Refugee Empowerment Center
Refugee Empowerment Center is a Nebraska 501(c)(3) nonprofit that resettles refugees and delivers 90-day and extended case management, employment, education, and integration services as an affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersOmaha, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Refugee Empowerment Center does
Refugee Empowerment Center (REC) is a Nebraska-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 (originally as the Southern Sudan Community Association) that resettles refugees and delivers post-arrival integration services across the state. Its mission is to provide refugees with the support needed to become self-sufficient during their first 90 days in the United States and, for those with special needs, up to three years post-arrival. REC operates as an affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) and is financed through federal cooperative agreements with the U.S. Department of State, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, HHS/Administration for Children and Families, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, with additional support from United Way of the Midlands.
The organization's core program portfolio includes the Reception & Placement (R&P) program, Preferred Communities (intensive case management for refugees with behavioral health or employment challenges), a mandatory two-week Employment Readiness and Cultural Orientation curriculum, drivers education with a driving simulator, the Community Access Points (CAP) statewide multilingual navigation network, a centralized referral system, and an ARISE program for families with disabilities. A social enterprise sub-brand, Project Refuge, produces handmade soy-lotion candles by refugee women as both a work-experience platform and a recurring-revenue fundraising vehicle (Project Refuge membership at $15/month). Merchandise (Refugees Welcome / Immigrants Welcome t-shirts) is sold via Bonfire and select Omaha retailers (Flowerama, Scout Dry Goods). Approximately 14 staff serve clients, with a multilingual bench that includes former refugees who speak Somali, Kiswahili, Karen, Burmese, Karenni, and Arabic.
REC's revenue model combines federal and state grants (the largest revenue stream, financing R&P, Preferred Communities, and Match Grant), individual donations and recurring memberships, social enterprise product sales, and event-based fundraising (the annual Running for Refugees 5K around World Refugee Day). 2019 outcomes included 114 refugees resettled and 120 placed in employment. The go-to-market is community-led: caseworkers, volunteer networks, and collaborative partnerships with employers, health providers, and educational institutions drive outreach, while the ECDC affiliation provides the institutional pathway to federal funding.
Refugee Empowerment Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refugee Empowerment Center
- Legal name
- Refugee Empowerment Center
- Website
- https://refugeeempowerment.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Refugee Empowerment Center is a Nebraska 501(c)(3) nonprofit that resettles refugees and delivers 90-day and extended case management, employment, education, and integration services as an affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refugee Empowerment Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee Resettlement Services
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)
Keywords
Where Refugee Empowerment Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Omaha
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Refugee Empowerment Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership: Recurring monthly membership ($15/month) through Project Refuge with quarterly candle deliveries. One-time financial donations also accepted.
- Product Sales - Candles and Merchandise: Sale of all-natural soy lotion candles made by refugee women (Project Refuge). Also sells 'Refugees Welcome' and 'Immigrants Welcome' t-shirts through Bonfire marketplace.
- Government Grants and Federal Funding: Federal funding through Department of State, Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and Nebraska DHHS. Includes R&P program funding, Preferred Communities project, and Match Grant program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Project Refuge Membership - $15/month recurring donation |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Running for Refugees 5K Registration - $35 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Refugee Empowerment Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refugee Empowerment Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that resettles newly arrived refugees in Nebraska, providing housing setup, English classes, employment readiness training, case management, cultural orientation, and extended support through the Preferred Communities program. It also operates a social enterprise, Project Refuge, which produces handmade soy candles made by refugee women to provide work experience and fund scholarships.
Product overview
Refugee Empowerment Center is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of resettlement services and social enterprise products. Core programs include the Refugee Resettlement & Placement (R&P) program and Preferred Communities for intensive case management during the first 90 days and up to 3 years post-arrival. Supporting services include Employment Readiness Training, Drivers Education with a driving simulator, Community Access Points for multilingual social service navigation, and a centralized referral system. Social enterprise offerings include Project Refuge candles (handmade soy lotion candles by refugee women) and merchandise (Refugees Welcome t-shirts). The organization also runs the Running for Refugees annual 5K event and maintains a directory of interpreters and translators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Project Refuge: A candle-making small business developed to give refugee women formal work experience when they first arrive. Making these candles provides opportunities to practice English and gain work experience outside the home. Each candle is signed by the candle artisan, made with all-natural soy wax that acts like a lotion. Project Refuge membership has grown so successfully that scholarships were fully funded for two refugees focusing on furthering their education.
Products and services
- Refugee Resettlement and Placement (R&P) Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 114 refugees resettled in 2019
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Refugee Empowerment Center
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Refugee Empowerment Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Refugee Empowerment Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. (ECDC)coreREC is an affiliate of ECDC, operating under federal cooperative agreements through the Department of State and the International Office of Migration in Washington, D.C. ECDC administers federal refugee resettlement programs including Reception and Placement and Match Grant.
- Live On NebraskaminorPresenting sponsor for Running for Refugees annual 5K event.
- UNO Goldstein Center for Human RightsminorPresenting sponsor for Running for Refugees annual 5K event.
- Bärchen Beer GardenminorPresenting sponsor for Running for Refugees annual 5K event.
- Joslyn Museum (World Refugee Day Omaha)minorPacket pickup location for Running for Refugees 5K participants during World Refugee Day Omaha event.
- Omaha BanksminorPartnership with banks around Omaha to create and teach household budgeting and financial literacy curriculum with hands-on experience.
- Douglas County Health DepartmentminorPublic health awareness outreach partners providing health education to refugee clients.
- University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)minorPartners in public health awareness outreach and COVID-19 response including Global Center for Health Security resources.
- Clarkson CollegeminorHealth education outreach partners providing public health awareness to refugee clients.
- Nebraska Methodist CollegeminorHealth education outreach partners providing public health awareness to refugee clients.
- FloweramaminorFlowerama locations (144th and Pacific Streets) serve as retail locations selling Project Refuge candles, also offering them as add-ons to flower arrangements.
- Scout Dry GoodsminorScout Dry Goods in Dundee (Omaha) serves as retail location selling Project Refuge candles.
- Nebraska Service Providers CollaborativecoreCollaborative network of service providers and city partners for refugee services including centralized referral system and virtual meetings during COVID-19.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Refugee Empowerment Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC): REC's national parent affiliate. ECDC is one of nine national voluntary agencies administering federal refugee resettlement programs across the U.S. through affiliates like REC, making it the most direct organizational comparator and structural peer.
- Catholic Charities USA: Operates one of the largest refugee resettlement networks in the U.S. through local diocesan affiliates. Same federal funding streams (R&P, Match Grant) and comparable service portfolio (housing, employment, ESL, casework).
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): One of the largest U.S. refugee resettlement agencies, operating Reception & Placement, Match Grant, and Preferred Communities-equivalent programs in dozens of cities. Directly comparable as a same-program-funded resettlement nonprofit.
Direct peers
- HIAS: Jewish-founded global refugee resettlement agency with U.S. affiliate offices providing R&P and integration services. Direct peer in mission, federal funding model, and refugee population focus.
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): National refugee resettlement and advocacy organization operating local affiliate offices delivering R&P, Preferred Communities, and integration services — directly comparable to REC's program mix and funding model.
- World Relief: National refugee resettlement agency operating through local offices nationwide. Like REC, it delivers R&P, employment, ESL, and case management services under federal cooperative agreements, making it a direct service-model peer.
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS): Faith-based national refugee resettlement agency running R&P, Preferred Communities-equivalent, and employment programs through affiliates. Direct operational peer with shared federal funding architecture.
Emerging players
- Heartland Workers Center: Nebraska-based worker advocacy organization serving immigrant and refugee workers in meatpacking and other industries. Comparable target population and partial overlap with REC's employment-focused programming.
Regional players
- Jewish Family Service of Omaha: Omaha-based social services nonprofit serving refugees and immigrants in the same geography as REC. Regional peer offering overlapping resettlement, employment, and case management services with comparable funding mix.
Others
- Refugee Council USA: National coalition advocating for refugee admissions and resettlement funding. Adjacent peer representing the federal policy ecosystem on which REC's funding depends.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refugee Empowerment Center social profiles
Digital presenceRefugee Empowerment Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refugee Empowerment Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Refugee Empowerment Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Refugee Empowerment Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Refugee Empowerment Center
What does Refugee Empowerment Center do?
Refugee Empowerment Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that resettles newly arrived refugees in Nebraska, providing housing setup, English classes, employment readiness training, case management, cultural orientation, and extended support through the Preferred Communities program. It also operates a social enterprise, Project Refuge, which produces handmade soy candles made by refugee women to provide work experience and fund scholarships.
Is Refugee Empowerment Center a public or private company?
Refugee Empowerment Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Refugee Empowerment Center founded?
Refugee Empowerment Center was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Refugee Empowerment Center based?
Refugee Empowerment Center is headquartered in Omaha, United States, in the North America region.
How does Refugee Empowerment Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are product Sales - Candles and Merchandise and government Grants and Federal Funding.
Who are Refugee Empowerment Center's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), Catholic Charities USA and International Rescue Committee (IRC). Direct peers are HIAS, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), World Relief and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). Heartland Workers Center is listed as an emerging player. Jewish Family Service of Omaha is listed as a regional player. Refugee Council USA is listed as an others.
Does Refugee Empowerment Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refugee Empowerment Center.
What industry is Refugee Empowerment Center in?
Refugee Empowerment Center's product category is Refugee Resettlement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services, with a secondary code of BPADAHAI, Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment). Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8300.