What is a Refugee? A Look at the Word and Meaning
Explore the definition and history of the word 'refugee' and learn how Embrace Relief supports those fleeing to Greece through housing, education, and community adoption programs.
The useful part before the long read.
The word 'refugee' originates from the French 'réfugié,' referring to Huguenots who fled religious persecution in 1685.
Embrace Relief supports approximately 5,500 refugees in Greece who arrived by land or sea since the beginning of 2021.
Programs include emergency housing, rent assistance, English courses, family adoption, and the First Bricks education project.
Donors and volunteers can help refugees integrate into their new communities through Year-End Resolutions initiatives.
The Definition and History of "Refugee"
- Their religious and/or political beliefs
- Their race
- Their sexual orientation or identity
- Violence or war
The Refugee Crisis in Greece
- Emergency Housing—With emergency housing, refugees no longer have to stay in overpopulated refugee camps, which are especially unsafe during the COVID-19 pandemic. This support also includes food, water, clothing, and access to pro-bono lawyers and translators who assist refugees with asylum paperwork, searching for a permanent home, and placing their children into schools.
- Rent Assistance—Upon finding a permanent home, we continue to aid refugee families with up to $500 in rent assistance. So far, we have assisted 280 families.
- English-Learning Courses—We systematically pair refugees with volunteer native English speakers who meet once a week via video call. They learn how to speak English, allowing them to excel in school, find new jobs, and make new friends in their new countries. To date we’ve enrolled nearly 300 refugees in English courses.
- Adopt a Refugee Family—This program personally matches people in the United States with a refugee family in Greece, providing refugees with invaluable emotional and psychological support. Providing refugees with the sense that someone cares about them and their family helps them survive and succeed. We currently have 110 families who have been symbolically adopted.
- First Bricks Program—Millions of refugee children worldwide are often years behind the education level they should be at for their age. This is because they often miss months—if not years—of school. After all, they often hide with their parents to avoid conflict in their countries and endure prolonged periods of isolation in refugee camps. Therefore, the First Bricks online education program helps children of refugees learn math, science, and languages, among other important subjects, and connect with other children their age—all for free.
- For children of refugees, the emotional and psychological burden of migrating to an unfamiliar country is undeniable. Under this state of duress, gestures of kindness and thoughtfulness often have a profound impact. Therefore, in the last two years, we’ve provided gift bags for over 3,000 children of refugees.
How YOU Can Help Refugees Fleeing to Greece
Please donate today or volunteer for refugees in Greece to help us provide them not only a significant cushion to fall on during tough times, but the means to integrate themselves into their new country. Thanks to the efficient system we have in place for refugees, they have the tools to positively impact their new communities. And YOU can make it part of your Year-End Resolutions to be a part of this meaningful evolution!
Refugee Relief
Provide essentials, resettlement support, and emergency aid for refugees and displaced families.
About Our Year-End Resolutions
A take on New Year’s Resolutions, our Year-<i>End</i> Resolutions is something you can do—<b>right here, right now</b>—that has an impact before the year is officially over. For example, contributing to one of Embrace Relief’s many humanitarian causes (<a href="/campaigns/year-end-resolutions-make-it-a-great-year">check them all out here</a>). And the best thing is—by doing so, you’ll officially make 2021 a great year. Not just for yourself, but for people who need support but have nowhere and no one to turn to, because together, we can provide the resources needed to save and change lives. <b>Happy Year-End!</b>