STAND IN THE GAP:
Help Us Sustain Critical Support for Refugees & Vulnerable Immigrants
Recent federal policy changes are having a devastating impact right here in Sacramento—disrupting vital services for 111 newly arrived refugee cases (434 individuals) and more than 5,000 other refugees and vulnerable immigrants who rely on World Relief Sacramento as they work hard to rebuild their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.
On January 20, 2025, a presidential executive order suspended the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program, halting the arrival of refugees who had already endured months—or even years—of extensive vetting. Flights were canceled, and no new refugees are currently entering the U.S.
Just days later, on January 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of State directed World Relief, and all other resettlement agencies, to stop federally funded resettlement services for recently arrived refugees. These critical funds provided 90 days of essential support—including food, housing, clothing, and transportation—and enabled our staff, volunteers, and church partners to offer a warm welcome to new neighbors.
Then, most devastatingly, on February 26, 2025, the U.S. Department of State terminated its agreement with World Relief and other resettlement agencies to welcome refugees through the Reception & Placement (R&P) program—ending a 45-year, bipartisan effort to support refugees during their first 90 days in the U.S. This decision even impacts Afghans arriving on Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs)—individuals who risked their lives to assist the U.S. military—leaving them without the support they urgently need.
💛POLICIES MAY CHANGE, BUT COMPASSION DOESN'T HAVE💛
Your support on BIG DAY OF GIVING will help sustain vital services for refugees and immigrants—such as housing assistance, job support, English classes, and legal aid—that build pathways to stability and belonging. By STANDING IN THE GAP, you ensure families continue to receive the care and support they need to thrive.
Why World Relief Sacramento?
For 36 years, World Relief Sacramento has been a trusted partner in welcoming refugees, asylees, and vulnerable immigrants in the Greater Sacramento region. With deep cultural competency and extensive experience, our diverse team has empowered more than 40,000 refugees and immigrants to rebuild their lives through comprehensive support services—including English language education, housing assistance, career development, case management, and legal aid.
In FY2024, we served over 6,000 refugees and vulnerable immigrants across the Greater Sacramento Region—individuals and families who came here seeking safety, stability, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. At World Relief Sacramento, we walk alongside these families in partnership with the Church and our community, helping them secure and sustain housing, access healthcare, enroll in school, learn English, and find jobs—empowering them to become self-sufficient and thrive in the Greater Sacramento Region.
Although the arrival of new refugees has been impacted due to recent federal changes, thousands of refugees are already living in our local neighborhoods—from Arden-Arcade to Elk Grove, Citrus Heights to West Sacramento. These families will continue to need support in the months and years ahead as they work toward full integration and independence in their new home.
Who is a Refugee? A refugee is any person outside their country of nationality, unable to return due to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on factors like race, religion, or political opinion.
💛Double Your Impact - $10K Match💛
A local family foundation will match gifts up to $10,000—doubling your impact. Please consider giving a DONATION in one of the following amounts:
🥘 FOOD
💛 $200 – Covers a week of groceries for a family of four
🏠 HOUSING
💛 $350 – Provides a full-size mattress and bedframe for a refugee family
💛 $2,000 – Provides housing assistance to cover rent ($500/month for 4 months)
🚗 TRANSPORTATION
💛 $50 – Provides a rideshare gift card to attend a job interview
💛 $350 – Provides a bike, helmet, lights, and lock for commuting to work
💛 $600 – Offers behind-the-wheel driving instruction for one refugee
📘 EDUCATION
💛 $25 – Provides English learning materials and workbooks for one refugee
💛 $1,000 – Supplies laptops for four refugees for education and job training
Other Ways to STAND IN THE GAP:
Volunteer your time and skills
Become an Employment Partner to provide job opportunities.
Organize a donation drive.
Become a Corporate Sponsor
Spread the Word: Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay updated and help share our impact.
Global Mission: World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that boldly engages the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the local church.
Local Mission (Sacramento): To provide extended case management and vital support services to refugees and vulnerable immigrants as they rebuild their lives in our community.
In light of the change in administration this year (2025), sweeping and severe federal policy shifts have left many newly arrived refugees without support. In response, World Relief has stepped in to meet the most urgent needs of 111 refugee families (434 individuals) who would otherwise be left behind.
Our staff expertise, cultural competence, and 36 years of building trusted relationships within the refugee community make us uniquely positioned to respond to this critical moment.
We need your help to sustain this essential and life-changing work. By Standing in the Gap with your donations, you are helping us retain staff, provide core services, and guide refugees on a path to integration and self-sufficiency.
Policies may change, but compassion doesn’t have to. World Relief is here to stay—and with your partnership, we will continue to serve our refugee neighbors for years to come.
The Example of Jesus - As we serve those who are suffering from poverty and injustice, regardless of color, belief or gender, as part of God’s plan to redeem, reconcile and restore the world. We seek to follow Jesus by living holy, humble and honest lives individually and corporately.
The Local Church - As a primary agent of bringing peace, justice and love to a broken world. The integrated “word” and “deed” dimensions of God’s mandate, as evidenced through the church’s integral, or transformational, mission is necessary to bringing reconciliation and restoration to God, others and the environment.
People - Whether staff, volunteers, clients, program participants, donors and partners - as important actors in bringing peace, love and justice. We recognize and affirm World Relief as a multicultural organization and seek to understand and respect the multiplicity of cultures among us. As we seek change in the world, we recognize that we, too, are changed by those we serve.
Excellence/Continuous Improvement - In all our program initiatives and support services, following best practices and standards in a manner that is sustainable to the community from a spiritual, social and economic perspective. We also seek to apply our human and financial resources in such ways that maximize impact and sustain benefits to the greatest number of people.
Empowerment - By prioritizing the leadership and participation of those we serve - whether people, churches or local institutions - as critical to creating and sustaining change. We seek to catalyze a movement of worldwide volunteers to multiply impact, and we value capacity-building as a means towards that end.
Partnership - By seeking, facilitating and promoting collaboration among all stakeholders, including local governments, the worldwide church, mission agencies, other NGOs and the business community, recognizing partnership as essential to serving the most vulnerable. We believe each expression of the worldwide church has a unique and interdependent role in bringing peace and justice to the world.
Prayer - As the priority and foundation to accomplishing our mission.
Organization name
World Relief Sacramento
other names
World Relief
1989
Mission Category
Human Services
Operating Budget
$5,000,001-$10 million
Organization Need
Funding: Program, Funding: Unrestricted, Volunteers, In-Kind Donations, Furniture, Board Members
Demographics Served
Immigrants & refugees, Low-income individuals/families
Local Counties Served
Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo
Address
2233 Watt Ave, Suite 110Sacramento, CA, US