History
Hope Refugee Services was officially founded in August, 2007 with the goal or providing additional, post-settlement support to refugee families as they strive for economic independence and successful integration into their communities.
The dream of Hope Refugee Services (HRS), however, began in the summer of 2006 with five women who had previous experience working with the refugee population in Buffalo. There are four refugee resettlement agencies in Buffalo that provide support to families during their first 180 days in Buffalo. Due to the restrictions of federal and state resettlement grants, these agencies have little money or staff to continue to support these families after the initial 180 days.
In their work with the refugee community, these five women had realized it takes much longer than 6 months for most refugee families to overcome the obstacles to self-sufficiency. In fact, most refugee case managers would agree that it is more likely to take from two to five years for the majority of refugee families to become self-sufficient. Examples of the obstacles refugees face will make it clear why this is the case: finding adequate employment; achieving financial literacy and English language literacy; meeting medical needs, educational needs, and housing needs; and making basic cultural adjustments. The goal of HRS was to meet these needs and complement the work of the established refugee resettlement agencies by providing ongoing support for refugee families after the six months of initial aid expired.
Working closely with Houghton College’s Office of Urban Connections (OUC), HRS found temporary headquarters on Lafayette Ave. on Buffalo’s west side. The OUC, having been tasked with acting as a liaison between the college and organizations in the City of Buffalo to provide service learning opportunities for the faculty and students of Houghton College, saw an opportunity for helpful collaboration with HRS. Two of the founders of HRS were Houghton graduates, students at the college were already involved in Saturday morning tutoring program for refugees, and those in the Intercultural Studies program were expressing interest in finding semester-long internships to work with refugees in Buffalo.
In early 2007, Houghton College was contacted by Sister Rose Mary Cauley, the director of a not-for-profit home for handicapped adults. The ministry, located at 318 Breckinridge St., was closing its operations and wanted to donate the house to another nonprofit organization that would continue to use it for ministry on the west side of Buffalo. Sister Cauley had heard of the work of HRS and the OUC in the refugee community, and at the end of February the house was donated to Houghton College for the use of Hope Refugee Services and the Office of Urban Connections. The two organizations moved in over the summer, and continues to house the offices of HRS.