Refugee And Immigrant Support Services Of Emmaus, Inc.

What Refugee And Immigrant Support Services Of Emmaus, Inc. does

RISSE (Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus, Inc.) is a New York-incorporated nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by volunteers from the Emmaus United Methodist Church in Albany, originally to assist refugees fleeing the Congo. Operating from its headquarters at 240 W Lawrence Street in Albany, NY, RISSE supports refugees and immigrants in the Capital Region of New York State through five integrated service lines: Adult Education (English as a New Language classes and literacy programs), Youth Programs (after-school academic and cultural programming), Immigration Services (DOJ-accredited legal representation), Family Services (food assistance, medical-care access, school enrollment, and case management), and Employment Support Services (resume workshops, interview preparation, job placement, and workers' rights education). The organization also runs community events including the annual Citizenship Day Celebration, World Refugee Day, and Celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month as both engagement and fundraising channels.

RISSE's underlying technology stack is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted public website for service information and a Neon CRM platform for event registration and donation processing. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, no native mobile application, and no public APIs. Service delivery is entirely human-mediated, relying on in-person case management, scheduled classes, and direct client engagement at its Albany offices during weekday business hours (Monday-Friday 10am-4pm), with a secondary location at 715 Morris Street used for events. Multilingual staff — including co-founder Francis Sengabo, who speaks five languages and previously worked with UNHCR, ICRC, and UNICEF — are the operational backbone of the service model.

The business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than revenue-generating. RISSE receives charitable contributions from individuals and organizations, with a single visible annual fundraiser (Citizenship Day Celebration) operating on tiered sponsorship levels from $50 to $1000+. Additional revenue flows from general program services (ENL classes, immigration assistance, employment support) and an event with a $20 suggested donation. RISSE holds DOJ accreditation to provide immigration legal representation, a regulatory credential that distinguishes it from many peer nonprofits and supports the comprehensiveness of its service offering.

Name

Refugee And Immigrant Support Services Of Emmaus, Inc.

Legal name

Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus, Inc.

Website

https://risse-albany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RISSE is a 2007-founded Albany, NY nonprofit that supports refugees and immigrants in New York's Capital Region through adult education, youth programs, DOJ-accredited immigration legal services, family case management, and employment assistance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Immigrant Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Educational Support Services (611710), Language Schools (611630), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

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), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Refugee resettlement services
• Immigration legal assistance
• English language education
• Community case management
• Employment support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: RISSE relies on charitable donations from individuals and organizations. The organization hosts annual fundraisers including Citizenship Day Celebration with tiered sponsorship levels (Apple Pie Angels $1000+, A la Mode Advocates $750+, Pie Pan Patrons $500+, Flaky Crust Contributors $250+, Granny Smith Givers $150+, Honey Crisp Helpers $50+). Events include suggested donation of $20.
2. Program Services Revenue: Revenue generated through comprehensive services including Adult Education (ENL classes), Youth Programs, Immigration assistance (DOJ-accredited representation), Family Services including food assistance, medical care access, school information, and employment support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RISSE (Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus) is a nonprofit organization delivering coordinated support services to refugees and immigrants in New York's Capital Region. Its core offerings include Adult Education (English as a New Language classes), Youth Programs (after-school programming), DOJ-accredited Immigration legal services, Family Services (food assistance, medical access, school enrollment, case management), and Employment Support Services (resume workshops, interview preparation, job placement).

Product overview

RISSE (Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 offering a coordinated set of services to support refugees and immigrants in building new lives and thriving in the Capital Region. The organization provides Adult Education (ENL classes, literacy programs), Youth Programs (after-school activities), Immigration Services (DOJ-accredited legal representation), Family Services (food assistance, medical access, case management), Employment Support Services, and Community Events. The services are integrated holistically to address the comprehensive needs of newcomer families, combining language education, legal assistance, employment support, and community engagement into a unified support system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Education
• Youth Programs
• Immigration Services
• Family Services
• Employment Support Services

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The College of Saint RosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Early partnership with The College of Saint Rose provided expertise and volunteers that supported the growth of RISSE services. The partnership involved art education, counseling, literacy, and community service programs, providing essential volunteer support during the organization's formative years.
• Emmaus United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007The Emmaus United Methodist Church in Albany played a key role in the founding of RISSE. Church volunteers, many of them immigrants and members of the congregation, were essential to early success. Led by then-pastor Reverend Denise Stringer, the church community provided foundational support for the organization.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Empire Justice Center: New York statewide legal services and advocacy organization focused on poverty law, including immigration. Comparable to RISSE on legal aid component but broader poverty-law scope within New York.
• Capital District YMCA: Community-based organization in the Capital Region providing youth programming, after-school care, and family support services. Comparable to RISSE's Youth Programs component but at broader community scale without the refugee specialization.

Direct peers

• Literacy New York: New York State adult literacy network providing ESOL and basic literacy instruction, including in the Capital Region. Direct peer to RISSE's Adult Education / ENL programming for adult immigrants.
• The Legal Project: Albany, NY-based legal services nonprofit offering immigration legal representation, including a dedicated Immigration Program. Overlaps directly with RISSE's DOJ-accredited immigration services in the same Capital Region geography.
• Jewish Family Services of Northeastern New York: Regional social services agency in the Capital Region serving immigrants, refugees, and other vulnerable populations with case management and family services. Overlaps with RISSE on family services and resettlement support in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: International Jewish humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal aid, and integration services in the U.S. Directly comparable mission; HIAS resettles refugees in multiple states and runs advocacy work parallel to RISSE's resettlement scope.
• US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): National nonprofit operating refugee resettlement, employment, and case management programs across multiple U.S. cities. Directly comparable to RISSE on mission and services, but at a vastly larger national scale; RISSE's board member Zilpa Oduor previously worked as USCRI's Coordinator of Employment Services.
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS): Faith-based national agency providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and foster care for unaccompanied minors. Directly comparable integrated service delivery model to RISSE.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Global humanitarian organization operating refugee resettlement, employment, and education programs across 29 U.S. cities. Closest national incumbent in terms of comprehensive service model (resettlement + employment + education + youth).
• Catholic Charities Migration & Refugee Services: National network of Catholic Charities agencies providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, ESOL, and case management. Operates a Capital Region office and competes for the same donor and government funding pools as RISSE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refugee-and-immigrant-support-services-of-emmaus-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refugee And Immigrant Support Services Of Emmaus, Inc.