UU Friends of Refugees

Concord UU has a long-standing commitment to working with New Americans who have come to the United States as refugees.  Our mission is to welcome, befriend, and assist refugees in the larger Concord area so they can thrive as human beings and valued members of our community.

Since 2008, UU Friends of Refugees (UUFOR) has been actively engaged with New American families as they establish new lives in New Hampshire.  To date, seventeen Circles of Support have been formed, bringing together groups of congregants with a refuge family.  Some circles have remained active for year, others have faded as families have become independent and/or have moved out of the area.  Many have evolved into lasting friendships. The families, from Burundi, Iraq, Bhutan, Congo, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan, have enriched the lives of our congregants and church in ways we never imagined.

UU Friends of Refugees is here to:

  • Provide opportunities for UUs to welcome, befriend, and assist refugees in the Concord area.
  • Offer training and resources for volunteers with an emphasis on cultural sensitivity and awareness of the trauma that refugees can experience.
  • Match volunteers with opportunities for meaningful engagement with Concord’s refugee community.
  • Partner with agencies that support local refugees to connect our work with their resources.

Getting Involved

If you are curious about UUFOR and are thinking about getting involved, please fill out our form listing Current Opportunities for Involvement (last updated: Feb 7, 2024).  Completing the form doesn’t commit you to anything, but gives the UUFOR steering committee a chance to know you are out there, so you can get connected in ways that are most meaningful to you.

Here is a description of what our Circle of Friends of Refugee Families do and how they work.

To learn more or to be added to our UUFOR email list, you can also contact Rev. Michael Leuchtenberger (michael@concorduu.org), currently serving as chair of the UUFOR Steering Committee.

Resource Links for UUFOR Volunteers

Please contact the office for who is running each program or visit our calendar for any upcoming meetings or events.