Bridge Refugee Services, Inc.

We are a nonprofit agency operating in Knoxville and Chattanooga and committed to providing protection and assistance in refugees’ inspiring journey.

We recognize their plight, their resilience, and their willingness to join our community and make it their own. Become a part of America’s proud tradition of welcoming refugees and come join us as we work together, building lives in a new land.

We do not do this alone. Refugee resettlement can only happen in community, and it is with a cadre of volunteers, partners, donors, advocates—and the resilient bravery of clients themselves—that refugees are welcomed and supported in their quest for safety, security and home.

Our Vision
That refugees resettled in East Tennessee will find a secure path toward self-sufficiency and fulfill their American dreams within a supportive community.

Our Core Values
Welcoming the stranger is a duty and a privilege. Our values are:

• Service

• Accountability

• Dignity of all people

• Collaboration with the community.

Our History
Bridge Refugee Services was founded in Knoxville in 1982. A branch office was opened in Chattanooga in 1994. In the past 10 years, Bridge has resettled more than 2,400 refugees from Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East.

Our Mission

Provide opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives, after suffering persecution, so that they become productive, self-sufficient, and contributing members of the community.