Who We Serve
Our Families
We serve hundreds of families from around the world. Our students are Vietnamese, Mexican, Columbian, Salvadorian, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, African American, Caucasian, Somali, Ethiopian, and Tegrian.
Our Community
The Refugee and Immigrant Family Center is located in White Center, an area with great need for free pre-school, computer literacy, civil and immigration law education, and ESL courses. White Center has a higher proportion of people of color, a higher prevalence of single-parent households, poverty, and fewer families with the ability to speak English than any other area in King County. The services provided by RIFC match the needs of this community and have potential for expansion to serve greater numbers of families in the long term.
Our Story
The Refugee and Immigrant Family Center (RIFC) was originally established as the Refugee and Immigrant Community Resources Center in 1995. In 1998, we received our first grant from the City of Seattle to enroll six students in its ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program), a program that has grown to enroll 40 preschool students each year and has become the model ECEAP program in the City of Seattle. In October of 1999, to reflect our expanded services, we changed our name to the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center.
Over the years, the RIFC staff has identified growing needs within the refugee, immigrant, and low-income family community of White Center. Some community members are English language learners and are unfamiliar with US law. We have developed a collection of programs in response to these needs, including an ESL program for adults, computer literacy classes, immigration and civil law education programs, and a strong art curriculum for ECEAP students. The RIFC is committed to creating effective programs that fit the needs of our local families.
