Who We Are
Hearts & Homes for Refugees was started in 2016 in Westchester County, NY to mobilize the most powerful and untapped resources in our communities—the passion and the goodwill of its one million residents to welcome refugees.
Volunteers and community institutions have a strong desire to ease the transitions, integration and independence of refugees to American life.
Recognizing and tapping into the abundant resource of goodwill with a vision of shifting the paradigm of U.S. refugee resettlement, Hearts & Homes' mission is organized around the following mandates: WELCOME, CONVENE, EDUCATE, ADVOCATE. Hundreds of committed partner groups and trained volunteers have come together to welcome and resettle refugees to our communities in the Lower Hudson Valley and beyond.
Hearts & Homes for Refugees has been leading the welcoming movement, practicing and promoting the Community Sponsorship Model of Resettlement since 2016 when we resettled the first refugee family to Westchester County. Thanks to the early model known as Community Co-Sponsorship in which private citizen groups partner with Resettlement Agencies, Catholic Charities, HIAS, IRC and Church World Service) more than 200 refugees have resettled in Westchester County—more than half of those arriving in six months beginning in September 2021. HHR alone has resettled and assisted 3,500 refugees in our area with the help of individuals and groups we have seeded and mentored since 2016. Hearts & Homes has seeded and mentored Community Sponsors groups, and continues to expand and coordinate new volunteers to meet the growing demand for community support of refugees. The commitments of time and resources offered by Community Sponsors to arriving refugees offer better chances for successful integration and independence.
Hearts & Homes programs not only support our new neighbors, but they create cross-cultural awareness and understanding about the journeys and needs of our refugees. . We empower our new neighbors with key life skills and needs such as housing and furnishings, language, driving, employment, education, and counseling assistance. The population we help includes Afghans evacuated since the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban, traditional refugees, Special Immigration Visa holders (our allies from Afghanistan and Iraq), and those granted asylum.
So that we can inspire, educate and equip others to welcome and advocate for refugees, Hearts & Homes turns to friends & partners, more than 40 aligned groups in Westchester, and is a founding member of Hello, Neighbor, a national network of 24 refugee and immigrant-serving community organizations. Here in the Lower Hudson Valley, more than 2,000 volunteers are critical to this scalable model for how to resettle, assist and advocate for our new neighbors. More than 800 of our new neighbors are directly impacted each year by the growing goodwill in our communities. Hearts & Homes for Refugees is lean but mighty. We depend on the contributions of time and resources from like-minded volunteers and partners who believe everyone deserves a safe home and a hopeful future. This is how we build communities that offer refugees soft landings and support for better outcomes as aspiring Americans.
URGENT: IMMEDIATE NEED TO RESETTLE ARRIVING FAMILIES!
When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021,, nearly 76,000 of our allies and other vulnerable Afghans were airlifted in emergency evacuations from Afghanistan. We assisted with evacuations and were prepared to resettle families who arrived at military bases. We anticipate more opportunities to resettle Afghan families in the coming months. We are also expecting refugee families from other countries.
Are you able to be an active volunteer and donor? We are urgently looking to build and train more community volunteer groups. Learn more about becoming a supporter and volunteer, and how we come together to increase refugee resettlement through Community Sponsorship.
Join us in the coming weeks and months to build a longer welcoming table, resettle our Afghan allies and welcome refugees. Together we can strengthen and deepen the roots of the welcoming movement in the Lower Hudson Valley and beyond.
Awards & Recognitions
We are proud of the recognition our work has received because it acknowledges the spirit of welcoming and the thousands of committed volunteers and supporters who make our mission possible.
Great Nonprofits
Hearts & Homes for Refugees is proud to be part of the family of nonprofits recognized by Great Nonprofits. Please help put us on the map to “inspire, educate and motivate” others by sharing your experience as part of the welcoming movement here. Your stories uplift the work and visibility of Hearts & Homes!
2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar by Candid
At Hearts & Homes, we are committed to our values of transparency and accountability. We are honored to have earned the 2024 Platinum Seal from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. Click here for a look at our GuideStar profile.
Founder named 2018 Person of the Year
On October 19, 2018, Kathie O’Callaghan was recognized as one of two “Persons of the Year” by the Pelham Civic Association.
“It’s this goodwill that I tapped into when I gathered a group of like-minded individuals around my kitchen table three years ago to start Hearts & Homes for Refugees. My hometown back in Kentucky co-sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family in the 1980s, and I was sure we could do something similar now, at a time when an unprecedented 25 million refugees have been forced from their homes. Yet I never imagined that those kitchen table conversations would result in a non-profit organization supported by dozens of committed volunteers and hundreds of generous supporters from all corners of our community and beyond. I am proud that today, eight years later, across the country, everyday Americans are now invited to this welcoming model adopted by State Department programs such as Operation Allies Welcome, Uniting for Ukraine, and most recently, Welcome Corps.”
Featured in a 2019 New York State Proclamation
Our Team
Contact Kathie: kathie@heartsandhomesforrefugees.org
Kathie O’Callaghan
President & Founder
Kathie O’Callaghan is the quintessential visionary who has broken conventional barriers and applied her talents to a wide range of charitable causes that have truly made a difference. In 2016, Kathie founded Hearts & Homes for Refugees. This innovative grassroots non-profit engages communities in welcoming and advocating for refugees in the U.S. Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Kathie has been a Pelham, NY resident for over 30 years.
“I founded Hearts & Homes because there was a NEED (humanitarian crisis), a VOID (absence of any support), and a PRECEDENT FOR SOLUTIONS (refugee resettlement through Community Sponsorship during the 1970s Southeast Asian refugee crisis). Most importantly, there were ample RESOURCES (people of goodwill are able and willing to put their energy, time, experience, and financial support toward a solution).”
BOARD MEMBERS
Vice President
Anne currently serves on the boards of Hearts & Homes for Refugees and Project Community, two Pelham-based non-profit organizations. She and her husband manage their education business, GEMM learning, a provider of proprietary educational software programs to struggling readers.
My own family, as with most other Americans, can trace our history through an immigrant journey. I joined Hearts & Homes for Refugees to take a stand for those who have been cruelly displaced, and against those who believe that we are a nation that should turn our backs on outsiders.
Anne McCool Nixon
Lori has 25 years of experience in the communications industry, with expertise in brand strategy, identity creation and business development. Lori has served as a member of the Board of Directors of New York Women In Communications, Inc. (NYWICI) and as Co-Chair of Development for the organization’s prestigious Matrix Awards for several years. Lori also has served on the Advisory Board for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Our society, our economy, our well-being as a country and as a global “family” is at stake. Hearts & Homes for Refugees’ commitment to offer hope and help to refugees here in Westchester is a mission I am honored to support.
Visit Lori Kapner Hosp Art: www.lorikapnerhosp.com
Lori Kapner Hosp
Donna is retired from the U.S. Department of State, where she worked for over 30 years as an International Visitor Exchange Specialist. These people-to-people programs foster mutual understanding to promote friendly and peaceful international relations. Donna is the Treasurer of the Rotary Club of The Pelhams and on the Board of its Pelham Rotary Charities Fund.
Upon retirement from the State Department, I followed the news of the Syrian refugee crisis and searched for some small way to help. I was so pleased to be introduced to Hearts & Homes founder Kathie O’Callaghan, who was happy to put my skill sets and passion to help those in need to good use.
Donna Shirreffs
Janet is a retired Wall Street executive with experience in leading new business ventures in global financial organizations. While working she was active in her church's outreach initiatives. Since retiring, Janet has taught risk management and fintech at Pace's graduate business school.
I grew up in a small town in the midwest. A (DP) group from Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia lived behind us where I observed first hand how refugees with the proper support can make their way in a new community. On retiring, I looked for opportunities to use my business and organizational experience in community oriented activities. The Afghan crisis struck home, and I volunteered my skills with Hearts and Homes for Refugees.
Janet Wynn
Lisa has served on the Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education, The board of the Pelham Public Library, and The Pelham Children’s Center among others. She is a many year mentor and tutor through the Destination College Program at Mount Vernon High School and ESL conversation programs throughout Westchester County.
I could not sit by and do nothing in the face of the humanitarian crisis.
Lisa Kiernan
Joan F. Morgan launched the original JFM Productions – a fundraising, development, re-positioning, and event management company. During a hiatus from JFM, Joan became the first Executive Director of New Yorkers for Children (NYFC), the first not-for-profit agency in the history of New York City created to work in partnership with the city’s child welfare agency. Joan sold JFM Productions in 2019.
I wanted to join Kathie O’Callaghan and her wonderful concept for Hearts and Homes for Refugees because I was very frustrated with the direction that politics in the U.S. were going. I believe in offering a hand, helping others to thrive, that there is enough for all of us, that our differences make us great. I am not threatened by the “other.” I grew up believing that the mix that is America is the bedrock of this country.
Joan Morgan
Counsel
Robert J. (“Bob”) Tracy is a practicing attorney, as a partner in the New York office of Gibney Anthony & Flaherty, LLP. Bob is involved in a number of community activities including 20 years of service in the Pelham Civic Association where he has served as President & Board Chair, and the Pelham Education Foundation where Bob currently serves as President. Bob also served for five years as the Attorney for the Village of Pelham and has been a member (and former co-chair) of the Pelham Interfaith Council.
I view Hearts & Homes as a wonderful way to focus some of the community’s unique energy and generosity toward the most vulnerable. At a time when some political leaders encourage citizens to close our doors and fear strangers, the best antidote is for local communities to welcome refugee families Hearts & Homes for Refugees gives us an opportunity to put their concern into action.
Robert Tracy
Melissa’s professional career in Investments spans over 25 years and she brings a strategic and organizational management background to her volunteer work. She was SVP and Head of Public Fixed Income at a large Insurance company, after many years as a Fixed Income trader both on Wall Street and overseas, and today is Senior Advisor to a private reinsurance company. She has been an active Hearts and Homes volunteer since 2017 and is on the advisory board of the New York Service and Justice Collaborative, among other volunteer initiatives.
We must, when fortunate enough to be able, seek to help those in need. Like others on our board, I sought a way to help those in crisis who were looking for a new home in the US, and am so glad to be a part of Hearts and Homes for Refugees, where we not only help, but welcome.
Melissa Roddy
STAFF
Amy holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and started her career many years ago as a fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee. Prior to joining Hearts & Homes, Amy freelanced as a writer and non-profit consultant, including writing and editing reports for various UN agencies. She has traveled in over 60 countries and lived in six, including five years in Honduras and five in Lebanon, where she arrived just as the Syrian crisis was unfolding.
When I returned to the United States in 2017, I was looking for a way to get involved with refugees and the welcoming movement. My time in Honduras and Lebanon reinforced my commitment to help those fleeing violence and persecution. I was thrilled to connect with Hearts & Homes, and began working and volunteering with them in 2018.
Amy Robertson
Program Director
Yaroslava is originally from Ukraine. She actively participated in volunteering projects in her country. A few years ago, she came and started her life in the US. She holds a Master's Degree in English, Spanish languages, and world literature. She has vast experience in the fields of marketing, teaching, and translation.
Helping out those in need is something that gives me happiness and satisfaction. This is the reason why I am so honored to become a part of Hearts & Homes. I am excited to share my personal and professional experience in welcoming refugees of all backgrounds to the US.
Yaroslava Dubenska
Program Manager
Catherine joins Hearts & Homes with experience teaching refugee youth and assisting their families through her work for the International Rescue Committee and the Worcester Refugee Assistance Project. She holds a degree in International Studies, French, and Women’s and Gender Studies from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
After serving as a volunteer for Hearts & Homes, I was excited to help further its mission as a member of the team and do my part as a global citizen. I am committed to improving the lives and securing the basic human rights of all people, particularly refugees and other at-risk populations. As I looked at the world in which I was beginning my professional life, I knew I needed to take action, and my work at Hearts & Homes lets me do that every day.
Catherine Winn
Program Manager
Sonia has 20+ years of experience as a Full-charge Bookkeeper and Comptroller in various industries. Since joining the team, Sonia has used her existing experience and learned non-profit compliance to maintain the organization’s financial position.
I am honored to be a part of this wonderful organization since 2018. As someone who immigrated to the United States at the age of 9, not knowing the language nor having any family or friends, I know how difficult it was for us to navigate our new life and surroundings. Our extensive team provides a critical support system - financial, educational and emotional - to the individuals and families that have come here and face similar circumstances.
Sonia Galvao
Bookkeeper
Lisa comes to Hearts & Homes for Refugees with a non-profit background that includes work within the fields of child welfare, family violence prevention, refugee resettlement and immigrant services. She holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology. For the past 15 years, Lisa has served as the volunteer manager of a small, grassroots international aid charity she founded serving under-resourced families in Sri Lanka. She has also undertaken numerous volunteer commitments, most recently volunteering in an immigrant welcome center near the southern border.
Having followed the growth of Hearts & Homes into the dynamic organization it is today, I am excited to join the team and support the vital work of welcoming. My personal and professional experience has fostered an understanding of the critical importance of building safe, equitable communities where diversity is celebrated as a strength. Hearts & Homes represents all we can be as a nation at our best.
Devina moved to the U.S. in 2010 and has been a "professional volunteer" ever since. Her experience include school PTSA roles, The Sharing Shelf, Girl Scouts, and a recently-completed term on the Rye Neck Board of Education. In addition, she has worked as an ESOL teacher and is a passionate Home Chef. Previously, in London, she worked as an IT Project Manager and Trainer at WPP, an advertising and communications company. Devina holds a BA Hons degree in Media & French from Middlesex University.
I started as an ESOL volunteer with Hearts & Homes last fall and was amazed at the resilience of the refugees. My work brought me so much satisfaction and joy. When the opportunity arose to join at the organization, it was an easy decision for me. I am fortunate to work with a team that leads with its heart and functions with determination and tenacity to help all those who come our way. My role as a Program Officer at Hearts & Homes further allows me to make a positive impact on local communities and contribute to a cause I find rewarding and fulfilling.
Lisa Kohomban
Program Officer
Kerri holds a Masters in Business Administration and has a background in global marketing and strategic planning. Most recently she worked as a corporate relocation consultant, helping international expatriates who were being relocated to London. Her first involvement with Hearts & Homes for Refugees was as a volunteer ESOL tutor.
Having moved internationally and worked in global mobility, I understand well the stresses and challenges of moving to a new country. But those pale in comparison to the challenges faced by refugees, who need to build a new life far from home under much more difficult, and often traumatic, circumstances. I feel privileged to be part of the team of compassionate and dedicated people at Hearts & Homes for Refugees who are helping to ease that transition for our new neighbors as they settle into their new home in the U.S.
Kerri Olson
Operations Officer
Devina O’Reilly
Program Officer
AMBASSADORS
Reshad was granted a Special Immigration Visa (SIV) to the United States. In June 2017, he moved with his family from Kabul to White Plains, New York. Reshad is now an Assistant Project Manager at United Builders Supply in New Rochelle. Reshad is a member of the 2020-21 cohort of CORO New York’s Immigrant Civic Leadership Program and a frequent speaker at immigration-focused events around Westchester County.
I wanted to pay forward what I have received – the support and the warm welcome from the community. I am from Afghanistan, and in our culture, whenever someone takes your hand and helps you, when you reach somewhere you become the next person to take someone’s hand – a human chain to reach somewhere. This is my way of reaching out my hand to those who come behind me. There are thousands and thousands of people outside of this country, stuck in the narrow pipeline of the immigration and refugee system. I want to advocate for a smoother, faster, clearer path to help those who are in real danger and want to reach safety.
Reshad Ahmadi
Jane Dixon is a native Westchester County resident and retired special education teacher / administrator, who is now an adult education instructor. She has a long history of community service and is the co-chair of ICNAW- the Interfaith Council for New Americans, Westchester - another community sponsorship group in Westchester County and member of the Westchester Refugee Initiative.
I was blessed to grow up living in a safe, loving environment and it has made me keenly aware of the many refugees and displaced persons who do not have that good fortune. In 2015, I became a member of the Westchester Refugee Task Force, hoping to be able to do something constructive about the growing refugee crisis. In 2017, I became co-chair of a group of volunteers organized to assist an arriving Afghan family. When Hearts & Homes created the Westchester Refugee Initiative, I knew I wanted to be part of a dedicated, energetic group hoping to engage more people in helping Westchester become a welcoming county.
Jane Dixon
Isatou is from The Gambia, a country where three-quarters of young women have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She is now a pre-med student at SUNY-Binghamton and hopes one day to return to The Gambia to help other women.
As a WRI beneficiary, one thing I learned is that you can have a complete stranger that cares about your wellbeing and works so hard to support you. That changed my whole view of life and changed my heart to become a better person by helping others no matter how small it is. Becoming a WRI ambassador is one way of doing that. I choose to have a conversation with people about my experience and my journey as an immigrant in the United States not just because I want to share, but also for other people to benefit from it, as communication is an important tool for a better understanding of every situation and it can help to resolve problems effectively.
Isatou Dukureh
Lamin Jarjou & Bintou Camara
Amina is originally from Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. She and her family are Kurds, a population which has faced routine discrimination in Syria. They fled the civil war in 2012, and arrived in the U.S. in 2017, after 5 years in limbo as refugees in Malaysia. She is a skilled seamstress with her own business, Amina’s Alterations.
I want to say how important it is to find someone who helps you in a new country, to start a new life, after many years of suffering. While we had lost everything in our country, it is great to find someone who stands beside you and helps you to have a better life and to live in peace.
Amina Ahmad
Zulfar is from Kabul, Afghanistan. Although the Taliban had barred girls from schools for six years, her parents were dedicated to homeschooling. After schools reopened, she was able to enter university and graduate with a degree in chemical engineering. She arrived in the U.S. in 2017 with her husband Reshad and their two children, and now works as an HR specialist.
Zulfar Stanikzai
Diana Jones is known as a singer-songwriter of uncommon empathy, an astute observer of the human condition whose heart goes out to those who suffer and are oppressed.
Since her 1997 debut, Jones has crafted indelible narratives from the point of view of, among others, a battered woman who contemplates turning a gun on her abuser and of a coal miner trapped underground while writing what would prove to be his last letter to his wife.
Released overseas last year, her latest project, “Song to a Refugee” (due Friday), lends compassion to the struggles of immigrants fleeing terror and persecution in their homelands.
My current album, Song To A Refugee, is based on stories of refugees and asylum seekers. My goal with these songs is to connect my audiences to ways that they can help. Kathie O'Callaghan spoke at one of my concerts and I knew I wanted to promote Hearts & Homes for Refugees in any way that I could. I'm honored to be an Ambassador and to carry the message of the power of inclusion and grassroots community building which enriches us all.
Photo credit to Ashlea Green
Diana Jones
Farah came to the U.S. with her family in 2017 through the Special Immigrant Visa program. Since arriving, Farah has learned English, held her first job, and even learned how to drive!
I am an immigrant from a war torn country Afghanistan and I know firsthand how basic protection and support make a difference and can be lifesaving. I enjoy helping refugees to get familiarized to their new communities and to pave the way for them to work, to get needed healthcare and to access education for a successful and productive new life.
Farah Abedi