Houston Welcomes Refugees

“The 990 is prepared by a cpa; the executive director reviews the draft return and changes are made as needed. The board members will also review the 990. Once all questions have been answered, the 990 will be e-filed and a copy of the final return sent to the board.”

“The bylaws of the company contain a robust conflict of interest policy that all board members have agreed to comply with and abide by. The policy includes documented procedures for disclosure, determining whether a conflict exists, addressing the conflict of interest, and violations of the policy. The employee handbook, which is reviewed and signed by each staff member, also requires full disclosure and approval of potential conflicts in writing prior to the transaction occurring.”

“The board of directors determined the executive director compensation package by conducting a market review of salary ranges for comparable non-profit organizations. Based on the market review a compensation package was prepared and approved by the full board.”

“Governing documents and financial statements are available upon request.”

“Volunteers work with all aspects of the three main programs run by houston welcomes refugees (hwr). In 2018, 224 refugees received support from 590 volunteers across hwr's programs. Over 160 volunteers helped organize over 470 donated welcome kits for arriving refugees throughout the year. More than 200 volunteers in 48 teams prepared the apartments for 214 refugees who received the blessing of donated welcome kits and groceries. Another 33 teams, totaling 218 volunteers, provided ongoing support to 172 refugees during their first six months in houston. Hwr also utilized a volunteer leadership team of over 10 volunteers leaders who regularly assisted with activities such as organizing collection drives, attending speaking engagements, and mentoring other volunteers. Hwr's board members are also volunteers and assist as needed with the programs. The board members also oversee the financial and business aspects of the organization.”

“Welcome teams (continued) - welcome teams work best in a group context, so the responsibility of meeting the familys immediate needs can be shared. The vision is that these relationships would be long-term, so a six month commitment is required. The focus is on helping the family navigate through daily life, building lasting friendships, and caring for the refugee in an extravagant way. During 2018, 218 volunteers worked to honor 172 refugees with the gift of friendship.”

“The organization incurs a few expenses that are not directly related to any particular program. The volunteer training covers all aspects of hwr's three programs that assist refugees to settle in houston.”