Blog
IWR response to Trump administration actions affecting refugees and immigrants
Executive Director Casey Verderosa outlines how IWR has been responding to the changing landscape for refugees and immigrants over the past few months.
10 year anniversary photo competition
Seeking your pictures of Ithaca’s spirit of welcome! Enter by June 16. The best 12 photos will feature in a 2026 IWR calendar.
Meet IWR Board Member Pedro Molina
For an internationally acclaimed political cartoonist familiar with discomfort, Pedro Molina did not anticipate the physical shock of his first few days in Ithaca. He…
Give Gently Used Jewelry a New Home for IWR Spring Fundraiser
A Spring jewelry sale fundraiser for IWR will take place in Ithaca on Saturday April 26, 2025! Find out how to donate jewelry.
One Week into a New Presidential Administration
IWR Executive Director Casey Verderosa outlines the impact of executive orders issued in January 2025 on refugee resettlement and immigration.
In the words of a Global Roots Mother
Zahraa Aldelfi moved from Iraq to the US with her young family. She recounts what Global Roots Play School has meant to her.
IWR Statement on Hate Speech Concerning Immigrants and Refugees
We encourage all voters to inform themselves of the tone and content of candidates’ contributions to debate on immigration and to vote their values.
The Origins of the Refugee Scholars in Ithaca Program: A Conversation with IWR Partner Ariela Asllani
Cornell student Ariela Asllani tells her story about the college preparation program she started for refugees in Ithaca, in collaboration with IWR.
IWR Crisis Fund Appeal Renewed to Help Grieving Family Secure Justice
IWR is raising funds to help a refugee family seek justice for their father and husband, who was killed in a traffic accident last year.
Global Roots Play School: A Soft Place to Land
The story of Global Roots Play School – insights from Director Bronwyn Losey on how it started, the approach, and what it offers to families.
Warmth Abounds at Annual Picnic
IWR’s annual picnic affords its community members the opportunity to gather and celebrate one another. IWR hosted its 2024 picnic on June 22, on an…
Reunited with Relatives in Ithaca, a Nicaraguan Family Finds a Generous Community
I meet Lilli and Michael in mid-November, almost four months to the day after their arrival from Nicaragua. As they share their story with me,…
Urge Congress to Protect Humanitarian Parole
Posted on January 30, 2024 at 1:57 pm. Written by Daniel Verderosa
The U.S. Congress and the Biden Administration are currently negotiating an immigration reform…
IWR Crisis Fund Helps Refugee Family After Unexpected Tragedy
Posted on November 2, 2023 at 4:31 pm. Written by Daniel Verderosa
When tragedy struck a family of Afghan refugees three weeks after they had…
Ithaca Welcomes… New Teammates! Q&A with Leigh Bacher
In April 2023, Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) welcomed its newest staff member, Leigh Bacher. Leigh works as IWR’s first programs coordinator, a role that touches…
GRPS Wraps Up First Year Since Pandemic Closure
Posted on August 7, 2023 at 3:16 pm. Written by Daniel Verderosa
One of IWR’s most important programs, Global Roots Play School (GRPS) finished up…
IWR Creates Refugee Crisis Fund After Tragedy
Posted on July 28, 2023 at 1:48 pm. Written by Daniel Verderosa
Refugees have already endured more than most can imagine by the time they…
With Support from IWR Volunteers, an Afghan Refugee Navigates the Hills and Valleys of Resettlement in Ithaca
As I sat with Jan and IWR volunteer Glen Robertson, their comfort with one another suggested they’ve been friends for years. Yet the two were…
IWR executive director profiled in the Ithaca Times
Posted on December 15, 2022 at 11:08 am. Written by Daniel Verderosa
The work of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) was featured in an op-ed in…
IWR Featured on ‘Only In America’ Podcast
Posted on February 3, 2022 at 10:39 am. Written by Daniel Verderosa
IWR Executive Director Casey Verderosa was interviewed on Only In America with Ali…