NOVA Friends of Refugees

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ”
— Matthew 25: 35-36

The Saint George's Refugee Ministry is an award-winning program that started in the Summer of 2016 to build a coalition of like-minded individuals to support refugees.  A national grassroots coalition called NOVA Friends of Refugees was born out of that ministry. 

Co-founded by two long-time Saint Georgians, Norma Kacen and Wendy Chan and Kenn Speicher of Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church of Arlington, this interfaith network now has over 1,500 members (and growing!) from across the country, representing over 250 faith communities, NGOs, and gov't agencies, connected to support and share information to help refugees.  

NOVA Friends of Refugees support refugees and asylees through 3 pillars of work:

  1. Community Building and Advocacy: we organize community events and celebrations to highlight refugee and immigrant contributions; We also host awareness training and connect members to advocacy opportunities; In 2025, we have begun to work with international NGOs to provide support to displaced people abroad, fostering a global alliance and community

  2. Daily Essentials and Transportation Assistance: through initiatives like used bike donation, clothes donations, and others, we support limited daily essential support to newly arrived families local to the DC metro area who are not qualified for assistance elsewhere

  3. Pathways for Integration: we connect refugees to English classes, career development, and other critical resources and opportunities to help them rebuild lives and create a pathway to thrive. We continue to be a resource for medical students focusing on refugee health at Georgetown University and co-founded a coalition to help refugee physicians in Virginia return to medicine.

To learn more about NOVA Friends of Refugees and how to join this vibrant network, please contact Wendy Chan and Kenn Speicher.  Volunteering opportunities of all types are available – contact us to get involved and support our newcomer brothers and sisters.