PAO Bhangra

Barton Hall, Cornell University

Saturday, March 16, 2024 - 6:30 pm

Join Cornell Bhangra for the 2024 PAO Bhangra event. Tickets cost $3 and are available for purchase online. Proceeds will benefit Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR).

Learn more


National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

Bailey Hall, Cornell University

Saturday, February 10, 2024 - 3pm

Cornell Concert Series Presents: The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

When you purchase your tickets using this link or the QR code in the image above, 10% of the proceeds will be donated to IWR.

Formed by the Council of Ministers of Ukraine in 1918, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe. Achieving worldwide recognition,  they have been praised for “thrilling performance… every note crisp and exact” (Times Union). Since 1993, the NSOU has released more than 100 recordings featuring both Ukrainian and international repertoire. In a concert featuring cellist Natalia Khoma, acclaimed as “perfectly controlled and beautifully expressive…magical and deeply touching” (New York Concert Review),  conductor Volodymyr Sirenko will lead the orchestra as they perform Dmitry Bortniansky’s Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat Major, Franz Josef Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob.VIIb/1, and Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52.


Holiday Jewelry Sale

First Baptist Church, 309 Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY 14850

Saturday, November 25, 2023 - 10am - 3pm


All proceeds benefit Ithaca Welcomes Refugees

Everything you need for beautiful holiday gifts:

  • Earrings
  • Necklaces
  • Rings
  • Bracelets
  • Pins
  • Pendants
  • Watches
  • Tie clips

Human Flow @ Cinemapolis

120 E. Green Street. Ithaca, New York 14850

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 7pm

Order Tickets Now!

Documenting the Global Refugee Crisis to Ask: Can Our Societies Move Beyond Fear and Isolation to Trust and Compassion? Ticket Sales Support Local Refugee and Immigrant Families Part of Welcoming America's National #WELCOMINGWEEK

Documenting the Global Refugee Crisis to Ask: Can Our Societies Move Beyond Fear and Isolation to Trust and Compassion?

Ticket Sales Support Local Refugee and Immigrant Families

Part of Welcoming America’s National #WELCOMINGWEEK


Ithaca Welcomes Refugees will host a screening of HUMAN FLOW, Ai Weiwei’s breathtaking epic film journey about the global refugee crisis Thursday September 20th at Cinemapolis at 7pm. The documentary gives powerful visual expression to the mass human migration of over 65 million people currently displaced around the world due to famine, climate change, and war. It illuminates both the staggering scale of the refugee crisis and its profoundly intimate human impact. Filmed over the course of one year in 23 countries, Human Flow witnesses urgent human stories of the displaced in pursuit of safety, shelter, and justice.

Ithaca Welcomes Refugees presents the film as part of Welcoming America’s national week of events – Welcoming Week – to raise awareness about the benefits of welcoming refugees and immigrants to our communities. At a time when compassion, tolerance, and trust are needed more than ever, the film asks one of the questions that will define this century: Can our global society move beyond fear, isolation, and self-interest to cultures of openness and respect for humanity?

Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) is a volunteer-led initiative that works to foster a welcoming and fair environment for refugees and at-risk immigrants in our community and region. IWR works to address long-term programming gaps in local services to reduce existing barriers to the integration and empowerment of refugees and at-risk immigrants. This includes Global Roots Play School – providing early childhood care so parents can attend adult English classes, The Welcome Home program – providing apartment set up, basic needs support, emergency assistance, and early orientation for new refugee arrivals and at-risk immigrants, and Response Projects – providing long-term support for new community members via cultural and community orientation, interpretation, appointment accompaniment, transportation, program-enrollment support, and other specialized critical assistance identified through direct consultation. IWR also provides education for the wider community on refugee and immigrant issues, partners with other organizations to promote welcome, and trains volunteers for active service in the community.

Community Picnic 2018

100 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, NY 14850

Saturday, July 14, 2018 - 11am-2pm

Community Picnic

Join Ithaca Welcomes Refugees for our Second Annual Community Picnic hosted by our friends at Groundswell Incubator Farm.

Bring your favorite dish to share and join us for live music, games, farm tours and more!

Celebrate the diversity of the greater Ithaca area and join in welcoming new neighbors at this family-friendly picnic!

Contact info@groundswellcenter.org or 607-319-5095 to sign up for FREE transportation from downtown Ithaca, and to learn more about the event.

This program was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.

For the event flyer with translations in Arabic, Karen, Spanish and Mandarin, CLICK HERE.

 


IWR Volunteer Orientation and Training

Dodds Hall, Ithaca First Presbyterian Church

Saturday, May 12, 2018 - 1pm - 3pm

Are you interested in volunteering? Do you want to learn about the organization and where you can help out? Come to Orientation! This will be held in the first hour, 1-2pm.

The second hour (2-3pm) will feature a Training for volunteers who want to get involved with direct service (best practices for communicating with English language learners, and understanding trauma/post-trauma.

Please RSVP to ithacawelcomesrefugees@gmail.com and let us know which hour(s) you will be attending. 


Online Auction to Benefit Global Roots Play School

https://www.32auctions.com/globalrootsplayschool

Thursday, May 10, 2018 - All Day, Every Day (May 10-21)

 

 

The Auction

This silent online auction features amazing gifts and experiences from generous local businesses such as:

100% of proceeds will go to Global Roots Play School’s family scholarship program.

How Can You Help?

  • Volunteer (we have lots do to!)
  • Participate by donating a gift or service for auction
  • Spread the word!
  • Bid on an item and shop with purpose. The auction is open until May 21st!

START BIDDING NOW>>

Global Roots Play School is an initiative of IWR and helps refugee and immigrant families by providing affordable, accessible childcare to parents eager to learn English. Learn more here.

To volunteer or donate an item email admin@ithacawelcomesrefugees.org

Global Roots Play School Clean Up Day – THANK YOU!

402 N. Aurora Street, Ithaca, NY 14850

Saturday, August 26, 2017 - 10am-2pm

Join us at Global Roots Play School for a fun time cleaning and prepping the classroom and play spaces!  We’re looking for a bunch of eager IWR folks to help make the space beautiful and welcoming for families. More hands will make it easy and all are welcome!

If you are interested in helping, email director@globalrootsplayschool.org with your availability!

Event Recap:

Ithaca Welcomes Refugees and the staff of the Global Roots Play School would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the over 22 volunteers who gave their time and boundless energy this past Saturday, August 26, to clean up and organize the play school. We could not have done it without you!
What started out as a dusty classroom in desperate need of some serious elbow grease is now a warm, clean, and welcoming space for our first class of young learners. The backyard play area, which had gone a little too far back to nature for safe play, is now prepped for outdoor fun and fresh air.
Hundreds of books were sorted and stacked; toys of every type were cleaned and organized; cubbies, cabinets and the outdoor play sets were scrubbed; and hidden corners saw new light. The sheer amount of energy—and joy—from everyone who showed up reminded us of how lucky we are to live in Ithaca. We cannot wait for our fall session to start next week!
Clean Up Day
Clean Up Day
Clean Up Day

IWR Community Building Picnic

Stewart Park, Ithaca, NY, 14850

Saturday, July 15, 2017 - 11am-2pm

IWR Community Building Picnic

Saturday, July 15th 11-2pm
Stewart Park Pavilion, 1 James L. Gibbs Drive, Ithaca NY
We are seeking to build an inclusive community that feels welcoming to everyone, including people from all backgrounds. Whether you have been here for decades or you just arrived recently, please join us to celebrate our diversity and appreciate what connects all of us.

There will be food, music, games, and carousel rides for all ages.

If you would like to bring a dish to pass, you may follow these guidelines:
Beverage – last name begins with A-D
Salads & Sides – last name begins with E-K
Main Course – last name begins with L-S
Dessert – last name begins with T-Z

There will also be delicious contributions from generous local favorites like Gimme! CoffeeEmmy’s OrganicsWide Awake BakeryBa-Li Cravings and Sahara Mediterranean Restaurant!

We will raise awareness of the mission of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, recognize volunteers, and clarify specific ways to get involved and learn more about the organization.

Please RSVP on the Facebook and spread the word. This event is free and open to the public.

Thank you and we hope to see you there!

 


Indivisible Documentary

Cinemapolis 120 E. Green Street. Ithaca, New York 14850

Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 7pm

Indivisible is an award-winning documentary about the fight to reunite families separated by deportation. Imagine growing up in the country you call home without legal status. Or not seeing your family for years because they were deported. Renata, Evelyn, and Antonio were young children when their parents brought them to the U.S. in search of a better life; they were teenagers when their families were deported. Today, they are known as Dreamers. Indivisible takes place at a pivotal moment in their lives, as they fight for a pathway to citizenship and a chance to be reunited with their loved ones. With the future of immigration reform uncertain, will they see their families again?

Accolades:
Indivisible premiered at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA in March 2016 and has since played at 25 festivals, earning the following awards:
Best DocumentaryBoston International Film Festival
Best Documentary Kansas International Film Festival
Special Grand Jury Award for Inspirational FilmmakingArizona Int’l Film Festival
Best Social Issue DocumentaryAtlanta DocuFest

Indivisible will screen for the House of Representatives on July 14, 2017 and will have its English broadcast premiere in July 2017.

More information can be found here.