Our vision is to not only meet the basic needs of our new neighbors, but to equip them with the tools to thrive in the Northwest Arkansas community.
“At Canopy, we are doing everything we can to put support systems in place to ensure that refugees, immigrants, and people with additional vulnerabilities can navigate the challenging process of resettlement with as little stress as possible”
-Joanna Krause, Executive Director
Our Story
In 2015, Northwest Arkansas residents united to respond to the global refugee crisis. Finding limited local avenues for resettlement support and motivated by the absence of an active agency in the area, they embarked on a mission to welcome refugees, driven by the belief that their inclusion would enrich and strengthen the community.
This collective effort led to the creation of Canopy, which officially became a refugee resettlement site in October 2016, after partnering with Global Refuge. By December of the same year, Canopy welcomed its first refugee family to NWA.
Learn more about our organization’s history and core values.