About us
Who we are and what we believe
We are a group of volunteers who work with refugees and asylum seekers, hoping to ease their transition to life in the U.S. We meet each individual where they are, to learn what they need, and provide support as able to help them adapt to a culture very different from their own. Working in Lexington and surrounding towns, we have supported individuals and families from Africa, the Middle East, and Central America.
We believe that every individual in our care deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. And that the smiling face of a LexRAP volunteer can help counteract the often-faceless bureaucracy that must be dealt with.


Our Mission
The mission of LexRAP is one of welcome and accompaniment of refugees and legal asylum seekers. We seek to meet people in the process of seeking asylum, greet them as new neighbors, and help them settle into their communities. We aim to do this by getting to know them, spending time together, and linking them with needed services. In addition, we seek to publicize our work in our relevant communities, and thereby to engage other citizens and organizations in promoting refugee welfare. Together with our clients, we monitor progress, celebrate successes, and assist as possible to overcome roadblocks. We work towards a goal of self-reliance and an understanding of life’s possibilities in the United States.
Officers/Board
Officers
President: Bruce Neumann
Vice President: Steve Stulck
Treasurer: Laura Tandara
Secretary: Tom Rich
Board
Mary Diaz-Przybyl
Nancy Keswani
Naomi Rosenthal
Pat Moyer

Some brief facts about Lexington Refugee Assistance Program (LexRAP)
- LexRAP support includes: education, tutoring, help finding healthcare and employment, household goods, socialization, summer camp, temporary financial assistance, and transportation
- 100% volunteer effort (no paid staff)
- LexRAP families live mostly in Lexington, Concord, and surrounding towns
- LexRAP refurbishes laptops and has given over 60 to refugee families
- The refugees and asylum seekers we work with are from Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Rwanda, Syria, Uganda, and Ukraine
- We have been involved in helping over 100 people currently
- LexRAP partners with Refugee Resettlement Agencies and other refugee-support organizations
- LexRAP enjoys wide community support, with volunteers from faith-based and town organizations
- 100% of donations go directly to Refugee Support Services
A History of Refugee Outreach in Lexington
- 1970s: Lexington families welcomed and housed Russian Refusniks
- 1980s Lexington interfaith group helped and housed 15 Cambodian “Boat People”
- Others: Vietnamese, Bosnian, and Croatian people fleeing violence and oppression

