News
New Location - New Director
The summer of 2008 brought about some very significant changes for our organization. Our founding Director Amanda Cannon has moved out of state and needed to step down from her position at STAIRS. We are truly proud to announce that we have hired Dr. William Koomson as our new Executive Director. Dr. Koomson began his official work in August, but has been working for months to transition into the role.
The second exciting change for STAIRS has been our recent move to the St. Colman School Building on W. 65th Street. This wonderful space provides us with additional classrooms, while remaining in a location which is central to the families and children we serve.
Please make monetary donations payable to:STAIRS Refugee Family Center
Send Checks to:STAIRS 2001 West 65th St. Cleveland, Ohio 44102
What is STAIRS?
Steps Toward Advancing In Resettlement Skills
STAIRS began as The Refugee Family Center as a program of the West Side United Church of Christ in October, 2004. As an outreach program, volunteers met with the refugee families once a week at the church to provide homework help for the youth and English tutoring for the adults. Child care was provided on-site to allow parents to participate. 
Through word of mouth other families began to hear about the assistance and sought out help from STAIRS. As the number of families and needs grew the volunteers quickly realized there was a significant need to expand its services in order to address the long- term and evolving needs of the refugee community.In September 2006 STAIRS expanded its services to include a 4 afternoons of tutoring, family services, and a drop-in- center. With the success of its expanded services in July of 2007 STAIRS became an independent non- profit with its own 501-C-3 status.STAIRS was established to respond to and address the long-term resettlement needs of refugees (families, children and individuals who are forced to flee their country due to a well founded fear for their lives) arriving from non-Western societies.
STAIRS serves families from Afghanistan, Burundi, the D.R. Congo, Liberia, Russia and Somalia.
It is the mission of STAIRS to provide a center where the refugee youth and their families receive services that meet their needs and are welcomed into an environment that is accepting of all cultures and backgrounds and is a place of peace and education.
Wishlist
To be successful we rely on the generosity of volunteers and community members. To continue the success of our organization we are looking for the following donations:
Monetary Donations Volunteer Tutors Volunteer Organizers Help with fundraisers Backpacks Cell Phones Laptops Used Ink Cartridges Wipe off books and games(dry erase) "My Pod Storybook and Personal Music Player" Pencils Erasers Calculators Paper Markers Rulers POSTER BOARDS Index Cards Toilet Paper Paper Towels Storage Containers Organizers Bus Tickets