Immigrants & Refugees
Gloria's Story
Immigrants & Refugees
Key Metric
Foreign Born
Foreign-born (29.9%)
US Born (70.1%)
With nearly 30% of residents in Orange County are immigrants or refugees, the Church is presented with a unique opportunity to live out our Biblical call to love and welcome foreigners.
Whether leaving your native country by choice or fleeing because of tragedy, finding your way in a new city can be difficult. Over the years, Orange County has seen an increase in both immigrants and refugees relocating to the city, particularly those coming from Spanish speaking countries. Connecting to a community remains an important part of successfully integrating and flourishing in a new home. As younger generations become an increasing number of the immigrants headed to the city, there is an opportunity for them to find a home here. Serving a multitude of languages and cultures creates ways for these new arrivals to begin to navigate a new life. Overall, these individuals tend to move into the city at a greater rate than the surrounding areas.
By The Numbers
Helpful insight into some of the factors that affect the key metric and have an impact on this reality. Select an area on the map to view neighborhood-level stats.
Non-English Language Breakdown
Spanish
Vietnamese
Indo-European
Chinese
Korean
Other
Language Speakers by Limited Proficiency
Spanish
Vietnamese
Indo-European
Chinese
Korean
Other Asian
Immigrants by Generation Breakdown
Gen Alpha
Gen Z
Millennials
Gen X
Baby Boomers
Silent Generation
Immigrant vs. Refugee %
72.9%
Immigrants
13.1%
Refugees
Stories and Local Context
Listen to and learn from the stories of people, churches and/or organizations experiencing or engaging this reality first hand.
Scripture Reflection
Scriptures we’ve collected to help you consider this reality through the lens of Christianity.
Leviticus 19: 33-34
“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Matthew 25: 35
For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
Prayer Topics
Suggestions to help you connect this reality to your prayers.
Pray for displaced families
Pray for families who have been displaced from their homes. The journey for many refugees is filled with hardship. Ask for God to provide for them and show you ways you might get involved.
Pray for a new friend
Pray for an opportunity to get to know someone from another country that is living in Charlotte.
Pray for courage to help
Ask God to show you where you can help. Engaging with a person from another country can feel like a big leap fro some people. Pray for the courage to step out and take action when the opportunity presents itself.
Get Involved
Links to Books, Resources, Organizations and/or Opportunities that are engaging this topic well.
Nearly 38 million people worldwide have fled their countries as refugees for safety. Many are rebuilding lives in our communities. This World Refugee Awareness Month, will you extend you hand to help?
Our Mission is to put God’s love into action by assisting refugee and asylum-seeking families to stabilize, integrate, and thrive in the United States.Welcoming the Stranger
Consider reading Welcoming the Stranger to encourage a heart of compassion for those who are displaced around the world.