About Us
Empowering Refugees to Rebuild Lives with Hope
IAFR was established in 2009 in response to the need for an international Christian nonprofit agency devoted to the mission of helping people survive and recover from forced displacement. We do this in partnership with local churches, refugees churches and the church-at-large.
At the time of our founding, we did not know that the world was on the brink of an unprecedented refugee crisis that would play a defining role in the 21st Century.
We were established for such a time as this. Together with the church, we are a force for hope, healing and recovery in the world.
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Why We Do What We Do
The greatest of all commandments is to love God and our neighbor.
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
Core Values
Collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration
Host Country Economy
Host Country Economy
Host Country Economy
Local Churches
Local Churches
Local Churches
Long-term Relationships
Long-term Relationships
Long-term Relationships
Reciprocity
Reciprocity
Reciprocity
Respect & Dignity
Respect & Dignity
Respect & Dignity
Meet Our Team
Listed alphabetically by first name
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Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader
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Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader
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Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader
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Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader
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Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader
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Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader
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April Palmbos
Director of Operations
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April Palmbos
Director of Operations
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April Palmbos
Director of Operations
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Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader
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Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader
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Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader
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Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team
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Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team
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Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team
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Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development
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Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development
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Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development
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Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology
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Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology
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Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology
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Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader
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Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader
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Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader
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Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader
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Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader
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Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader
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Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team
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Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team
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Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team
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Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team
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Kate Cami
Assistant to the President
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Kate Cami
Assistant to the President
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Kate Cami
Assistant to the President
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Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team
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Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team
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Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team
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Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator
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Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator
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Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator
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Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training
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Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training
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Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant
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Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries
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Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries
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Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries
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Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer
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Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer
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Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry
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Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado
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Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado
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Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado
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Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader
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Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader
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Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader
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SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader
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SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader
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SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader
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Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President
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Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President
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Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President
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Tom Albinson
Founder and President
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Tom Albinson
Founder and President
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Tom Albinson
Founder and President
Board Members
Listed alphabetically by first name
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Kate Makowsky
Chair
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Kate Makowsky
Chair
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Kate Makowsky
Chair
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Kristel Lehner
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Kristel Lehner
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Kristel Lehner
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member
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Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member
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Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member
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Stan Diddams
Treasurer
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Stan Diddams
Treasurer
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Stan Diddams
Treasurer
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Stephen Freed
Vice Chair
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Stephen Freed
Vice Chair
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Stephen Freed
Vice Chair
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Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member
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Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member
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Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member
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Tom Albinson
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Tom Albinson
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Tom Albinson
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Van Chounlamountry
Secretary
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Van Chounlamountry
Secretary
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Van Chounlamountry
Secretary
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved