Exodus celebrates volunteers who help refugees

Exodus World Service, a Bloomingdale-based, nonprofit organization that mobilizes volunteers to serve refugees, will honor its volunteers at the 10th annual Celebration of Hope benefit.

The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:15 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Drury Lane, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. The event will include a ceremony to recognize the more than 2,300 volunteers for their dedication in supporting more than 750 refugees that arrived in the Chicago area during 2014.

As world events evolve, the number of refugees is increasing exponentially. Of the 16.7 million estimated global refugees, less than 1 percent has the opportunity to relocate to the United States.

Exodus plays a critical role in facilitating assimilation in local communities by bringing volunteer support to refugee families who arrive in the U.S. having left everything behind and now having to rebuild their lives.

"Refugees are victims of circumstances beyond their control. They have been forced to flee their homelands due to persecution and war," said Susan Odom, executive director of Exodus World Service. "Exodus facilitates the connection between newly arriving refugees and volunteers who welcome and befriend them. Volunteers are critical to this effort by helping refugee families adapt to a new life and culture."

More than 2,000 refugees are expected to arrive in the Chicago area this year.

For information about the Celebration of Hope, contact Odom at (630) 307-1400, ext. 107, or susan.odom@exodusworldservice.org.