Who Is Welcoming the Stranger? Exploring Faith‐Based Service Provision to Refugees in Philadelphia

The researchers would like to thank the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research, School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, for supporting this study.

Abstract

Inherent in the refugee experience is dislocation. One task for refugees and members of the host country is restoring social ties that have been disrupted. Religious congregations are involved in restoring those ties in refugee resettlement in various ways. This study was undertaken to identify the prevalence and types of services congregations provide to refugees in a metropolitan area. Data from 1,392 congregations from the Philadelphia Census of Congregations were analyzed to provide detailed information of congregations involved in refugee resettlement. Characteristics of 129 congregations who provided programming for refugees and in‐depth descriptions of 18 congregational programs are presented.

Keywords:

• refugee resettlement
• sponsorship
• congregational programs

Notes

The researchers would like to thank the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research, School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, for supporting this study.