FORA: Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America

Last week, we started our fall semester off strong with some relationship building activities! Our younger students made acrostics of positive adjectives with letters from each others' names while our older students played the "energy ball" game, passing around an imaginary energy ball while sharing something positive about the person they threw it to. The kids had a great time while building deep connections with their tutors and peers and developing skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom. #RefugeeEducation #EmpowermentThroughEducation #SocialEmotionalLearning

Watch this short video to see our students' incredible dreams and aspirations for the future: https://lnkd.in/gZyhMqSm Every FORA student is a future change maker. Thank you for being part of their journey! 💪✨

Celebrating two months since the Grand Opening of FORA's new refugee empowerment center! Swipe through to relive the memorable moments and see how far we've come. Together, we're building a brighter future! #FORA #RefugeeEmpowerment

When asked about his time here at FORA, current volunteer David McKenzie described his experience as rewarding. As a former employee of FORA, he has years of experience seeing the impact of the work here. He highlighted the students as one of the greatest aspects of his time here, and they are why he has chosen to continue tutoring. He has seen substantial changes in the students from their time at FORA. They get caught up in their learning, and they have grown to become excited about school.

We recently sat down with FORA founders Michael and Kathleen O'Connor to discuss FORA's exciting upcoming field trip to Six Flags! This trip is in honor of all the students' amazing hard work! Read the extended interview on our blog here: https://lnkd.in/gNhnnF5b

FALL APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! Join us in our mission of refugee empowerment and make a lasting impact by tutoring this fall at FORA! 🌻 Our application can be found here and in our bio! https://lnkd.in/gcM9x-cw Program Details: - September 3 - December 20. - Time slots available M-F 4:30-6:30 pm, 7:00 -9:00 pm CT. - 1:1 tutoring in English and math with students in grades K-12. - Volunteers must commit to two sessions per week (4 hours). Tutor Testimonial: “The best part of FORA was the kids! Nothing beats a bright smile early in the morning. I get energy from working with them, and I have truly never seen a child drink in information the way the FORA kids do. It is an honor and a privilege to work one-on-one with them.” - Kylie Nethers Not available this fall? Please share with your family and friends!

We are so excited to announce that we have been renewed as a recipient of the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Refugee School Impact Funding. We are honored that the Jewish United Fund believes in the power of our community. We would like to thank them for their generosity, partnership and commitment to our vision and mission.

Today, we stand together in solidarity with refugees worldwide. Children around the world just like ours are being denied the right to an education. Let's continue to raise awareness, extend compassion, and build bridges of support to make sure that all of the refugee children of the world can be kids. 🌍💙 #WorldRefugeeDay #StandWithRefugees

🌟 A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the Grand Opening of FORA's new Refugee Empowerment Center this past Sunday, June 2nd! 🌟 Your presence and support mean the world to us as we embark on this journey to empower and uplift refugee communities. Together, we are building a brighter future filled with hope, opportunities, and unity. 💙 #FORA #RefugeeEmpowerment #CommunitySupport #ThankYou

We are delighted to announce the addition of four new board members at FORA who are passionate about restoring literacy and education for refugee children: Christine Spears is the Controller and VP of Finance for Special Olympics International, has had an extensive career in non-profit finance and now joins FORA's board as Treasurer. Daione Mitchell has worked in marketing research, relationship managing and team building and brings her years of experience serving on Chicago non-profit boards as FORA's board Secretary. William Forsyth is a founder and President of Frontier Partners, a Founder and Director of the New Frontiers Foundation, and a long-time FORA supporter who is deepening his commitment to refugee education as a FORA board member. Nausheen Zaidi, M.D. is a Board certified Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist/ OBGYN who, after two years of volunteer work with FORA, is stepping onto our board. Their dedication and expertise will further our mission to empower young minds. Please join us in welcoming them! #FORA #RefugeeEducation #EducationForAll #BoardMembers #EmpowermentThroughEducation