Refugee Support

Awareness & Understanding

Salt Lake City is home to one of the largest and most vibrant refugee communities in the United States. Families from Somalia, Myanmar, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, and many other countries have resettled here, bringing their languages, cultures, food, and skills to our neighborhoods. Start by learning what the word "refugee" actually means legally and what the resettlement process looks like. Read the free explainer at UNHCR's website (unhcr.org) and watch the short documentary clips on IRC Utah's website (rescue.org/united-states/salt-lake-city-ut). Notice how long and difficult the journey to safety can be, and what kind of help people need when they first arrive. You're ready for the next step when you can explain the difference between a refugee and an immigrant, describe two challenges refugees face during resettlement, and name one organization doing this work in Salt Lake City.

Research & Investigation

Now research the specific organizations and needs in Salt Lake City. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Utah and Catholic Community Services of Utah are two of the main groups that help refugees settle in the valley — visit both websites and read about the programs they offer. Look at the Utah Refugee Services Office (jobs.utah.gov/refugee) to understand how the state government is involved. Find out what refugees specifically need in their first 90 days: housing, furniture, food, school enrollment, English classes, job training. Interview someone if you can — ask a teacher, a faith community leader, or a volunteer coordinator what they have personally seen. You're ready for the next step when you can name three specific needs of newly arrived refugee families in Salt Lake City and identify which local organization addresses each one.

Planning & Preparation

Design a support project you can actually carry out. Choose one specific need from your research — for example, collecting household supplies for a newly arrived family, tutoring English learners, or creating a "welcome guide" to the neighborhood in multiple languages. Write a simple project plan: What is your goal? Who will you help? What do you need? How long will it take? Contact IRC Utah or Catholic Community Services to ask if your project fits a real need they have — they can tell you what is most useful right now and may connect you with a family or program directly. Get their guidance before you finalize your plan. You're ready for the next step when you have a written project plan that has been reviewed and adjusted based on input from a real local organization.

Taking Action

Carry out your project. If you are collecting supplies, set up a drive and track donations. If you are tutoring, hold at least four sessions and keep notes on progress. If you are creating a welcome guide, finish and deliver it to the organization in a format they can actually use. Throughout, treat the people you are serving with dignity — ask what they need rather than assuming you know. Reflect after each session or activity: What went well? What was awkward or hard? What did you learn about someone's experience that surprised you? Log your hours and outcomes in a simple notebook or document. You're ready for the next step when you have completed your project activities, logged at least four hours of direct service or contribution, and written a brief reflection on what you experienced.

Leadership & Expansion

Share what you have learned and invite others to join. Give a short presentation to your class, school, or faith community about what refugee resettlement looks like in Salt Lake City and how people can help. Use real stories (with permission) and real numbers from your project. Help recruit at least two other people to volunteer with IRC Utah, Catholic Community Services, or another local partner. Look into the IRC's volunteer orientation (rescue.org) — it is free and open to teens in some programs. You could also organize a fundraiser or supply drive on behalf of one of these organizations. You're ready for the next step when you have shared your project publicly with at least one group, recruited at least two new volunteers or donors, and connected them directly to a local organization.

Impact & Reflection

Write a full reflection on your experience: What did you think refugee support meant before you started, and what does it mean to you now? What specific impact did your project have — in hours, supplies, people reached, or relationships built? Share this reflection with your school, a community newsletter, or post it (with adult permission) as a letter to the editor at the Salt Lake Tribune. Then think forward: What is one ongoing way you can stay connected to this community — as a tutor, a mentor, a language partner, or an advocate? Reach out to the IRC Utah volunteer program or the Utah Refugee Education Advocacy group to learn about longer-term involvement. You're ready for the next step when you have a written reflection with measurable impact data, have shared it publicly, and have committed to at least one ongoing form of support.