RefugeeOne

RefugeeOne provides refugee resettlement services to refugees primarily from the Middle East. Services include housing, English classes, health and mental services, programs for women, youth, and young adults, and job search support.

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Website: www.refugeeone.org
Founded:

1982

Executive Director:

Melineh Kano

Location: Chicago, IL View on map
Tax ID: 36-3817743
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $16,946,726 Revenue: $14,834,168 Expenses: $12,854,599

Contents

    It receives funding from the United States government and from several left-of-center philanthropies including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Church World Service, National Philanthropic Trust, Network for Good, Schwab Charitable Fund, and Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund.

    Background

    RefugeeOne is the Illinois affiliate of Church World Service and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. It receives government funding from the U.S. Department of State to resettle refugees entering the United States 1 through the U.S. State Department Refugee Admissions Program. 2

    It was started in 1982 and has provided services to over 20,000 refugees 2 from many countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. 3 As of September 2022 it had 74 employees and had moved into a larger building in Chicago that houses all of its programs. 4

    Programs

    The Refugee Resettlement Services program provides new refugees with a furnished apartment and cultural orientation as well as several program services, including English language classes. 5

    The Workforce Development Program assists refugees in obtaining a job and provides ongoing post-employment counseling and mediation. 5 It organizes a monthly job fair for refugees and local employers. 6

    RefugeeOne’s Wellness Program provides health and mental health services. 5 In 2022 it started a dental clinic. 4

    The Youth and Young Adults Program offers programs for school readiness, after-school care, summer day camp, tutoring, career counseling, and behavioral health. 5

    Women’s Services provides refugee women with mentors who help them acclimate to life in the United States. In 2017 RefugeeOne started a Sewing Studio to train refugee women in sewing skills and in English to enable them to find work. 5

    The Immigration Support Program includes refugee support in obtaining travel documents, employment authorizations, asylum applications, alien petitions, and Temporary Protected Status. 5

    Afghanistan and Ukraine

    RefugeeOne has focus programs for refugees from Afghan and Ukraine. In 2022, RefugeeOne formed a four-person team focused on resettlement for Afghan refugees. 7 8 RefugeeOne obtains state funding through a special grant pool from the Illinois Department of Human Services to provide assistance to refugees from Ukraine. 9

    Advocacy

    RefugeeOne advocates for the Afghan Adjustment Act to streamline Afghan immigration and encourages others to contact Congress in support of this legislation. 7 It supports federal policies to support Ukrainians coming to the United States including cash assistance, health insurance, and food assistance through public programs. 9

    In November, 2023 RefugeeOne published an “advocacy alert” on Facebook to call on Congress to fund support for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees. 10  The Facebook post references an action alert from Church World Service urging people to contact their members of Congress and encourage them to provide benefits to Ukrainians and Afghans and reduce detention, deportation, and border-enforcement programs. 11

    Funding

    RefugeeOne reported $10,528,802 in revenues and $6,007,775 in expenses in 2022. 12 In 2022 40% of its revenue was from government funding, with the rest from philanthropic donations. 13

    In 2022 the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation donated $250,000 to RefugeeOne with a focus on enabling RefugeeOne to provide services to Ukrainian refugees following the February 2022 invasion by Russia. 14

    Left-of-center advocacy group Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights donated $86,200 to RefugeeOne in 2021. This organization paid out over $11 million in grants to 92 organizations for “immigrant and refugees assistance” in 2021. 15

    Chicago grantmaking foundation Polk Brothers Foundation has donated to RefugeeOne every year since 2014. 16

    Additional 2022 donors to RefugeeOne include left-leaning think tank Urban Institute, Church World Service, left-of-center grantmaking organization Chicago Foundation for Women, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Chicago Community Trust, and donor advised fund providers American Endowment Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, Network for Good, Schwab Charitable Fund, and Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund. 17

    In October 2023 American Nurses Credentialing Center sponsored a giving campaign to support RefugeeOne at its annual conference that included matching contributions from the Humana Foundation, CeraVe, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and Fresenius Kabi USA .2

    Leadership

    Melineh Kano became executive director of RefugeeOne in 2012. Previously Kano was program director for Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries for 20 years. 18 Kano was a refugee, having fled Iran around the time of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, arriving in the United States in 1984. 19

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $16,946,726 $14,834,168 $12,854,599 View
    2024 $15,394,634 $13,918,076 $11,740,182 View
    2023 $13,592,624 $9,785,204 $8,477,728 View
    2022 $12,176,477 $10,528,802 $6,007,775 View
    2021 $6,751,320 $5,064,866 $3,480,818 View
    2020 $5,387,997 $4,773,943 $3,386,668 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 146

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Melineh KanoEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$280,016
    Ermias GhiliazghiFINANCIAL DIRECTOR$215,879
    Richard J Van HeesDIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT$156,429

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $45,111,821
    • Number of Grants: 695
    • Number of Funders: 209

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $5,448,0152025 Jewish Federation of ChicagoJEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO GRANTS – OPERATING SUPPORT
    $3,824,6812025 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCSERVICE TO THE DISPLACED
    $3,734,6012024 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCSERVICE TO THE DISPLACED
    $2,723,4772023 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCSERVICE TO THE DISPLACED
    $2,457,5702022 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCSERVICES TO THE DISPLACED
    $2,124,0962023 Jewish Federation of ChicagoJewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Grants – Operating Support
    $734,7792022 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $697,4022022 Jewish Federation of ChicagoJewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Grants – Operating Support
    $500,0002022 Walton Family FoundationTo provide housing aid to refugees and help to furnish the home.
    $444,7282020 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCService to the displaced
    $328,4402024 Resurrection ProjectImmigration Legal and Support Services
    $315,0232020 Jewish Federation of ChicagoJewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Grants – Operating Support
    $300,1902021 CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INCSERVICES TO THE DISPLACED
    $285,5002024 National Philanthropic TrustHUMAN SERVICES
    $250,0002024 Arie and Ida Crown MemorialPROGRAM
    $250,0002024 John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation D/b/a Schreiber PhilanthropyGeneral Operating
    $250,0002023 Arie and Ida Crown MemorialGENERAL OPERATING
    $250,0002022 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundationin support of general operations.
    $200,0002022 The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation IncTO SUPPORT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A THREE-STORY BUILDING FOR REFUGEEONE, CHICAGO'S LARGEST RESETTLEMENT AGENCY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A DENTAL CLINIC.
    $200,0002021 The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation IncTO SUPPORT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A THREE-STORY BUILDING FOR REFUGEEONE, CHICAGO'S LARGEST RESETTLEMENT AGENCY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A DENTAL CLINIC.
    $192,5502020 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.Religion related
    $191,2102023 Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee RightsIMMIGRANT & REFUGEES ASSISTANCE
    $185,0002024 Paul M. Angell Family FoundationRefugeeOne is a pivotal local answer to critical global needs. Since 1982, we have welcomed 20,500 refugees from every major world crisis including Rwandans fleeing genocide, Jews from the former Soviet Union, the Lost Boys of Sudan, Syrians displaced by civil war, Afghans who escaped the Taliban, and now Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion. The Foundation’s grant will support the following: Youth Program: Young refugees need help adjusting to U.S. culture, acclimating to new surroundings, and enrolling in school – some of whom for the very first time. RefugeeOne offers mentoring and tutoring, school liaison services, afterschool programming, a 6-week summer camp, parental workshops, social-emotional learning, and access to mental healthcare for youth.Workforce Dev.: English language skills remain the key component to a refugee’s independence. Our English Language Training assesses the language needs of newly arrived refugee adults, and places them in classes taught by certified instructors and qualified volunteers. We then help adults use their new language skills to find gainful full-time jobs, typically within 3-6 months.Women’s Program: Refugee women are less likely to seek employment than refugee men and often feel isolated at home. Our staff and volunteers help women adjust to life in the U.S., and offer peer support and marketable skills through projects like the Sewing Studio, a vocational training program.Core Admin.: Funding will also offset direct costs for refugee housing, work uniforms, transportation, medications, initial food, and related staff salaries. This is needed as our staff capacity has grown from roughly 50 in 2020 to 123 today, all for the 2,500 clients we serve annually, an estimated 600 new arrivals, and our 5,500+ Ukrainians clients since April 2022. Funds will also go to indirect costs, like utilities and salaries for core administrative staff who connect programs seamlessly and cost-effectively, especially given inflation.
    $172,5402022 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.RELIGION RELATED
    $172,0502023 National Philanthropic TrustHUMAN SERVICES

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. RefugeeOne. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part III). 2022.
    2. “American Nurses Credentialing Center Kicks Off Conference in Chicago with Giving Campaign to Support RefugeeOne and the American Nurses Foundation.” ANCC 2023 News Releases. October 12, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2023/refugeeone-and-anf-text-to-give/
    3. “Who We Serve.” refugeeONE – What We Do. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.refugeeone.org/who-we-serve.html
    4. Joe Ward. “RefugeeOne Opens New Headquarters In West Ridge As Agency Nearly Doubles To Address Refugee Crisis.” Block Club Chicago. September 12, 2022. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/09/12/refugeeone-opens-new-headquarters-in-west-ridge-as-agency-nearly-doubles-to-address-refugee-crisis/
    5. “RefugeeOne.” GuideStar Profile. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-3817743
    6. George Castle. “Ukrainian refugees who fled war eagerly attend Norridge employment fair: ‘I want a job.’” Chicago Tribune. June 19, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/norridge/ct-nhh-ukrainian-refugee-job-fair-tl-0622-20230619-edimoihoqbcuvdwnpctrx5ljuq-story.html
    7. “Refuge for Afghans.” refugeeONE. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.refugeeone.org/afghanistan.html
    8. Elly Fishman. “She escaped the Taliban. A year later, her fate — like thousands of Afghans — is in limbo.” WBEZ Chicago. September 2, 2022. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.wbez.org/stories/afghan-asylum-seekers-in-chicago-face-uncertain-road-to-residency/78c4e8c4-26ca-403d-b04b-0aa136bde4d7
    9. “Solidarity with Ukraine.” refugeeONE – Ukraine. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.refugeeone.org/ukraine.html
    10. Facebook – RefugeeOne. November 16, 2023 post. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/RefugeeOne/
    11. “TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to Fund Refugee & Newcomer Inclusion and Restore Needed Services for Ukrainian and Afghan Neighbors.” CWS – Take Action – Action Alerts. November 13, 2023. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/take-action-urge-congress-to-fund-refugee-newcomer-inclusion-and-restore-needed-services-for-ukrainian-and-afghan-neighbors/
    12. RefugeeOne. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I). 2022.
    13. refugeeONE Biennial Report For Fiscal Years 2021 & 2022. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.refugeeone.org/uploads/1/2/8/1/12814267/refugeeone_biennial_report_fy21_and_fy22.pdf. Link from “Annual Reports.” refugeeONE – Who We Are. https://www.refugeeone.org/annual-reports.html
    14. “Refugee One.” MacArthur Foundation – Grant Search. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/refugeeone-44532/
    15. Illinois Coalition For Immigrant And Refugee Rights. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990, Schedule I). 2021.
    16. “Current Grantmaking.” Polk Brothers Foundation. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.polkbrosfdn.org/grants/
    17.  “Results for “refugeeone”.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?sort=best&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&year%5B%5D=2021&q=refugeeone&submit=Apply
    18. LinkedIn – Melineh Kano. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melineh-kano-8978318/
    19. Micah Materre. “Armenian refugee’s life work is to help others that are just like her.” WGN9. December 21, 2019. Accessed November 18, 2023. https://wgntv.com/news/chicagos-very-own/armenian-refugees-life-work-is-to-help-others-that-just-like-her/