CENTER FOR REFUGEE SERVICES
Serving the resettled refugee communities in San Antonio, TX
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational Support
tutoring for school aged children and college adults, scholarship awards to graduating high school students; classes in US Citizenship; computer literacy. We offer a summer "day camp" for adolescents ages 12-18 who are about to enter or who are attending high school. Camp Discover aims to provide college campus visits; and guidance on career readiness and financial aid.
Health and Wellness
individual and family counseling referrals; maternity support for pregnant and postpartum mothers; help in scheduling medical and dental appointments; transportation and client advocacy via interpreters; assistance to clients enrolling in medical insurance/healthcare coverage. Our volunteers liaise with medical/health professionals at the weekly, free medical clinic (San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic) sponsored by UT Health School of Medicine , School or Nursing, School of Dentistry. Our focus is on providing social support to patients.
Employment
instruction in employment readiness, resume development, interview preparation, job referrals and workplace success.
Cultural Brokerage
read and explain correspondence, schedule appointments, renew or complete applications, assist with transportation; plan cultural events, explain US customs and practices to newcomers.
US. Citizenship (Naturalization)
We provide free classes to prepare for the Naturalization exam.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our mission is to promote the wellness, self-sufficiency, and successful community integration of resettled refugees and their families.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Strengthening our existing community partnerships and expanding partnerships with similar nonprofits outside of our area who have an interest in creating a presence in San Antonio. We plan to increase fundraising activities through social media platforms and seek larger grants to support paid staff in order to increase the quality and quantity of our services to legally resettled refugees in San Antonio. Finally, our immediate goal involves expanding and strengthening the capacity of our Board of Directors to address the challenges of growth and sustainability.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
CRS rents office space located in the heart of the refugee community. It's proximity enables refugee mothers and children to walk to the Center for needed services such as ESL, tutoring, citizenship classes, diapers, maternity support in the form of baby beds and car seats, appointment scheduling, healthcare coordination. In addition, CRS provides employment counseling, job searches, resume creation, and interpreters. Through donations CRS provides furniture and household goods to newly arriving refugees. All services are on-going and provided by 3 retiree volunteers who serve as case managers plus two grant-funded program managers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Initially established as a 501c3 in 2010 by a small group of dedicated retiree volunteers to help legally resettled refugees navigate the American school system and promote educational success. CRS has since expanded beyond education (ESL, tutoring, college prep) to include health/wellness, employment and citizenship support. CRS has focused on refugees' on-going unmet needs, recognizing that self-sufficiency and successful community integration of legally resettled refugees is a process rather than a time limited event. Located in the heart of the refugee community, CRS serves over 900 refugees annually. CRS has 5 core staff members, of which only 2 are funded, with 30 auxiliary monthly volunteers. In 2018 for the first time CRS received grant funding for two salaried 25 hour case managers and a car seat program. Over the next five years, CRS looks to solidify funding of its existing programs and make funded staff an integral and permanent part of the organization.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
CENTER FOR REFUGEE SERVICES
Board of directorsas of 03/14/2023
Howaida Werfelli
Tripoli Mediterranean Restaurant and Cafe
Term: 2019 - 2023
Lauren Deal
Philanthropy Manager
Term: 2019 - 2024
Veena Prasad, PhD
Counseling
Ayad Kaisi
CEO, teacher, translator
Margaret Costantino
Counseling
Lauren Deal
Philanthropy Manager
Nhy-Y Lehrer
HEB
Jean Sherrill
Retired
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/07/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.