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Community Programs

Kansas City

Refugee resettlement in Kansas City can be traced back to the late 1970s with the first major wave of refugees arriving from Southeast Asia. Today, refugees come from all over the world, but in particular from Burma, Somalia, and the DRC. Because of its unique position across state lines, Kansas City’s refugees have access to a vast amount of resources and community programs that support resettlement and integration on both the Kansas and Missouri side of the city. The Community Programs team in Kansas City is actively engaged with local nonprofit organizations, serving in the community, and developing opportunities for collecting and sharing refugee stories.

Demographics
ARRIVALS

FY 2017-2022 data source: Wrapsnet and TRAC Immigration

TOP COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN

FY 2017-2022 data source: Wrapsnet

TOP NEWCOMER LANGUAGES
  • French
  • Dari
  • Pashto
  • Arabic
  • Ukrainian

FY 2022 data source: Languages based on the official and/or most common language of arrivals’ country of origin.

Story Gallery
Explore the stories of the people who call Kansas City home.
Share Your Story
Martha
Martha  ·  Myanmar
A Burmese Woman Remembers Her Past and Finds Her Future in Farming
Len
Len  ·  Myanmar
A Woman From Myanmar Stands on Her Own Two Feet Through Farming
Aung
Aung  ·  Myanmar
Farming is Familiar
New Roots Sign
Salai  ·  Myanmar
Farming is in My Blood
Peng Bu
Peng Bu  ·  Myanmar
How Learning How to Farm at New Roots Gave a Burmese Refugee Rest, Flexibility, and Self Expression
Rubi Hernandez
Rubi Hernandez  ·  Mexico
A Young Single Mom Fights “With the Power in Her Heart” to Make a Life for Her Kids
Blog Posts
Learn more about our work and our team.

Call to Action

Voice Your Support for Afghan Adjustment

The Afghan Adjustment (AA) has been reintroduced in both the House (H.R.4627) and the Senate (S.2327) of the United States by a bipartisan group of legislators. We invite you to join us in honoring our promise to our Afghan allies by urging your representatives to pass the Afghan Adjustment!

December 6, 2023

Volunteer Perspective

Getting Serious about Collecting Stories

We know there are stories in Kansas City that need to be told. So, we sat down and made a plan. We listed individuals, nonprofit organizations, and resettlement agencies that we have relationships with. Then we listed ways we could weave these stories together by topic: connected communities, housing, resettlement, etc. Our list grew and grew, and before we knew it we had a roadmap.

September 1, 2023

Volunteer Perspective

Building Friendships in the Community

Their Story is Our Story was invited to participate in “Welcoming Kansas City” to collaborate with and support groups ranging from Arabic communities to groups dedicated to supporting women who have been sexually abused or involved in human trafficking

March 31, 2023
More blog posts
Events
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Partners
Volunteer alongside our team with these local organizations.
Leadership
Get to know our Kansas City leadership team.
Sommer_Mattox.jpg
Sommer Mattox
Director of Community Programs
Melanie Shashindranath
Melanie Shashindranath
Chief Financial Officer
Contact Us
Reach out to our local team with any questions. We love to connect with people interested in welcoming newcomers to our community.
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Their Story is Our Story is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible. Our tax identification number is 812983626.