WHO WE ARE
One World One Love is a volunteer-run organization of ordinary citizens working together to welcome refugees, asylum seekers… all children, women and men fleeing war, trauma or persecution abroad. We believe that every human being deserves the opportunity to raise their children and build their future in a safe, supportive environment.
What started as a grassroots response to a call for donations and need for resources in support in 2016 has grown into an organization of over 1300 volunteers, and 15 partner agencies seeking to make a meaningful change into the lives of refugees and asylum seekers. We support resettlement agencies, primarily the International Rescue Committee, and to date have set up over 130 households and provided a variety of services to over 750 individuals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Syria.
Our Mission is to:
1) Welcome refugees, asylees and immigrants into our community with dignity and love, and;
2) Foster inclusive communities that celebrate the rich heritage and gifts that immigrants and citizens alike have to share with one another.
Together, we meet Basic Needs. With a little elbow grease and a lot of love, our volunteers transform apartments into clean, warm and welcoming homes. We scrub floors, bathrooms, and fixtures; stock kitchens; set up furniture; make beds; layout stuffed animals and toys for children, hang pictures and curtains. We also provide culturally and seasonally appropriate clothing for both new families and those that have been with us for years.
Our Intergenerational Enrichment and Language Program provides language assistance, homework tutoring and creative activities that help meet both practical and social needs. Through our Family Friends program, teams of volunteers are matched with particularly vulnerable families to serve as friends, mentors and guides, helping them to navigate their new environment.
Our Special Events program organizes holiday and seasonal trips to the park, beach, museums and more, so the families we serve can enjoy fun, new experiences together. With depression and anxiety rates around 40% among refugees (as compared to 7- 10% among the general US population), social and cultural enjoyment activities are essential to help normalize life in their new environment.
Legal Services
The Law Offices of Powell & Roman, LLC provides free legal services for all eligible One World, One Love families. If you need legal assistance, please contact Joseph Powell at 732-679-3777 or jpowell@lawppl.com. Offices are located in Old Bridge NJ and New York, NY.
Financials