Missouri Office of Refugee Administration

01/08/2026

Every refugee story begins with the act of welcoming.

Paul Costigan, the Missouri State Refugee Coordinator, shares how supporting refugees makes our communities grow stronger.

01/05/2026

New on our blog: For many newcomers arriving in the United States, resettlement can pose a new set of experiences, from finding food and transportation to navigating unfamiliar systems and building community.

Since 2022, Kindness Begins with Me has been working with newly arrived families, listening to their experiences and responding to the needs they identify. Through their programs, Kindness helps build community, reduce isolation and offers tools for newcomers to thrive.

Read more about the work of Kindness Begins with Me Below.

https://moora.org/blog/news-inside-the-work-kindness

📷 Courtesy Kindness Begins With Me STL

01/01/2026

In 2026, we hope to continue to build a Missouri that uplifts refugees. This work happens through the solidarity of our welcoming community. We thank you all for continuing to walk alongside our neighbors. ❤️

12/30/2025

New on our blog: From support from the Refugee School Impact Program, Bayless School District’s newly implemented Writing with Design Program sees improvement in student writing.✏️💡

Supporting student's writing skills has long remained a central goal for the Bayless district. Many of the school’s English Learners arrive with significant gaps in their education. These lapses are often due to long periods in refugee camps, interruptions in schooling during student’s journey to the United States, or, in some cases, no prior schooling.

Noticing this need for additional supportive services, Bayless, introduced the Writing with Design initiative and has seen transformative gains in student writing achievements.

Read more about the Writing with Design Program below.
📷Courtesy of Bayless School District

(Bayless High School)

From Support from the Refugee School Impact Program, Bayless School District’s newly implemented Writing with Design Program sees improvement in student writing. 

12/30/2025

Our December Quarterly Newsletter is out now! 🖊️In this issue, we provide updates on the latest refugee news, spotlight Missouri agencies that play a vital role in assisting newcomers, opportunities to get involved and more. Read more at the link below.

Email from Missouri Office of Refugee Administration A round-up of refugee news and resources View in Browser WHERE WE STAND The International Institute of St. Louis hosted a youth centered robotics e

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!🍂 The MO-ORA office will be closed on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 for the holiday.

This Thanksgiving, we celebrate the value and importance of refugees in our community. We believe in a Missouri that champions the safety, support and well-being of refugees from all walks of life.

11/11/2025

We’re excited to highlight U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)'s launch of their Refugee Youth Resource Center (RYRC)! This training and resource hub is a national initiative to support refugee-serving agencies so they can continue to advance the safety and resilience of refugee children, youth and their families. As a part of this resource, USCRI will be hosting monthly webinars, tailored trainings, community engagement and more.

Their next training webinar is on Tuesday, November 18.

Register here: https://refugees-org.zoom.us/rest/webinar/registrant/WN_iH64sIyOTDO5S1Dk9yd3hQ/info?tk=lGC9WE3YcNYRv13g1bU3c6G7IvCHpLNTqmOQ0yJMVdnjFxAgnzjZgX8.w2Jzj7xFjLI-NNBg&ac=approved&timezone_id=America/Chicago #/registration

Flyer below with details! ⭐

11/07/2025

Calling young leaders! Refugee Congress is now accepting applications for the National Young Adult Leadership Council (NYALC), part of the NRLLEC program. If you're a refugee, asylee, or ORR-eligible individual aged 18–24 and have lived in the U.S. for less than 5 years, apply now! https://refugeecongress.org/nrllec-y2

Participants will gain skills in leadership development in civic engagement, public speaking and community project design. The deadline to apply is has now been extended to November 14, 2025.

11/06/2025

Join Welcome Neighbor STL for their upcoming International Supper Club dinner on Saturday, November 8! There will be food made by refugee chefs and an opportunity for refugee and immigrant families to share their culture in a welcoming, community-focused setting.💜 Proceeds from the event will go back to the chefs.

Get your tickets here: https://welcomeneighborstl.org/events/international-dinner-at-manchester-united-methodist-church/

10/31/2025

At the Missouri Office of Refugee Administration, we are continuing to monitor policy changes with regards Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for refugees and guidance from Missouri’s Department of Social Services (DSS) on the implementation.

For immediate food assistance, please visit Feeding Missouri to find services that are nearest to you. For more resources and additional locations, please see the Resource Guide on our website.

If you have additional resources to share in Missouri, please contact us at [email protected] so that we may add those to our Resources Guide.

*Post updated on 11/6/25 to reflect new information

Food Assistance In response to the temporary pause in SNAP benefits distribution in Missouri and across the nation during the month of November 2025, we have compiled a list of resources for food assistance. New resources will be added to this list periodically. Last updated: 10/30/25 FAQs about S...

09/29/2025

This past weekend, we had a lovely time tabling, celebrating the St. Louis community, and sharing resources on refugee resettlement. Thank you to all those that stopped at the MO-ORA booth! ❤️