OUR COMMUNITY

Community Feature

The greater Eau Claire community is the heart and soul of our foundation. To highlight and promote the outstanding work of our nonprofit partners in our community, we feature significant progress and notable events in our community on a rotating basis. To read past community features, visit our archives.

June 2025: World Refugee Day

Title infographic reading: UNHRC: The United Nations Refugee Agency World Refugee Day. The infographic features a photograph of two smiling displaced children with brown skin and dark hair sitting behind a small barrier made of heavy filled white plastic bags surrounded by burned brush.

Infographic reading: What is World Refugee Day? An international holiday; Honors courage and humanity of people who have been forced to flee their homes; Occurs annually on June 20th; Draws global attention to the rights, needs, and dreams of refugees; 2025 theme: Solidarity with Refugees

Infographic reading: How many refugees are there today? More refugees right now than at any other time in modern history; 110 million people globally; What’s the cause?; Conflict and war; Political persecution; Violence; the infographic cites Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) as source

Infographic reading: What are refugee journeys like in the Americas? Long, harsh, dangerous journey; Risk of kidnapping, sexual violence, and extortion; Highly complex; Lack of access to medical care when most needed; the infographic cites Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) as source

Infographic reading: What about other places around the world? 8.6 million have fled war in Sudan; 85% of civilians in Gaza, over half of whom are children, are refugees in their own native country; Spiking numbers last year from many countries, including Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Haiti, and Mozambique; the infographic cites Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) as source

Infographic reading: What rights do refugees have under international law? Those fleeing violence/persecution have right to seek asylum in other countries; Despite legal protections, many governments fail to follow law and instead target refugees; Desperate need to adopt humane immigration laws and policies across the globe; the infographic cites Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) as source

Infographic reading: How can we show solidarity to refugees? Center refugee voices: listen to and share personal stories of refugees; Build inclusive communities: create welcoming environments to form connections, find opportunities, and contribute meaningfully; Work together for peace and solutions: uphold right to seek safety and long-term, sustainable futures for people displaced; Stand by those doing the work: support the humanitarian workers serving in toughest conditions to deliver life-saving aid

Infographic reading: Above all, humanity demands that we vehemently reject those voices advocating for and perpetrating violence against civilians. The world does not have to look this way. We can do better. The infographic features a photograph of children with brown skin who are huddled together behind a chain link fence in a desert climate.

Learn about World Relief Wisconsin's efforts right here in the Chippewa Valley; World Relief helps refugees resettle in communities all across the globe.