USA for UNHCR Announces New Vision and Mission to Protect and Support Refugees

For many, the new year symbolizes a fresh beginning — a time of resolutions, commitments and enthusiasm. For USA for UNHCR, the new year is an exciting time for our organization’s future. Today, we are proud to announce our new vision and mission statements, which will guide the organization’s work in the coming years.

Vision: A world where every person forced to flee can build a better future.

Mission: USA for UNHCR protects and supports refugees by mobilizing resources, elevating awareness, and driving action through a network of engaged supporters.

These statements are the result of an extensive strategic planning process initiated last year by USA for UNHCR staff and the Board of Directors. The effort focused on meeting an important moment in time: in a world grappling with escalating conflicts that has forcibly displaced more than 120 million people around the world, the needs of the most vulnerable are growing, and USA for UNHCR and its supporters are critical to meeting those needs. Against this backdrop, the imperative to foster empathy and action for refugees in the face of political and emotional complexity around the issue has never been greater. 

The organization’s vision now aligns with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, whose primary purpose is safeguarding the rights and well-being of refugees. As the only organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds in the U.S. for the UN Refugee Agency, USA for UNHCR adopts this vision to clarify the long-term impact it hopes to achieve and showcase an integrated effort with UNHCR. 

The mission is more concrete and descriptive to help the American public understand exactly what USA for UNHCR does in pursuit of its vision – and it is underpinned by the work of dedicated staff members who share a passion for giving refugees the hope they deserve, restoring their dignity and helping them rebuild their lives.

“We will not realize this vision on our own, but in allied partnership,” says Suzanne Ehlers, USA for UNHCR Executive Director and CEO. “As we roll out our new strategic plan, the Board and staff of USA for UNHCR look forward to inspiring our supporters who believe that humanitarian issues require a collective, compassionate, and courageous response.”

About USA for UNHCR

USA for UNHCR protects and supports refugees by mobilizing resources, elevating awareness, and driving action through a network of engaged supporters. Established by concerned American citizens, USA for UNHCR is a non-profit organization that strives to meet the unmet needs of the more than 120 million children, women and men who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, violence or persecution. As the only organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds in the U.S. for the UN Refugee Agency, USA for UNHCR has raised more than $668 million in cash and gift in kind revenue to help refugees in the past five years. For more information, visit UNrefugees.org.