The Refugee Response - now Re:Source Cleveland - was founded in 2010 by two local Clevelanders, Paul Neundorfer and David Wallis.
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In 2010 ground was broken for Ohio City Farm on Cleveland's Historic West Side and our organization began to recruit mentors to support refugee students, established the REAP Program, and began to sell organically grown fresh produce to some of Cleveland's best restaurants.
In 2023, we became Re:Source Cleveland. Now the organization supports over 2,000 newcomers each year, provides opportunities for hundreds of Clevelanders to mentor and volunteer, and operates one of the most productive urban farms in the region.
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History
Founders David Wallis and Paul Neundorfer travelled throughout Southeast Asia and Africa visiting and supporting refugee camp schools on the Thai Burma border, in Kenya, Cameroon, and Nepal. David and Paul, along with friends and their families, worked with and helped to mentor resettled refugee families in Northeast Ohio for four years before completing research in 2009 to determine resettlees' specific needs. The organization was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2010 and developed the three main initiatives, the first two of which are currently still in place: the Youth Mentoring program and Ohio City Farm.
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Refugee Camps
Many refugees were born in and have spent their entire lives in camps. Since 1975, the U.S. has accepted 2.6 million refugees, more than double the number of the nine other traditional resettlement countries combined. Nearly 80,000 refugees were resettled in 2009 alone.​
Refugee Resettlement
Historically, the United States has welcomed refugees into the country recognizing their justifiable fear of persecution in their own country. Refugees legally enter the U.S. seeking freedom, peace and opportunity for themselves and their families. After resettlement, they start their new lives with limited resources knowing that they must transition from their past and the lives they once knew.​​​
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The Response
Resettled refugees are expected to acculturate, acquire English language skills and become self-sufficient within three months of arriving—a daunting task for many refugees. Re:Source Cleveland exists to help all newcomers adjust to life in Northeast Ohio. Through our unique programs, we are working to empower our area's growing newcomer population, particularly those here between three months and five years by providing opportunities for them to learn the skills they need to succeed in their new communities.