Empowering Refugees & Immigrants

    ARLINGTON, VA, March 21, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) highlights its dedication to empowering refugees and immigrants across the United States. As the only national resettlement agency founded by an African, the ECDC emphasizes that its unique background grounds and drives its work.

The ECDC is committed to fostering a network of organizations founded and/or led by former refugees and immigrants. This approach ensures culturally sensitive, nuanced support and an understanding of the complex challenges faced by those starting a new life in the United States.

ECDC's Vision and Mission
ECDC's vision is a world where human rights are paramount and all individuals have the opportunity to reach their full potential within safe, inclusive communities. Its mission is to resettle and assist refugees and immigrants to live their lives in peaceful environments with access to the resources and opportunities needed for self-sufficiency, successful integration, and freedom.

How ECDC Provides Support
ECDC is a national resettlement agency that places refugees in communities across the U.S. with local organizations that provide immediate and longer-term support. Services include:

• Welcoming them upon arrival
• Providing initial assistance with housing
• Enabling them to access health care service
• Enrolling children in school and adults in English classes
• Helping heads of households secure employment
• Teaching them about and navigating American culture

The ECDC's national team provides support, including family assignment, monitoring, staff training, and resource development.

"As an organization established by individuals who have personally lived through the refugee and immigrant experience, ECDC possesses a distinctive vantage point, enabling the provision of support services that genuinely create a meaningful impact," said President and CEO Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D. "We believe that empowering a network of organizations started by refugees and immigrants is essential to building a more welcoming and inclusive nation for all."

ECDC will hold its 27th annual fund-raising dinner gala, Welcoming Newcomers, on May 22, 2024, at 7 p.m. at the Double Tree Crystal City, 300 Army Navy Drive in Arlington, VA.

This special fundraiser event allows attendees to connect and interact with members from vibrant newcomer communities, hear inspiring stories, and support programs that contribute to what makes the DMV a unique community. The evening will include a keynote speaker, an awards ceremony, a raffle, a silent auction, and music that brings everyone together. For information: [email protected] tickets: https://www.ecdcus.org/banquet-registration-2/

About the Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. (ECDC)
The ECDC is a national non-profit organization founded in 1983 by Ethiopian refugees. The ECDC's mission is to empower refugees and immigrants to build new lives in the United States by providing them with the resources and support they need to achieve self-sufficiency and integration. The ECDC serves refugees and immigrants from over 40 countries and has a network of local resettlement affiliates in 14 states.

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