October 15, 2020

By Victoria Rudnicki, Benefit Chair

In 2020, a lot has looked different, and for the first time, many of us were not able to come together for various special occasions throughout the year. At Refugee Action Fund, we faced this challenge in thinking about how to plan our annual benefit gala, which is typically held in-person in New York City and is crucial for our fundraising efforts. Despite not being able to celebrate the evening physically together for the first time, we are proud to announce some other firsts: our first-ever virtual gala, our first-ever silent auction, and our most successful annual benefit ever!

On Sunday, October 4^th, more than 200 people from locations all over North America came together virtually for a moving evening of discussion about how art can play a role in creating a more welcoming society. Together we raised over $315,000 in support of refugees in the U.S. and around the world – surpassing our goal by over 50%!

July 28, 2020

By Julie Gersten

As we continue to experience the whiplash of a global pandemic and grapple with an uncertain future, I have been reflecting on our efforts to support refugees and asylum seekers during this challenging year. Since January 2020, Refugee Action Fund has distributed $275,000 in grants to nine phenomenal organizations that are responding to pressing needs for refugees.

Here are a few key insights I’ve gleaned: