American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East
Providing Hope and Renewed Lives to Those Marginalized by Persecution, War, and Poverty in the Middle East
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Tens of thousands -- if not hundreds of thousands -- of women, children and men in Iraq have been displaced, persecuted for their beliefs and marginalized by war, violence, and poverty.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Emergency Relief
Providing food, water, medical supplies, clothing, shelter, blankets, heaters, and other essentials to nearly 25,000 displaced Christians (women, children, men and families) who have fled violence and persecution. They now primarily live in refugee settlement camps for Internally Displaced Persons in northern Iraq and Kurdistan.
Emergency Relief and Training
We are providing support to nearly 1,000 displaced Iraqi and Syrian Christian refugee families (women, children, and men) living displaced in Jordan through much-needed, tangible relief, like weekly food vouchers, clothing, rent assistance, heaters, heating oil and more. We also are teaching English classes to those seeking visas to emigrate to English-speaking countries.
Autism Center
We support an autism center for children in Kirkuk, Iraq which caters to the needs of 50 children.
Kindergarten
In partnership with the Syrian Orthodox Church, we support a kindergarten educating 130 displaced Christian children in Kurdistan.
Scholarships - College Students
Since the fall of 2016, we have partnered with the new Catholic University in Erbil, Kurdistan, to provide tuition and all associated costs for the Internally Displaced Persons who enroll as freshmen. To date, we have issued financial scholarships for more than 40 college-age students to attend this university.
All-Girls School in Harsham Camp
In 2016, by providing four trailers and all of the school supplies, we have created an all-girls school in Harsham Camp, one of the settlement camps for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Kurdistan. This area has seen a large influx of Christian IDP families. The school is operated by the Iraqi Ministry of Education and is open to all girls in the area, regardless of their religion.
St. Georges' Church in Baghdad
At St. Georges' Church in Baghdad we are helping 140 families. In addition, we fully fund a free health clinic which is open to people of all faiths that sees between 90-100 patients per day. We also pay the salary of the minister of the church and fund the free food program. Since the rise of the so-called Islamic State, Baghdad has seen an influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), many of whom left everything behind as they fled their hometowns. The Mothers Union at St. George’s is active to minister to the poor and needy, including widows, orphans, and the sick. We also pay the utilities and general bills of the church so that all of its programs and ministries can thrive.
Education in Jordan for Children
FRRME America established a private school in Jordan for refugee children and provided initial funding for it from January 2015 through December 2016. During this time the average attendance for the school was 250 Iraqi refugee children. The Foundation also made accommodations with three additional existing private schools in Jordan to accept another 130 Iraqi and Syrian refugee children.
Youth and Children Trauma Healing & Empowerment Center
This is in direct response to the growing mental health needs among the Iraqi Christian refugee community associated with experiencing dislocation, violence, and acts of terrorism to them and their family members from ISIS and other terror groups.
Where we work
External reviews
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The American Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME America) seeks to meet the physical, mental, medical, and spiritual needs of those displaced by the so-called Islamic State and other terror groups so that they can begin to find hope and rebuild their lives.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Foundation's strategy is two-fold: 1) provide immediate, emergent humanitarian assistance in the form of food, clothing, shelter and healthcare to Internally Displaced Persons and refugees in Iraq, Kurdistan, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and elsewhere and 2) contribute toward long-term stability through education, jobs training, teaching English as a Second Language, relocation services, small business loans, and medical and mental health assistance, and advocacy.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
FRRME America maintains teams in the regions and partners with churches and other NGOs on the ground to provide humanitarian assistance throughout the Middle East, establish and/or fund education initiatives (e.g., a day school in Jordan, a Kindergarten in Kurdistan, an autism center in Kirkuk, an all-girls' school in Harsham Camp, tuition for IDPs at a university in Erbil and free English classes for adults and children in Jordan), operate a free medical and dental clinic in Baghdad, provide jobs training to women in northern Iraq. The more difficult task is the long-term effort to restore people to their homes and to advocate the Central Government of Iraq and other nations to provide infrastructure repair and guaranteed security for religious minorities.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We are attending to the needs of some 28,000 IDPs and refugees, providing their immediate needs of food, clothing, shelter, rent assistance, heating, medical care and education. So far, so good, but what's next includes reducing those dependent upon aid by helping them become self-sufficient, productive members of their society again.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East
Board of directorsas of 08/29/2023
John Busterud
Connie Wilson
May Al-Najjar
Brian Murphy
Ambassador Richard Swett
David Greer
Max Wood
Scott Rye
Kevin Douglas
John Busterud
Mick Kicklighter
Meg Saunders
Paul Tyson
Rollie Flynn
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No