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This year marks 30 years of Community Refugee & Immigration Services serving as a beacon of welcome in Central Ohio!
We are simultaneously reflecting on three decades of service and preparing for the challenges of an uncertain present, but we remain future-focused and committed to continuing this work for decades to come.
Over the course of this year, we will ask our community to join us in laying the foundation for an Enduring Welcome as we establish the Enduring Welcome Fund. Our team will use this fund to respond to the challenges we know are headed our way, and it will build our capacity to adapt to rapidly evolving community needs.
The first step will be an immediate 100-day fundraising push in which CRIS supporters, staff, and volunteers will become fundraisers. A volunteer-led effort in 2017 helped to raise over $100,000 in 100 days to keep CRIS afloat after severe cuts to the US Refugee Resettlement Program, and our goal is to replicate that effort.
Events throughout 2025 will spotlight the past 30 years of welcome and our hopes for the future of this community work. With your help, we can celebrate the lasting contributions of refugees and immigrants while ensuring CRIS remains a vital resource for another 30 years and beyond.
“To reaffirm our commitment to this work and to enable it to continue for the next 30 years, we have established the Enduring Welcome fund.”
Overwhelming community support has sustained us for the last three decades, and we are confident that it will help us continue to endure, to say ‘You are welcome.’ If you are interested in helping us kickstart this effort, see the options below.
Three Ways to Join CRIS’ Enduring Welcome
Donate to/Start a $100K in 100 Days Fundraising Page
To kickstart the Enduring Welcome, we are hosting a 100-day campaign to raise $100,000 (January 13th-April 23rd, 2025). Donate to an existing fundraising page or create your own and join in the fun!
Donate Directly to the Enduring Welcome Fund
Become an Enduring Welcome Partner
Business owners, organizations, and community groups can join the campaign by pooling their efforts and resources in unique ways. Whether it’s hosting a mini fundraiser, pledging a portion of sales, organizing a team donation challenge, or creating a matching gift opportunity, your collective contributions make a big impact.
Make a direct donation to the Enduring Welcome fund on our website.