The Welcome to America Project

At the Welcome to America Project (WTAP), we provide essential resources, meaningful connections, and a strong sense of community to refugees newly resettled in Arizona. We believe in fostering dignity, opportunity, and belonging: one family, one delivery, one welcome at a time.

WTAP was founded in 2001 by Phil and Carolyn Manning in memory of Phil’s brother, Terence, who was killed in the September 11 attacks. In the face of tragedy, they chose to create hope - welcoming a refugee family into their Phoenix community. That single act of kindness sparked what has grown into a powerful, community-led movement of welcome.

Since 2001, WTAP has welcomed more than 30,000 refugees from around the world. In 2025 alone, we served over 5,500 individuals, welcoming nearly one family every day.

While the U.S. refugee admissions program is currently paused, the needs of the families we serve have not stopped, and neither have we.

WTAP continues to adapt and evolve alongside our community, providing critical support to refugees already here as they build stability, navigate new systems, and work toward self-sufficiency. Our commitment to welcoming with dignity remains unwavering.

Now more than ever, your support is essential to ensure we can continue meeting these needs and showing up for the families who rely on us.

Today, WTAP supports thousands of refugee families each year through programs designed not just to meet immediate needs, but to create lasting stability and opportunity.

Our Saturday Welcome Program transforms empty spaces into homes. Volunteers deliver personalized essentials; furniture, linens, kitchen supplies, bicycles, and more, while offering a warm, human connection. Every item is thoughtfully selected based on each family’s needs, and we ensure recipients feel confident using everything they receive.

Through our ReWelcome Program, we stay connected with families as their needs evolve—providing support like food assistance, English language resources, safety education, and career guidance. We build lasting relationships that help families not just arrive, but truly thrive.

Economic opportunity is key to long-term success. Our Career Bridging Program helps refugees pursue meaningful careers - not just entry-level jobs - through mentorship, job placement support, credential evaluation, and access to training opportunities. Many participants arrive with professional experience, and we help them rebuild those careers here in the U.S., creating pathways to self-sufficiency and upward mobility.

We also meet families where they are through our Mobile Clothing Closets, delivering clothing and essentials directly into communities, and our Welcome Baby program, which supports new and expecting mothers with critical supplies for their newborns.

At WTAP, we believe refugees deserve more than survival; they deserve the opportunity to build a future filled with stability, purpose, and belonging.

This Arizona Gives Day, your support helps turn moments of uncertainty into lasting hope. Together, we can ensure every family is welcomed with dignity and given the tools to thrive.

Give today and be part of a welcome that changes lives.