World Relief Corp Of National Association Of Evangelicals

To boldly engage the world's greatest crises in partnership with the church. We envision thriving, welcoming communities where families flourish, and people experience restorative relationships with God, their neighbors, themselves, and all creation.

World Relief was founded in the aftermath of World War 2 to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local partners to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.

Locally, our Southern California office opened in 1979 in response to the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the arrival of Vietnamese refugees in Southern California. For the past 46 years, we have been working alongside the community to welcome refugees and immigrants to this region as they make Southern California home. For decades, we have put biblical teachings about hospitality into practice, fostered friendships, created welcoming communities, and overcome fear with kindness. As immigration policies change and impact communities, we have responded by expanding our work beyond refugees to include all immigrants as they rebuild a sense of home in Southern California.

Our organization is growing!
Our Top Accomplishments for FY25:
1. Provided Know your Rights and Family Preparedness presentations for over 200 community members through 9 community presentations throughout Orange County since January 2025.
2. Over Over 385 residents of OC were served with immigration legal services.
3. Convened OC community faith leaders on the topic of faith and immigration. Over 70 individuals attended, and 24 OC churches represented.
4. Enhanced capacity and secured a full-time fundraiser with a private development strategy

Our goals for FY26 are:
1. To expand our services to represent clients in immigration court proceedings for free.
2. To launch enhanced Case Management and Community Supports through MediCal.
3. Raise $1million through private donations and grants.
4. To develop a community outreach team.

Our organization urgently requires a Community Outreach Coordinator to lead Know Your Rights (KYR) and Family Preparendess initiatives, community education, and outreach efforts. We also need to hire one full-time paralegal to support our legal team and one Advocacy Coordinator to strengthen our policy and community engagement work. Additionally, we are in critical need of Spanish-speaking volunteers to assist with document translation, interpretation, and client accompaniment, ensuring equitable access to our services. Finally, as we do not anticipate continued federal funding beyond this fiscal year, we are seeking to raise $1 million in private funds through fundraising efforts to sustain our programs and operations.

Orange County, San Diego County.

At World Relief Southern California, we believe that every person deserves to be welcomed, supported, and equipped to thrive. For over four decades, we have stood at the intersection of compassion and justice, walking alongside refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives in a new land. What began in 1979 as a response to the Vietnamese refugee crisis has grown into a vibrant, community-rooted effort to serve all immigrants—regardless of background or status—with dignity and hope.

What makes World Relief distinctive is our deep commitment to holistic transformation. We don’t just provide services—we build relationships. We partner with local churches, volunteers, and community leaders to create spaces where newcomers are not only safe but truly seen and valued. Our work is grounded in biblical hospitality, and we are driven by a vision of communities where families flourish and people experience restorative relationships with God, their neighbors, and themselves.

As Executive Director, I am continually inspired by the resilience of those we serve and the generosity of those who support us. In a time of shifting policies and growing needs, your partnership enables us to remain a steadfast presence. Together, we are not just responding to crises—we are building a future where welcome is more than a word; it’s a way of life.

For over 80 years, we have stood in the gap with those that have been displaced by the world's greatest crises. We are undeterred and even more committed to fulfilling our mission of partnering with the local community and church to respond on a local level. We are living during a time of unprecedented global conflict, natural disasters, and persecution. World Relief Southern California has faithfully been serving newly arriving refugees and immigrants since Camp Pendleton served as a refugee camp for refugees in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Now more than ever, we need the partnership of the local community to continue this legacy of welcome throughout Orange County.