Community Corner
Refugee Services of Texas unable to overcome financial obstacles
Refugee Services of Texas closes its doors after 45 years of service to refugees and victims of human trafficking
Dallas, Texas - After an impactful 45-year journey assisting refugees and victims of human trafficking, Refugee Services of Texas (RST) has announced the impending closure of its seven offices, including the original service center in Lake Highlands, Dallas, Dallas Metro News reported.
The social service agency, due to financial constraints, could not secure the necessary funds to sustain its nonprofit operations, as stated in a recent press release.
On May 10, the organization unveiled its intentions to restructure in response to "severe budget shortfalls." However, these efforts could not overcome the financial obstacles, leading to the May 26 announcement of its impending closure. The agency is expected to cease all operations by July and has already discontinued client services, confirmed spokesperson Chris Kelley.
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Founded in 1978, Refugee Services of Texas has remained committed to resettling and offering services to refugees and other displaced individuals. Over the years, it has resettled more than 26,000 refugees, the press release confirmed. Its original center, based in Dallas, has catered to refugees from over 30 different countries.
Refugee Services of Texas CEO David McKeever expressed his thoughts in a news release: "This agency has faithfully carried out its mission to serve vulnerable populations... and has touched thousands of lives along the way. This decision was not made lightly. The board carefully examined every option and took crucial steps in the weeks leading up to this decision in an attempt to recover [Refugee Services of Texas’] remaining operations after severe budget shortfalls, but we are now forced to close our doors.”
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The news release also mentioned that the agency’s existing refugee clients would be redirected to other state or national refugee resettlement programs.
Besides Dallas, Refugee Services of Texas operates centers in Amarillo, Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio. The Dallas service center can be found at 11880 Greenville Ave., Ste. 130, Dallas. Further information can be obtained at www.rstx.org.
