Lutheran Social Services Of The National Capital Area -- Refugee And Immigrant Services (RIS) Program

Similar to a compass, our staff and volunteers direct newcomers to appropriate community resources while empowering people to become active members of their new communities. In return, refugees enrich our neighborhoods with their skills, diversity and courage.

RIS partners with local communities to empower refugees and asylees to build stable lives in their new home and achieve self-sufficiency.

LSS/NCA is proud to be one of the country's oldest refugee resettlement partners. Since the program was established in the late 1970s in alliance with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), our staff has helped thousands of families begin new lives in the greater Washington, DC area and Baltimore city.

Each year, RIS resettles over 350 refugees in Virginia and Maryland and serves nearly 1,000 refugees and asylees through its employment services. While each family's story is different, their collective dreams are the same: to rebuild their lives in America and regain a sense of security after years of strife. At RIS, we support our clients during this important transition by mobilizing community partners and offering a comprehensive range of services to newcomers. Every refugee family who arrives in the United States is connected with housing, employment, education and health services by RIS's Reception and Placement Program (R&P) and the Employment Team.