Press Release

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

October 6, 2020

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and World Relief launched a statement titled, “A Call to Civic Responsibility: For the Health of the Nation,” inviting the evangelical church to repentance, renewal and resolve to address the critical issues our nation and world face. The full statement was published in print this morning in The Washington Post, and the NAE and World Relief discussed it in depth during a press call with a few key signatories. This statement marks the beginning of several digital advertising campaigns that will launch in national mainstream and Christian outlets throughout the remainder of the week. 

“The Bible speaks to the most challenging issues we face as a nation. With this statement, we renew our commitment to biblical values as we work together for the health of our nation. I hope many evangelical leaders will join us in affirming these beliefs as we convene a collective evangelical witness,” said Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

The statement is based on the principles of “For the Health of the Nation,” first published in 2004 by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Over the past 16 years, “For the Health of the Nation” has guided the public engagement of the NAE and its members, applying gospel principles to the issues we face as a nation.

“Not every individual in the evangelical community agrees on every issue, but the Church should be unified on these core issues if we are going to serve the world in loving our neighbors,” said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. The statement calls all evangelical Christians, whether Democrats, Republicans or Independents, to unite in agreement with the evangelical Christian call to seek the health of the nation for the good of all people.

Among several calls to action, it urges evangelical Christians to do their part to protect human rights and the sanctity of life and pursue reconciliation. “The national conversation around race has reached an inflection point this summer, and the evangelical church must lead in conversations that can bring about justice and peace in our communities,” said Bishop Timothy Clarke, senior pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio.

The statement urges evangelical Christians to take political action that aligns with biblical callings. “Evangelicals too often allow the marriage of political agendas with their understanding of faith. This is too narrow a conception of Jesus’ teachings. We are called to love all our neighbors, not only those who resemble us and our political preferences,” said Rev. Jeanette Salguero, senior vice president of NaLEC, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and co-lead pastor of The Gathering Place in Orlando, FL. And Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of NaLEC and co-lead pastor of The Gathering Place in Orlando, FL, also said “We signed onto this statement because we believe that a broad evangelical witness encompasses more than just one or two singular issues. And we must choose to support through prayer those carrying the burden of leadership.”

Evangelical Christians are invited to repent of the ways they have failed to perfectly engage with these issues. “We must inspect our hearts, own our inconsistencies and commit to listening to our neighbors and loving others well by the ways we choose to engage in the public sphere and care for our shared spaces.” said Jo Anne Lyon, vice chair of the board of the NAE.

 “It’s time for the evangelical community to inspire a new commitment to values-based public policy and stand up for the issues that are central to the health of our nation. The principles in this document provide a platform from which evangelicals can engage in much needed common action,” said Jenny Yang, vice president of advocacy and policy for World Relief.

“In a time when our democracy itself is strained to the breaking point, evangelical Christians are called to be a healing presence, as we seek to bless our neighbors and advance the common good,” said Galen Carey, vice president for government relations with the NAE.

World Relief and the NAE aim to reach a wide audience and invite as many evangelical Christians as possible to sign in agreement with this call to action. To learn more and add your name, visit http://www.forthehealthofthenation.org.

Download a PDF version of this press release here.

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About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

About the National Association of Evangelicals:

Founded in 1942, the National Association of Evangelicals includes more than 45,000 churches from 40 denominations and serves a constituency of millions. The NAE provides resources, connection and influence to help evangelical leaders navigate complexity with clarity and foster thriving communities.

Learn more at NAE.net.

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***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

October 1, 2020

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE –  With the end of FY2020 and a proposed ceiling of 15,000 for FY2021, World Relief calls the administration to engage in meaningful consultations with Congress to increase the refugee ceiling to 95,000 for FY2021. Furthermore, World Relief warns that the prolonged absence of a Presidential Determination (PD) has life and death implications for many waiting in limbo around the world. Unnecessary delays in continuing the U.S. refugee resettlement program in FY2021 means families will remain separated, religious minorities will continue to live at risk of persecution and unrest, and displacement will continue to exacerbate vulnerabilities for women and children in particular.

“The administration’s failure to observe its legal obligation to consult with Congress and set a refugee ceiling before the beginning of a new fiscal year is deeply concerning,” said World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “The White House has made explicit promises to protect persecuted Christians abroad. Sadly, we have not seen these promises honored through a robust U.S. refugee resettlement program that has been a lifeline of protection for persecuted Christians. Instead, we’ve seen the resettlement of refugees from countries known for persecution drop about 90% in some cases over the last four years. This is unconscionable. We urge the President to increase and sign the PD as soon as possible”

The Refugee Act of 1980 set the precedent for the president to set an annual target for resettlement for the following fiscal year by September 30. While the stated resettlement target for 2020 was 18,000 – an historically low number – fewer than 11,000 were actually resettled. This year, the Report to Congress was sent to Congress late on September 30, but no meaningful consultation meetings have happened, nor has a PD been set that reflects U.S. leadership in responding to global need. Further, the report reflects a concerning conflation of refugee resettlement and asylee processing – processes that are distinct and reflect U.S. obligations to protect those fleeing persecution in different ways.

“The initial public health concerns at the onset of the pandemic that led to the suspension of the program were worth heeding. However, the State Department and partner agencies have worked together to institute certain public health measures to ensure that refugees arriving in the United States do not pose a public health risk. These measures include screenings, temperature checks and a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. We strongly believe that it is not only possible to resettle refugees safely, but it’s essential,” commented Tim Breene, World Relief CEO. “The overlapping global refugee crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic present challenges for anyone around the world facing underlying insecurities, and now is not the time for the U.S. to drop the ball.”

Join World Relief in urging Congress and the president to set a FY2021 refugee resettlement target at 95,000 by visiting https://worldrelief.org/advocate/.

Download a PDF version of this press release here.

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About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

September 16, 2020

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE – Today, Musee Bath, a global company that creates handmade bath products, announced the launch of their sister brand and all-natural skincare line, PrettyInside, which will contribute a portion of all of their profits to women refugees through World Relief. Their generosity will fuel World Relief’s work helping refugees find housing and employment, learn English, and create long-term support systems in their new home.

“World Relief is extremely proud to partner with PrettyInside and their mission to demonstrate the beauty of women around the world,” said Jenny Yang, VP of advocacy and policy at World Relief. “We believe all individuals are uniquely created with inherent dignity and value, and we’re thrilled PrettyInside chose to give generously to our work empowering female refugees as they rebuild their lives in the U.S.”

PrettyInside’s newly-launched, female-founded brand offers five face masks made with clean ingredients that celebrate womanhood, each named after a unique characteristic that make women beautiful. They will donate 10% of their online retail profits, 5% of all wholesale proceeds and 100% of all profits from a unique tote bag to World Relief’s work empowering female refugees and their families to start fresh in America.

“The PrettyInside team is incredibly excited to be partnering with World Relief,” said Leisha Pickering, founder and CEO of Musee Bath. “We’re so thankful for the work they do that makes a difference in the lives of so many women around the world.”

Today, more than 70 million people have been forced to leave their home, fleeing for their lives and seeking refuge in the United States. For over 75 years, World Relief has been coming alongside families displaced by violence, poverty and injustice and helping them start over.

To learn more about PrettyInside and their products, visit their website at prettyinsidebeauty.com.

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About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

August 24, 2020
CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE – Today, leaders from World Relief, International Justice Mission, World Vision U.S., Bethany Christian Services, the Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and various other evangelical institutions sent a letter to Ivanka Trump, one of the administration’s most outspoken advocates for victims of human trafficking, urging the White House to protect vulnerable, unaccompanied minors who have been put at risk by the administration’s suspension of key provisions of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).

The TVPRA ensures that unaccompanied minors apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border be afforded due process, protecting them from harm – including threats like trafficking, persecution or other kinds of exploitation – and entrusting them to the care of the Department of Health and Human Services, which manages a network of care providers, including many faith-based non-profit organizations. However, the protections afforded through the TVPRA have been halted since March due to health concerns related to the potential spread of COVID-19, leading to ongoing expulsion of unaccompanied minors who pose no safety nor health risks, sometimes after unregulated stays in hotels.

“We must not allow COVID-19 to serve as a pretext for abandoning our national commitment to standing for vulnerable children and against the scourge of human trafficking. Our faith compels us to speak up for these children,” the letter concludes.

“For a generation now, fighting human trafficking has been a core concern for evangelical Christians, drawing on the legacy of Christian abolitionists like William Wilberforce, for whom the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act was named,” commented Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “Evangelicals rightly advocated for provisions of this legislation that are designed to protect vulnerable, unaccompanied children, and cheered when President Bush signed the act into law in 2008. Our biblical convictions will not allow us to stay silent now as this law is flouted under the pretext of COVID-19. As a nation, we can and we must both protect public health and protect children from the threats of trafficking, violence and exploitation.”

Chris Palusky, president and CEO of Bethany Christian Services, said, “Motivated and guided by our faith, we at Bethany Christian Services are committed to protecting children and speaking out when their safety is threatened. We provide temporary foster homes and support for those the TVPRA was designed to protect – children and youth who have been victims of violence, trafficked or have watched family members be murdered before their eyes. To summarily return these children back into the arms of those who wish to harm them under the guise of protecting Americans from COVID-19 is a violation of our own laws and a stain on the conscience of our nation. Let us protect vulnerable children; we’re ready to serve.”

“IJM knows firsthand, from our frontlines work around the world, that children are uniquely vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. The TVPRA ensures that these precious unaccompanied children are protected from trafficking and exploitation through safe and secure placements directed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),” said Philip Langford, IJM U.S. president. “We urge the Administration to uphold the protections and care that our country has promised to deliver for these children as mandated in the TVPRA.”

“COVID-19 has exacerbated our national human trafficking crisis in various ways,” commented Shayne Moore, anti-trafficking fellow at Wheaton College’s Humanitarian Disaster Institute. “The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has reported a 200% increase at their call center. But in terms of trafficking risks to unaccompanied children, COVID-19 is the pretext, not the actual cause, of the disaster that has been unfolding for months. Our government, working with carefully trained partners, has the capacity to provide care for traumatized children while respecting public health protocols, but is instead expelling them back to situations of danger. It is essential that we protect the most vulnerable during this unprecedented time by fully complying with the TVPRA.”

To read the letter, click here. Women of Welcome, a movement of evangelical women supported by World Relief, invites concerned Christians to add their names to the letter.

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About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

July 29, 2020
CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE – Today, the Trump Administration issued a memo that, for the moment, allows recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to continue to renew their DACA protections and work authorization, while reducing the validity of each renewal to one year (from two) and restricting new DACA applications. Last month, while World Relief celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision halting the administration’s previous attempt to terminate DACA, it underscored the need for permanent congressional action. Now, given the administration’s actions today, the urgency of congressional action is all the greater.

“While we’re grateful that the administration has not, at this point, again sought to terminate DACA, today’s actions present new hardships for Dreamers, requiring a renewal application and accompanying fee on a more regular basis and seeking to prevent new applicants,” commented World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “Furthermore, the memo makes clear that rescission is still ultimately quite possible, which means that hundreds of thousands of young people will continue to live with the fear that the government may ultimately mandate the loss of their jobs or even deport them to countries that they cannot even remember. The harm would extend further to these young people’s families, including hundreds of thousands of young children of DACA recipient parents, and to their employers and churches.”

“Today’s announcement underscores the need for Congress to act in such a way that would please the vast majority of Americans – including more than three out of four white evangelical Christians – who want Dreamers to be able to continue to stay and work lawfully in the U.S.,” Arbeiter noted, citing a June 2 CBS News poll.

As it has done for many years – but with new urgency – World Relief calls upon Congress to pass a legislative solution for DACA recipients and other Dreamers, allowing those who meet appropriate qualifications to apply for permanent residency and eventual citizenship.

“We’re thankful that the House of Representatives has already taken action, passing the American Dream and Promise Act, on a bipartisan basis last year. We urge the U.S. Senate to take up the bill, or similar legislation, as quickly as possible,” urged Tim Breene, World Relief CEO. “Now is not the time for political maneuvering, but for coming together on a bipartisan basis to enact the will of the vast majority of the American people.”

World Relief’s network of immigration legal services programs stands ready to assist as many individuals as we can to determine what today’s announcement will mean for them and to assist those who qualify with applications. World Relief invites local churches and individuals to stand with DACA by providing financial support to subsidize the cost of these legal services, to ensure that as many individuals as possible can access authorized, competent, affordable legal counsel.

To learn more about DACA, visit World Relief’s website: https://worldrelief.org/daca-and-dream-act-101/, and for giving opportunities, visit: https://worldrelief.org/dreamers/.

About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable. In the U.S., World Relief provides authorized, affordable immigration legal services through a network of local offices and by providing technical support to scores of church-based legal clinics.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

July 14, 2020
CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE – Today, World Relief, a global humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and respond to disasters worldwide, announced the launch of The Path, its monthly giving product designed to help individuals sustainably give to create lasting change in our world. 

The Path is a community of people who are dedicated to investing in long-lasting transformation in our world. By joining The Path, donors gain access to exclusive updates to better understand the problems facing our world and to learn how we can be part of the solution, together. Donors will receive stories of hope and compelling impact reports that prove how their commitment to the journey has transformed the lives of the most vulnerable. Joining The Path connects donors to World Relief’s staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries all over the world through virtual events, prayer chains, and social media.

“The brokenness of our world today can be overwhelming, confusing and leave us at a loss for what next steps we can take to play a part in fixing it,” said Tim Breene, World Relief CEO. “We created the Path to build a community of generous givers who sustainably support our work and empower us to continue working to break the endless cycle of suffering. We hope Christians and compassionate individuals will join us in forging a path forward toward lasting change that brings hope, healing and restoration to the vulnerable.”

World Relief’s generous donors have already stepped up in incredible ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of March through June of the COVID-19 pandemic, World Relief has seen an average monthly donation increase of 297.81%, relative to corresponding months in previous years, with the highest peak in April at 454.26%. Though the public health crises have created dire scenarios for many Americans, World Relief donors see this challenge as an opportunity to step in and provide support for others during hardship.

“World Relief has been partnering with generous givers to end extreme poverty and protect the most vulnerable around the globe for over 75 years,” said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “If we’ve learned anything, it’s that the fight for lasting change isn’t just a moment — it’s a movement. We’re excited to see how our partners’ monthly gifts become a powerful tool in the fight for lasting change.”

The Path community will help World Relief respond to urgent needs by mobilizing our global network of churches and local volunteers. In the aftermath of natural disasters and crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, World Relief provides emergency humanitarian aid including cash assistance, food & water, shelter, and psychosocial support to those in need. Our life-changing programs address the whole person – economically, physically, socially, and spiritually – to create long-term stability in areas around the world. In partnership with local churches and community leaders, World Relief works alongside local volunteers to capitalize on their inherent strengths and resources in each community to create sustainable solutions that address their unique needs.

To learn more about joining The Path, visit www.worldrelief.org/thepath/.

Download a PDF of this press release here.

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About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

July 14, 2020
CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

World Relief Sudan Received $4.8 million from Sudan Humanitarian Fund in 2019 to Respond to Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

BALTIMORE – World Relief, a global humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and respond to disasters worldwide, is proud to announce that World Relief Sudan earned the largest amount of funding from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) of $4.8 million in 2019. This funding enabled World Relief to provide urgent aid to the estimated 6.9 million people that, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), faced food insecurity during the lean 2019 season. Flooding and violence impede trade and cultivation, putting millions at risk for malnutrition and stunted growth. World Relief continues to invest in sustainable solutions that meet immediate needs while working to build long-term food security.

The SHF is a multi-donor pooled fund established in 2006, which allows humanitarian organizations early and fast response to some of the greatest needs across Sudan. The SHF has been funding World Relief’s projects in Sudan for many years, increasing from of $200,000 total funds in 2015 to $4.8 million in 2019. This past year, World Relief Sudan reached 428,160 beneficiaries in seven localities of West and Central Darfur from the SHF funding alone. The resulting programming includes Health, Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, and Protection.

“The incremental growth of SHF funding is a result of World Relief’s strong presence in the field, our active participation in sectoral coordination meetings which improve our project implementation, and our compliance with all donor requirements,” explains Gemta Birhanu, Sudan Country Director at World Relief. “The World Relief Sudan team’s commitment in the field and improved capacity to deliver project deliverables within the project scope, time, and budget resulted in increased donor trust to fund the organization.”

Since 2004, World Relief Sudan has been on the ground, working to alleviate poverty and stabilize conflict. For decades, Sudan’s westernmost region of Darfur has been troubled by armed conflict. The country’s poverty levels are highest in Darfur, with almost two-thirds of the population falling below the poverty line. Human development indicators are among the worst in Africa. The delivery of essential services like health, nutrition, education and water have been severely compromised, not just by the conflict but by the limited human and financial resources available to the region.

“We are proud of World Relief Sudan’s accomplishment and for its commitment to serve the people of Sudan,” said Myal Greene, Senior Vice President of International Programs at World Relief. “This funding is very significant, as it shows great trust in the work that World Relief Sudan is doing in the field. We hope to continue growing our programming and ability to serve the people of Sudan in the upcoming years.”

To learn more about World Relief Sudan, visit here.

Download a PDF version of this press release here.

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About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

July 10, 2020
CONTACT:
Madeline Ingram
madeline.ingram@pinkston.co
(571) 326-3090

Paige Collins
OpenDoors@iconmediagroup.com
(615) 934-4162

Leaders of the country’s largest Christian traditions respond with alarm as World Relief and Open Doors USA release “Closed Doors” report on religious freedom impact of changes to immigration and asylum policy

BALTIMORE – World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization that serves refugees and other displaced people, and Open Doors USA, an international religious freedom watchdog group, published a joint report revealing a surprising 90% reduction since 2015 in the number of Christians resettled from countries where the church faces persecution. Resettlement for other religious minorities — Jewish refugees from Iran, Yezidi refugees from Iraq, Muslim refugees from Burma and others — are all also on track to end 2020 down more than 90% from 2015.

The report drew responses from leaders within the largest streams of American Christianity, including from the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, institutions which represent more than 90,000 congregations in the United States.

“As Christians, we’re concerned about the wellbeing of all people who have faced persecution, including the many who are persecuted for their Christian faith,” said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. “While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation’s doors on the persecuted.”

These saddening numbers are the consequence of major changes to our nation’s historical approach to refugee resettlement. Last November, the refugee cap was reduced to 18,000 – the lowest level in U.S. history. Of these slots, 5,000 are reserved for those whose designation as a refugee is based on their religious tradition.

Data from prior years demonstrates that these policy changes do not result from a lack of administrative capacity. In 2015, the U.S. admitted more than 18,000 Christians from the 50 countries on the Open Doors USA 2020 World Watch List for the persecution of Christians. Midway through this year, we have admitted fewer than 950.

“The global reality is that more people than ever before are facing discrimination, violence, and even death because of their choice to practice their faith. Religious persecution is not an isolated problem: it overlaps with an array of issues that together impact Christians,” said Open Doors USA CEO David Curry.

The report also draws attention to the harm that new proposed asylum regulations would have on the ability for persecuted Christians and others persecuted for their faith to receive asylum in the U.S.

“Our intent is to recognize, prevent, and address these issues by engaging on each point at which religious minorities are suffering. We’re glad to partner with World Relief in calling on people of faith in the U.S. to support and advocate for their brothers and sisters in every country so that we do not see their suffering magnified in our own backyard,” Curry said.

“In their shocking report ‘Closed Doors: Persecuted Christians and the U.S. Refugee Resettlement and Asylum Processes,’ World Relief and Open Doors USA document the tragic persecution of Christians whose only crime is belief in Jesus,” said Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. “Even more shocking is the revelation that the United States, long a beacon of hope for those fleeing religious persecution, has closed its doors to virtually everyone seeking our protection, including persecuted Christians. We must change this policy and remain a leader for religious freedom.”

“We are living in what St. John Paul II called a ‘new age of martyrdom’, where many worldwide face persecution for their faith,” said Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration. “As this report documents, there are dramatic decreases in the ability of those fleeing for their lives to access protection. I pray our nation will reverse course and once again stand with refugees and asylum seekers, including those escaping religious persecution. Catholic and evangelical leaders have formally asked the Administration to consider refugees fleeing persecution at this time.”

Dr. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, added: “As Christians, we recognize the pain of persecuted people fleeing for their lives. From our ancestors in Egypt to our Lord Jesus himself to many of our brothers and sisters around the world right now, this is part of our story. And as Americans, we recognize our country’s history of providing a safe harbor for those yearning to breathe free. In recent years, changes in our country’s refugee policies have had negative consequences for many looking to the United States for help. This report details how these matters affect persecuted Christians, and other religious minorities, in need of our aid. We should pay careful attention to these findings. As Americans, we should live up to our history. And, as the church, we should recommit ourselves to ministering to all of those in our communities, and around the world, who are fearful for their very lives.”

The report encourages American Christians to both pray and advocate for those persecuted for their faith. They echo calls from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to restore the level of refugee resettlement to the historical norm of 95,000 refugees per year. They also invite Christians to voice concerns about proposed new asylum regulations that, if finalized after the completion of a 30-day public comment period that ends on July 15, 2020, would significantly restrict asylum eligibility for persecuted Christians and others.

For more information about the report click here.

Download the PDF version of this press release.

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About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

About Open Doors USA:
For more than 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world’s most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. Open Doors works to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. Christians are one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world and are oppressed in at least 60 countries.

For more information, visit OpenDoorsUSA.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
June 18, 2020

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
Lauren.carl@pinkston.co
703-388-6734

Findings show that households who participate in both Savings Groups and Farmer Field Schools in tandem reap greater reward

BALTIMORE – World Relief, a global humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and respond to disasters worldwide, released new research in partnership with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) and the University of Michigan that found that participation in World Relief’s Agriculture for Life (AFL) and Savings for Life (SFL) programs simultaneously provides smallholder farmers substantially greater agricultural, nutritional, and economic improvements compared to either program on its own or no program intervention at all. The research was conducted with rigorous testing in ten villages in Musanze District, Rwanda.

Agriculture for Life is based on the Farmer Field School (FFS) model. Farmer Field Schools are comprised of 20-25 small-scale farmers, who are taught experimental techniques and innovation in agriculture. World Relief’s AFL curriculum also intentionally weaves in content on nutrition education and gender as it relates to production and use of agriculture.  Savings for Life is World Relief’s innovative approach to the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) Model that has been replicated throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. It brings credit, loans, and insurance to the poor who do not have access to formal microfinance institutions.

“The research that we conducted in Rwanda has helped our organization identify key areas of improvement and how bringing these two programs together results in lasting change for communities in need,” said Moses Ndahiro, country director of World Relief Rwanda. “Both the Savings for Life and Agriculture for Life programs have proven to be very effective over the years, but this research has helped us shift our mentality to be even more innovative and seek new ways to alleviate poverty.”

While World Relief has seen the effectiveness of AFL and SFL independently, this new research shows that doing these programs together greatly multiplies the overall benefits to households. Six key results emerged from this research:

• Economic Improvement: Participants in both AFL and SFL had 9.45 times the odds of reporting economic improvement in the prior year when compared to those who did not participate in either program. 
• Increased Food Security: Households participating in AFL and SFL had 7.69 times the odds of household food security when compared to those who did not participate in either program.
• Improved Nutrition:  Households in AFL and SFL had significantly higher odds (9.65) of the youngest child 6-23 months meeting minimum diet diversity requirements compared to those in neither program. Additionally, children in households participating in both programs ate two times the number of food groups compared to those households in SFL alone.
• Increased Savings:  Those in AFL and SFL saved $7.10 USD more in a month than those participants in AFL only. Additionally, those in AFL and SFL saved on average $3.67 USD morein the previous month than those only in SFL.
• Improved Agricultural Outcomes:  Participation in AFL and SFL led to the greatest relative increase in the number of innovative agricultural strategies used; on average, those participating in AFL and SFL were 1.94 times more likely to use innovative agriculture strategies than those who did not participate in either program. Participants in both programs also were 1.17 times more likely to employ innovative strategies compared to AFL alone.
• Increased Agricultural Investment:  Finally, qualitative interviews suggest that among World Relief beneficiaries, households participating in both AFL and SFL invested more in agriculture than those participating in AFL or SFL only. Land rental was the most common investment, followed by potato seeds and fertilizer.

“World Relief’s inclusion of joint decision making and nutrition education throughout their programs encourages participants to channel the agricultural and economic improvements they receive from the programs towards the benefit of their household,” said Kallisse Dent, MPH, Research Assistant at University of Michigan. “Typically, in research we look for key indicators of ‘success’ such as crop productivity or the amount of savings. The quantitative and qualitative results from this study challenges us to continue to think beyond these key indicators of ‘success’ to the holistic impact that these programs can have on families. I am excited to see how World Relief continues to build off these results to provide families throughout the world with efficient and effective strategies to promote resiliency and hope.”

Download the PDF version of this press release.

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About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
June 18, 2020

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
Lauren.carl@pinkston.co
703-388-6734

BALTIMORE – Today, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court challenged the process by which the Trump administration sought to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which since 2012 has allowed roughly 800,000 individuals who were brought to the United States as children to receive protections from deportation and employment authorization.  World Relief celebrates this decision, which, for now, preserves the jobs of and protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of young people.

“Our network of World Relief offices throughout the U.S. has helped to file approximately 4,300 applications for protections under the DACA program,” commented World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “These young people have come forward at the invitation of our government, submitted to thorough background checks, paid fees and done everything that our country has asked of them. These protections are particularly important now while tens of thousands of DACA recipients are on the front lines fighting COVID-19 as essential healthcare workers. We are incredibly encouraged that these deserving young women and men will continue to have the opportunity to live in the communities they consider home.”

Last November, World Relief joined various other Christian organizations in submitting an amicus brief in support of the DACA program. We rejoice with the many DACA recipients and their families, including hundreds of thousands of U.S.-born children whose parents will retain their ability to reside and work lawfully in the United States.

Notably, however, while the Court’s decision rejects the manner by which the executive branch attempted to end DACA, it leaves open the possibility that this or another administration could terminate DACA in the future. As it has for many years, World Relief continues to call upon members of Congress to work together on a bipartisan basis to pass the Dream Act or similar legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children the opportunity to earn citizenship in the country where they have grown up and which most consider their home.

World Relief SVP of Advocacy and Policy Jenny Yang said, “Dreamers are demonstrating what those of us who have known them personally have long understood: they’re an essential part of the American community. Many are on the front lines of caring for the sick and elderly as healthcare workers. They are members and leaders within local churches. They belong here, and even as we celebrate this decision from the Supreme Court, it remains urgent that Congress take action to codify that reality.”

World Relief’s network of immigration legal services programs stands ready to assist as many individuals as we can in determining what this decision will mean for them and to assist with applications for those who qualify. World Relief invites local churches and individuals to stand with DACA by providing financial support to subsidize the cost of these legal services, to ensure that as many individuals can access authorized, competent, affordable legal counsel as possible.

To learn more about DACA, visit World Relief’s website: https://worldrelief.org/daca-and-dream-act-101/. And for giving opportunities, visit: https://worldrelief.org/dreamers/

Download the PDF version of this press release.

###

About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.