VOR Fall Events
Join Us This Fall — Love Your Neighbor at the Table
Every fall, Voice of Refugees hosts a series of community celebrations that bring refugee and immigrant families together with volunteers from local churches across Southern California.
For many of the families we serve — from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, and beyond — these events are often the first times they get to feel truly seen and welcomed in America.
And you get to be part of that!
We need volunteers who are willing to:
Set up and prepare event spaces
Serve food and welcome guests
Run children's activities and games
Assist refugee families as they navigate the event
Tear down and clean up after each event
And simply be present and celebrate with us
No special skills required. Just a willing heart and committment.
VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM « Click Here
THANKSGIVING EVENTS
1A. Thanksgiving Celebration — Anaheim
Saturday, November 14 | 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (shifts throughout the day)
This is our largest event of the year — a homecoming. We expect 200–300 refugee and immigrant guests from across Orange County. Volunteer roles span the entire day, from early morning setup through evening teardown. You can sign up for a morning, afternoon, or full-day shift.
What to expect: Serve a Thanksgiving dinner, run activities for kids and youth, assist with a community raffle and gifts, welcoming guests, and simply being a friendly face at the table.
1B. Thanksgiving Celebration — Irvine
Friday, November 20 | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Refugee families will be welcomed as part of a larger sojourner community that includes international students from around the world. This will be a smaller, more intimate gathering where you will have conversations and share experiences.
What to expect: Serving dinner, connecting with families, running children's activities, and helping with cleanup.
3. Thanksgiving Dinner — Corona (details coming soon)
We are adding a Thanksgiving celebration in the Corona area to serve our growing Riverside County community. Sign up to be notified when registration opens.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Our Christmas events are child-focused celebrations where families move through stations that tell the story of Christmas — through crafts, games, and interactive activities. Every child receives a gift at the end. These are some of the most joyful days of our year.
2A. Christmas Event Setup — Anaheim
Friday, December 4 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Help transform the space the day before Christmas! This is for volunteers who love decorating and setting up, so that Saturday's event is ready to go from the moment families walk in the door.
What to expect: Moving and arranging tables and chairs, setting up activity stations, hanging decorations, organizing gift distribution areas, and preparing materials for each Christmas story station.
2B. Christmas Celebration — Anaheim
Saturday, December 5 | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The main event! Refugee and immigrant families gather for Christmas story stations, games, activities, and gifts for every child. This is a full-day event and we prefer volunteers who can stay for 6-hours shifts in order for our program to run smoothly.
3A. Christmas Event Setup — Irvine
Saturday, December 12 | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Help prepare the Irvine venue for Sunday's celebration.
What to expect: Space setup, station preparation, decoration, and gift area organization.
3B. Christmas Celebration — Irvine
Sunday, December 13 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
An afternoon Christmas celebration in Irvine for refugee and immigrant families in the south OC area. Same format as Anaheim, we have the Christmas story stations, children's activities, games, and gifts hosted at a beautiful venue in Irvine.
4. Christmas Event — Corona (details coming soon)
Our Corona Christmas celebration serves Afghan and Arab families in the Inland Empire. Details are being confirmed. Sign up below to be notified when registration opens.
VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM « Click Here
A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM
"We have seen what happens when the church shows up for our refugee community, not just with food and gifts, but with their full presence. Families who have felt invisible become visible. Children who have known so much loss receive so much joy. And volunteers who came to serve end up leaving having received something they didn't expect.
This fall, we invite you to be part of something beautiful. Come be the hands and feet of a God who sees every refugee, who was himself a stranger in a strange land — and who calls us to love our neighbors with the same extravagant welcome He has shown us."
— The VOR Team
Questions? Contact Cheri at vor@vorservices.org