Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America

Our vision is a world that welcomes and empowers refugees. Our mission is to ensure that refugee families are provided access to an education sufficient to prepare them to become economically self-sufficient and robustly engaged in American civic life. FORA was founded in 2019. We are located in West Ridge, a thriving hub for refugees and home to 25% of the United States’ Rohingya population. Community is the heart of FORA. Bonds are built between tutors and students, staff and parents that inspire us to continually strive for a compassionate, equitable future.

We are the country’s only learning center dedicated to providing High Impact Tutoring (HIT) for refugees who have been denied an education due to past violence and oppression. Our Family School Partnership Program provides families with the support they need to navigate an unfamiliar country and educational system. We currently serve over 100 refugee youth. Our main strategy is to provide two hours daily of customized foundational HIT in math and English to each refugee student we serve, with a 2-to-1 or less tutor-student ratio throughout the calendar year, ensuring that foundational educational goals are filled and educational scaffolding can occur.