International Rescue Committee in Oakland

02/14/2025

‼️URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED‼️Help raise $100,000 for refugees in NorCal immediately impacted by changing policies. Donate or create a personal fundraising page to rally your community to provide stability to the most vulnerable families. Your support offers housing, employment and healthcare services, and so much more. Can you help us reach our goal? Check out this link to give now or create your own fundraising page! bit.ly/NorCalWelcomes

02/04/2025

👋 Hey Oakland! Right now, we need community support to keep serving families impacted by changing policies. Check out these four ways to help and click here to start now! https://www.rescue.org/HelpNorCalsNewcomers

🤝 Donate
📦 Collect supplies
📞 Advocate
📲 Stay in touch

Share this post to spread the word on how to help newcomers near you.

01/17/2025

Help create a soft-landing for our newest neighbors! Finding affordable housing is the biggest challenge facing newcomers in NorCal, which is why we created The Soft Landing Fund. Donations to the Soft Landing Fund provide temporary emergency housing and rental assistance for the most vulnerable families in our community. You can create stability for newcomers as they adjust to their new life and become self-reliant. Learn more and donate today at the link below! Rescue.org/NorCalSoftLanding

01/15/2025

GAZA UPDATE: The IRC joins communities across the U.S. in welcoming today’s temporary ceasefire agreement. More than 40,000 people in Gaza have been killed in the last 15 months with 90% of survivors forcibly displaced. With more than 3.3 million Palestinians in urgent need of humanitarian aid, this ceasefire must be a turning point towards peace and recovery. Read our statement to learn more about the IRC's call to action and work in Gaza.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) welcomes the announcement today of a ceasefire in Gaza after 465 days of conflict. This ceasefire must be a turning point. It is a chance to shield civilians from further harm, achieve the release of hostages, and scale up humanitarian aid to meet the urgent....

01/12/2025

In the last four years, the U.S. rebuilt it's longstanding refugee program—an initiative with historic bi-partisan support that was politicized and dismantled by the first Trump administration. Now, we're gearing up for the incoming administration's policies and the impact they'll have on the most vulnerable, both here and abroad. Check out this New York Times piece to know what's on the horizon for those seeking safety from violence and persecution.

As Donald J. Trump returns to office, the rebuilt program is under threat. Many vulnerable people approved for resettlement in the U.S. could be stranded abroad.

01/10/2025

It's Human Trafficking Awareness Month!

Join us this January as we raise awareness and support survivors of trafficking. Here's how you can get involved:

Wear Blue Day!💙 Tomorrow (Jan 11th) wear blue and stand with survivors. Share your pics using and tag us!

Support Survivors!🎁 We're collecting donations for our clients. Check out our winter wishlist and share it with your network: https://tinyurl.com/IRC-Oakland

Let's work together to end human trafficking! 💪

01/10/2025

Check out the IRC's 2025 Emergency Watchlist to learn about the most pressing humanitarian challenges this year. Here at IRC Oakland, we provide opportunities for newcomers fleeing conflict and crisis to build a better future. While our teams deliver aid overseas, you can help our new neighbors by supporting our work in Northern California. Learn more at Rescue.org/Oakland.

Each year, the IRC’s Emergency Watchlist identifies and ranks the countries most at risk for experiencing a new or worsening humanitarian crisis.

01/08/2025

Feeling that midweek slump today? Check out this round up of uplifting stories about refugees, newcomers, and the work we do at the IRC to equip them for success. If they leave you inspired, visit Rescue.org/Oakland to learn how you can join our community of welcome and help families in your community rebuild their lives.

01/04/2025

New year, new you? Add this to your 2025 resolutions: Creating a welcoming community for newcomers by supporting the IRC! Whether you donate, volunteer, or collect supplies, you can help your newest neighbors rebuild their lives in our community. Get in touch with us and get started at Rescue.org/Oakland

Each year, the U.S. welcomes thousands of people fleeing violence and persecution. The IRC walks alongside our new neighbors, helping them learn English, integrate into their new communities, and become self-reliant.

12/21/2024

IRC in the News: Last week, the San Francisco Chronicle spoke with our executive director Tara Winter about the impact of a second Trump administration on refugees and newcomers in California. "People are coming here because they had to flee, not because they are choosing to leave their homes. They have nowhere else to go.”

No matter what, we'll need YOUR equipping our newest neighbors to thrive in our communities. Join us at Rescue.org/NorCal.

Resettlement agencies are pleading with the Joe Biden administration to fast-track refugee admissions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

12/20/2024

Spread Holiday Cheer with the IRC's Winter Welcome in Oakland!
This holiday season, join IRC Oakland for our heartwarming Winter Welcome initiative!
Winter Welcome gives our community partners and donors a chance to directly support refugee families in need. It's a wonderful opportunity to spread holiday cheer by donating essential items like kitchen appliances, hygiene supplies, winter clothing, or even gift cards.

Please reach out by sending an email to [email protected].

Let's Make a Difference Together!

12/18/2024

Helping our newest neighbors thrive requires a community of welcome... and that includes YOU! Check out what people and partners across Northern California helped the IRC do for newcomers rebuilding their lives in 2024!

Visit Rescue.org/NorCal to join us in 2025 as we protect, defend, and equip refugees and immigrants to flourish in NorCal!

12/16/2024

Check out this story by KQED about recent developments in Syria and how Syrians in Northern California are reacting to the ongoing changes. Our deputy director Jordane Tofighi shares how the IRC has welcomed Syrian refugees since the start of the civil war, including 139 to NorCal this year. We stand in solidarity with Syrians, both those here in our community and across the globe.

Syrian expatriates and their supporters in the Bay Area celebrate a revolution in Syria after 14 years of war.

12/09/2024

Hey NorCal! Join us for our virtual Student Loans 101 workshop on December 11th at 12pm PST. We’ll cover student loan basics, repayment strategies, current updates in the student loan world, and more. This workshop is in partnership with in partnership with the Urban League. Sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_j3e5mbwjTu-YjZ-btFa-1g”

12/03/2024

We have created an Amazon Wishlist to show support to our clients and their families. This Wishlist allows you to directly support survivors of trafficking and unaccompanied children by donating essential items they need. Every contribution makes a difference. Please visit https://tinyurl.com/IRC-Oakland to browse our Wishlist and give the gift of hope and a fresh start this holiday season.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity!

12/03/2024

Join us this Thursday 12/5 at 12:00 p.m. for a virtual conversation about how we can prepare for the next four years together. You'll hear from Executive Director Tara Winter about what we expect under the new administration and why offering refuge to those seeking safety in the U.S. is so important. Register today at Rescue.org/WhatsNext

Join us on December 5 at 12:00 p.m. PST for a virtual conversation about the impact of the 2024 election on newcomers in your community.

11/27/2024

Don't forget to register for our post-election webinar on Thursday 12/5! With the uncertainty ahead, we must prepare for the next four years as a community. Join us to learn what's at stake in 2025 and how we can work together to support families in Oakland. Reserve your spot today at Rescue.org/WhatsNext

Join us on December 5 at 12:00 p.m. PST for a virtual conversation about the impact of the 2024 election on newcomers in your community.

11/25/2024

You're Invited! Join us on 12/5 for a lunchtime conversation on the impact of the 2024 election on refugees and immigrants in Northern California. During this 45 minute webinar, you'll hear from our Executive Director Tara Winter and a recent newcomer rebuilding their life here. Most important, you'll learn how we can work together to support families right here in Oakland.

Join us on December 5 at 12:00 p.m. PST for a virtual conversation about the impact of the 2024 election on newcomers in your community.