The Seattle office of the International Rescue Committee empowers refugees to achieve self-sufficiency as they rebuild their lives in King County. Since 1976, more than 18,000 refugees from 30 countries have resettled in our area. IRC staff provide these newcomers with furnished apartments, case management, volunteer mentoring services, language and literacy support, and job placement services.

Celebrate World Refugee Day on June 20th at Seattle IRC's 3rd Annual ArtVocacy!

On June 20th, the IRC Seattle will hold its third annual arts event in honor of World Refugee Day at the Seattle Center's Center House.  Titled ArtVocacy, this event provides local refugee artists and performers the opportunity to share their art and gain exposure while raising awareness of refugee issues.  Artvocacy offers the public an opportunity to view the work of talented local artists while learning more about refugees and the experiences that have brought them here to the Puget Sound area. For further information about this free event you may also contact Sayeeda Afreen at Sayeeda.Afreen@theirc.org.

Newsletters

Find out about IRC events, refugee success stories in King County, volunteer opportunities, and more!  To sign up for our e-newsletter, e-mail Seattle@theIRC.org with the subject line “subscribe.”  Include your postal address to receive our bi-annual print newsletter. 

Volunteer and Internship Opportunities

There are many ways you can help newly arrived refugees adjust to life in the United States. Our volunteers and interns are vital to the services we provide. Please check out our current  volunteer opportunties and internships to see how you can help. 

Donate Goods

Did you know that the IRC furnishes the apartments of newly arrived refugees largely with donated items? With the exception of new beds and dining room sets, most of these furnishings are good quality, gently-used items donated by generous members of the community. These donations mean that we are able to allocate more funds for programs and services that help refugees adjust to their new lives in the United States. Contact Erin Murphy at 206-623-2105 ext 110  or erin.murphy@theirc.org for more information. 

Printable list [PDF] of items we accept as donations >