About Us
Heartland Alliance's Rainbow Welcome Initiative was established to support the resettlement of LGBT refugees and asylees. Recognizing a gap in the resettlement network’s response to this population, the US Office of Refugee Resettlement awarded funding to Heartland Alliance to establish this trailblazing project.The Rainbow Welcome Initiative recognizes that LGBT refugees and asylees have particular needs, and it is the responsibility of resettlement agencies, other service-based organizations, and community members to ensure that upon arrival, their needs are met through comprehensive, culturally-sensitive, and LGBT-friendly services and support.
The Rainbow Welcome Initiative builds the capacity of service providers by conducting on-site trainings and offering continued technical assistance. The Rainbow Welcome Initiative also produces original resources and aggregates other relevant resources to distribute to agencies and to refugee and asylees.
The Rainbow Welcome Initiative has partnered with a number of local resettlement affiliates to establish regional pilot projects, and will work closely with these agencies as they work to promote the successful integration of members of the LGBT refugee community.
About Heartland Alliance
Heartland Alliance believes that all of us deserve the opportunity to improve our lives. Each year, we help ensure this opportunity for more than one million people around the world who are homeless, living in poverty, or seeking safety. Our policy efforts strengthen communities; our comprehensive services empower those we serve to rebuild and transform their lives. For more information, visit: www.heartlandalliance.org