OUR MISSION
Creating Livelihood Opportunities for Refugees in Austin, Texas.
ABOUT US
Multicultural Refugee Coalition (MRC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization employing refugees, immigrants, and asylees in fair-wage, dignified work through two social enterprises: a textile manufacturing studio and an organic farm.
Our enterprises are built at the intersection of the traditional, respected skills of sewing and farming that refugees bring and a growing market for local textile & food production.
Who We Are
We employ refugees, asylees, and immigrants from six countries across the globe.
THE REFUGEE EXPERIENCE
There are over 79.5 million forcibly displaced people in the world right now.
While many refugees come to the U.S. with skills in agriculture and sewing, earning a living in these industries in the United States can be difficult.
57,000 refugees
Recorded arrivals in Texas between 2010 and 2019—more than any other state in the U.S.
3-6 months
Average duration of support from local resettlement agencies after refugees’ arrival in the U.S.
5 countries
Top origin countries of refugees resettled in Texas in 2019: Afghanistan, Burma, DR Congo, Somalia, Iraq, and Guatemala.
OUR STORY
Why Livelihoods?
In 2009, MRC began as a volunteer-run community center that offered refugees support ranging from sewing lessons to job-seeking assistance. During those early years, MRC learned about the needs and desires of the Austin refugee community which later informed the development of two social enterprises.
In 2017, MRC refocused its mission on creating livelihood opportunities. Since then, MRC has been connecting refugees to dignified, fair-wage work through a sewing studio and commercial farm.
