education. Wraparound services include in-house preschool, language support and family literacy support. For refugees, self-sufficiency means gaining the language, life, and social skills needed to attain citizenship, participate in the Milwaukee community, access community resources, and support the healthy social and academic development of their children.
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin (LSS)
Since 1974, LSS Refugee has been helping people lawfully and permanently admitted to the US after having fled unspeakable violence and war.
Muslim Community and Health Center of Wisconsin (MCHC)
At MCHC we offer help to refugee populations by tailoring educational classes on a variety of topics in eight different languages: English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Rohyngga, Karen, Persian and Turkish.
Portage County
Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin
The Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin is one of many organizations working together to coordinate refugee resettlement efforts in Portage County. While we are not the lead organization for this work, we are committed to working with other organizations to support these efforts.