Refugee Resettlement

Kate Woodward serves as the Community Engagement Specialist for Bethany Christian Services in the Lehigh Valley, and in that role, Kate focuses her efforts on refugee resettlement.    Bethany Christian Services is a non-profit corporation which, as part of its charitable mission, serves as a resettlement agency under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to provide resettlement services to refugees relocating to various communities in Pennsylvania, including the Allentown and Philadelphia areas. To facilitate that resettlement process, Kate develops partnerships with community groups, faith-based organizations, and individual volunteers.  

Kate is a graduate of Wellesley College and the Penn State Dickinson School of Law.  Before devoting her career to working for non-profit organizations, Kate served as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Government Accountability Office.   

A proud mom to 18 year old twins, she is an avid reader and dog lover. Kate describes her work now as “faith-inspired advocacy.”

Kate will address the Club on the timely subject of refugee resettlement, including who qualifies as a refugee, the role of non-profit resettlement agencies in the resettlement process, and the role of community groups and faith-based organizations in assisting in that process.  Kate will explain how Allentown Rotary can help refugee families resettle in the Allentown area.  

Chair: Don Wieand

Thought of The Day: Barbara Bigelow