New name.
Same mission.
LIRS is now Global Refuge.
Welcoming newcomers since 1939.
See Our EvolutionHope for the Holidays
Make the holidays magical for New American families
Join us for our annual offering of welcome.
The holidays should be a magical, wondrous time for children, but this year, thousands of children and families are left without the resources they need and anxious about their futures in the United States.
Global Refuge is proud to run its ninth-annual Hope for the Holidays™ program, which collects cards and monetary gifts used to buy gifts for New American families across the country, sharing holiday hope and joy with individuals and families seeking safety in the United States.
Last year, volunteers distributed thousands of cards to immigrant families across the country. Notably, the donations generated by the campaign, too, provided more than 1,800 gifts to families.
Join us this season as we share hope and joy with some of our newest neighbors!
Download the 2023 Toolkit.
It’s easy to get involved with Hope for the Holidays™!
Act
Write and decorate holiday cards for asylum seekers and children awaiting reunification in the United States using the Hope for the Holidays™ toolkit. Submit your electronic coversheet to receive information on where to send your cards.
Donate
Help share holiday joy and hope by making donations to provide gifts and services to asylum-seeking families and children awaiting reunification with loved ones across the country.
Advocate
Call on elected officials to ensure protection seeking migrants have a dignified reception.
Pray
Join us in lifting our voices for those seeking protection in the United States. You can find a variety of prayers from different traditions in the Hope for the Holidays™ toolkit.
Teach
Learn about Olena and her family’s journey to the United States and the obstacles facing thousands of other families seeking safety. Share about Hope for the Holidays™ on social media and download a flyer to post in your community.
You can change lives.
Explore the many ways to support Global Refuge.
Get InvolvedExplore the many ways to support Global Refuge.
Get Involved