ECDC to Welcome First Refugee Families to New Houston Branch Office

Arlington, Va. (July 16, 2024) – ECDC is pleased to announce that it will be welcoming its first refugee families to the new ECDC-Houston Multicultural Center (ECDC-HMC) today and tomorrow (July 16th and 17th). This milestone marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing essential support to refugees and immigrants in Houston.

Dr. Tsehaye Teferra, President and CEO of ECDC, expressed his admiration for the swift and thorough preparations made by the new branch office, including the training of its staff, since opening exactly one month ago. “The dedication of the staff and its director, Miriam Diria, has made this feat possible. This is a testament to our unwavering determination to honor our commitment to the refugees and immigrants we serve. I do not recall any office that has opened its doors and managed to ready itself to receive refugee families within one month. This is a remarkable achievement that demonstrates our serious dedication to serving newcomers in Houston.”

The first family of five arrives today, followed by a similar-sized Afghan family tomorrow. This event underscores ECDC’s ongoing commitment to supporting newcomers.

ECDC has been providing resettlement services in Houston through its former affiliate, the Alliance, for over 30 years, and now, with the opening of the new branch on June 17, this work continues with even greater diligence and dedication.

ECDC has been a dedicated national partner in refugee resettlement for 33 years and has provided immigrant assistance since 1983.

About ECDC:

The Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. (ECDC), headquartered in Arlington, Va., is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit, community-based organization (CBO) established in 1983 to respond to the needs of a growing Ethiopian community in the U.S. ECDC quickly became a multicultural, multiservice provider with local, national, and international reach. For 41 years, ECDC has been helping refugees and immigrants re-establish their lives as productive, self-sufficient members of their new communities.

As one of 10 national Resettlement Agencies authorized by the U.S. Department of State to resettle refugees, ECDC has resettled 81,641 newcomers since 1991. Our 24 affiliates and branch offices are located in 18 states across the U.S. ECDC has 18 affiliated organizations, 8 branch offices, and 2 community partners.