The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) is a multicultural, community-based organization that helps newcomers to the U.S. realize their potential and make positive contributions to American society. Founded in 1983 to assist Ethiopian refugees, ECDC currently assists refugees mostly from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

As a national refugee resettlement agency, ECDC takes responsibility for assigning refugees to local communities across the U.S. and placing them in the hands of trusted local organizations that help them meet their immediate and longer-term needs. These local resources assist newcomers with initial resettlement tasks such as finding housing, enrolling children in school, securing employment, learning English, accessing health services, registering for public benefits, adjusting to American culture, and more.

Approximately 30% of their resettled refugees are in NoVA. The abrupt suspension of refugee resettlement on January 20, 2025 has left nearly 4,000 of ECDC’s clients—who are legally admitted refugees—without access to housing, food, healthcare, or job assistance. After spending decades in refugee camps, these clients now face homelessness instead of the safety they were promised in the U.S.

Donations may be made online through the AUUC website anytime during the month; Click Donate, then check “Monthly Outreach Offerings”. Donations of cash and checks may be placed in the collection basket during the Sunday service. Or you may mail a check to AUUC; make checks payable to AUUC with a note ‘outreach’ in the memo line.

Outreach collections are sponsored by the Social Justice Committee