Searching for refugee volunteer opportunities near me? You are not alone. Thousands of people across the country want to help refugee families but do not know where to start. The good news is that volunteer opportunities exist in nearly every city that receives refugees — and in Dallas-Fort Worth, the need is especially strong.
Types of Refugee Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering with refugees takes many forms. The right fit depends on your skills, availability, and interests:
- Furniture pickup and delivery — Organizations like Be Deliberate need volunteers to collect donated furniture and deliver it to refugee apartments. This is hands-on, physical work that makes an immediate difference.
- Airport welcome teams — Resettlement agencies often recruit volunteers to greet families at the airport when they arrive for the first time.
- English tutoring — Many refugees need help learning English. Tutoring can be one-on-one or in small group settings.
- Mentoring and friendship — Some organizations match volunteers with refugee families for ongoing relationship-building — helping with groceries, navigating public transit, or simply being a friendly face.
- Employment coaching — Helping with resume writing, interview preparation, and job applications.
- Apartment setup — Before a family arrives, volunteers may help clean and set up their new apartment with basic furnishings and supplies.
- Warehouse sorting — Sorting and organizing donated items so they can be matched to families efficiently.
- Administrative support — Data entry, phone calls, event coordination, and fundraising tasks.
Not every role requires a weekly commitment. Many organizations offer one-time or flexible volunteer shifts that fit into busy schedules.
Where to Find Refugee Volunteer Opportunities Near You
The easiest way to find local opportunities is to connect with the resettlement agencies operating in your area. In the United States, nine national agencies manage refugee resettlement through local affiliate offices:
- International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- Catholic Charities
- Church World Service
- HIAS
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
- Episcopal Migration Ministries
- Ethiopian Community Development Council
- World Relief
Search the ORR state resource directory to find agencies near you. Many also list volunteer openings on their websites or through platforms like VolunteerMatch.
In Dallas, three agencies lead resettlement: the IRC, Catholic Charities of Dallas, and Refugee Services of Texas. For a full overview of the local landscape, read our guide to refugee resettlement in Dallas.
Volunteering with Be Deliberate in Dallas-Fort Worth
Be Deliberate focuses on one of the most tangible needs in refugee resettlement: furniture. Families arrive in Dallas from Myanmar, Afghanistan, the DRC, Syria, and other countries — often with nothing more than a suitcase. Their apartments are empty. A bed, a dining table, a couch — these are the basics that Be Deliberate provides.
Volunteer roles at Be Deliberate include:
- Delivery team — Load furniture onto trucks and deliver it to families’ apartments on scheduled delivery days
- Pickup team — Collect donated furniture from homes across DFW
- Warehouse support — Sort, clean, and organize donated items
- Event volunteers — Help with furniture drives, fundraisers, and community outreach
With 490+ deliveries completed, every volunteer shift translates directly into a family receiving the furniture they need. Sign up to volunteer through the Be Deliberate website.
What to Expect as a Refugee Volunteer
If you have never volunteered with refugees before, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Cultural sensitivity matters — Families come from diverse backgrounds. Be respectful, patient, and open to learning.
- You do not need to speak another language — While multilingual volunteers are always appreciated, most roles do not require it. Interpreters are often available.
- Consistency helps — If you commit to a recurring role, follow through. Refugee families build trust with familiar faces.
- It is okay to start small — A single delivery shift or a few hours sorting donations is a meaningful contribution.
Volunteering with refugees is also a way to learn. You will hear stories of resilience that shift your perspective on what it means to start over. To understand the full journey these families have been through, read about the refugee resettlement process.
Other Ways to Support Refugees
If volunteering your time is not possible right now, there are other meaningful ways to help:
- Donate furniture — Be Deliberate offers free pickup across DFW
- Give financially — Monetary donations fund warehouse operations, trucks, and welcome home kits
- Spread the word — Share volunteer opportunities with friends, coworkers, and community groups
- Organize a furniture drive — Rally your workplace, school, or neighborhood to collect items for refugee families
Every action, no matter how small, contributes to making Dallas a more welcoming place for refugees.
How You Can Help
Refugee families in Dallas-Fort Worth need hands-on support from people like you. Be Deliberate makes it easy to volunteer — whether you have a Saturday morning or a few hours after work.
- Donate Furniture — Free pickup across Dallas-Fort Worth
- Volunteer — Help deliver and set up furniture for refugee families
- Give Financially — Fund warehouse operations and welcome home kits