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Refugee Resettlement

Reception and Placement

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Refugee Cash Assistance

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Preventative Health

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Refugee Resettlement

Globally, World Relief operates as the compassionate service arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. As such, it works with the local church to stand for the vulnerable.  In the United States, World Relief functions as one of  nine voluntary agencies contracted by the Department of State to resettle refugees.

In Tennessee, World Relief has two affiliate offices in Nashville and Memphis. World Relief Nashville opened its doors in 1987. For the first three years that the Nashville office was in operation, several part-time staff resettled approximately 50 refugees per year. In 1990 that figure doubled.  After hiring a full time director in 1991, the office began resettling larger numbers. Currently the Nashville office averages 400-600 refugees a year under the leadership of  Nathan Kinser as Office Director. In August of 2012, World Relief opened a sub office in Memphis. Under the direction of World Relief Nashville and the leadership of Resettlement Director Steve Moses, Memphis expects to resettle over 100 clients in its first year of operation.

In Nashville and Memphis, World Relief has a track record of successful administration of various grant programs of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR):

  • 1987-Present: Reception and Placement Grant by PRM
  • 1996-Present: Match Grant Program funded by ORR serves 150-200 participants annually
  • 1991: Employment Grant funded internally by World Relief
  • November 1991-February 1999: Unanticipated Arrivals Grant from ORR
  • November 1998-June 1999: Job Upgrade Grant from the State of Tennessee
  • September 1998 – September 2006: Preferred Communities Grant by ORR. Every 2 year periods on and off.
  • January 1999: Micro Enterprise Development by ORR (World Relief Economic Advancement Program – WREAP). 116 Refugees Served
  • October 2000-2002: Refugee IDA Grant by ORR for 5 years. 117 refugees served
  • October 2007-Present: Refugee Social Services and Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance by the Tennessee Office for Refugee (TOR) through ORR. 200-300 refugees served annually.
  • October 2011-Present: Targeted Assistance Program for Professional Recertification (Refugee Employment And Certification Help -REACH ) by ORR through TOR
  • October 2011-Present: Preventive Health Grant by ORR through TOR.
  • August 2012-present: Opening of the Memphis sub-office which it began Reception and Placement, Refuge Social Services, Refugee Cash Assistance, and Refugee Medical Assistance.
  • October 2012-present: Preventative Health and Match Grant was added to the Memphis office.
  • October 2012-present: Preferred Communities Grant was awarded to the Nashville and Memphis offices.

Over the past few years, World Relief has experienced a rapid expansion of its programs in Tennessee as its capacity to implement and manage new programs and to recruit and work with the refugee population has grown.

Want to Learn More?

Anna Beth Walters, Resettlement Director- Nashville
615.833.7735, ext. 210| awalters@wr.org

Steve Moses, Resettlement Director- Memphis
901-341-0227 | smoses@wr.org