***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

FEBURARY 15, 2017

CONTACT:

Christina Klinepeter, 773-724-0605

Matthew Soerens, 920-428-9534

World Relief Announces the Layoff of 140+ Staff and Closure of Five Local Offices Due to the Trump Administration’s Reduction in Refugee Resettlements in the U.S.

“America is now less able to help those around the world who need our help the most.”

– Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief



BALTIMORE, MD — As a direct result of the recent decision by the Trump Administration to dramatically reduce the number of refugees resettled in the U.S. throughout fiscal year 2017, World Relief has been forced to make the difficult decision to layoff 140+ staff members across its U.S. Ministry and close local offices in Boise, Idaho; Columbus, Ohio; Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Glen Burnie, Maryland. Collectively, these five offices have resettled more than 25,000 refugees over the past four decades.

“It has been our great privilege to serve both local churches and resilient refugee and immigrant families in each of these communities,” says World Relief President Scott Arbeiter. “Our staff at each of these locations have served diligently and sacrificially—some of them for many years—and we are deeply saddened to have to make this difficult decision. These staff members are also experts whose vast experience has brought an effectiveness and professionalism to their work. This represents a loss of more than 140 jobs—which by itself is deeply troubling—but also decades of organizational expertise and invaluable capacity to serve the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief, is making it clear that World Relief’s organizational mandate and ministry will continue on. “We fully intend to continue the critical work of resettling refugees and serving other immigrants in the communities where we serve throughout the United States,” says Breene. “The unfortunate truth is that given the unprecedented nature of the global refugee crisis, there are simply more people than ever that need our support and our compassion. We are redoubling our efforts to find solutions to serve displaced peoples in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere around the globe. We urge the Trump Administration to renew and reinvigorate efforts to work together with the global humanitarian community to meet this urgent crisis head on.”

Private citizens, churches, and charities that would like to contribute to World Relief’s efforts here and abroad may do so at www.worldrelief.org.

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World Relief is a global humanitarian relief and development organization that stands with the vulnerable and partners with local churches to end the cycle of suffering, transform lives and build sustainable communities. With over 70 years of experience, World Relief has offices in the United States that specialize in refugee and immigration services, and works in 20 countries worldwide through disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding.

Website WorldRelief.org | Twitter @WorldRelief