Category: News

A retrospect for refugee students by Shabnam Faizy We’re standing in the hallway at NWACC (Northwest Arkansas Community College). You’re holding your enrollment folder in one hand, your eyes scanning everything, the signs, the people, the kind of place where everyone seems to know where they’re going except you…, like any of it might give…

A conversation with Odette and her son Christian on becoming American citizens. As of today, Canopy NWA has welcomed over 950 refugees to Northwest Arkansas. But in 2018, when Odette and her three children arrived at XNA to begin a new life, Canopy’s resettlement programs were just getting started. Today, Odette and her children are…

Early April in Northwest Arkansas is its own kind of storm—thunderstorms one moment, sunshine the next. But on April 4th, Irvine Mbanga arrived at Canopy undeterred by the rain, dressed not in his usual work attire, but in vibrant traditional clothing—the Siziba, a ceremonial outfit worn by men during the Kuomboka celebration in Zambia. His…

Orly Koko is an accomplished young man. Fluent in seven languages and college-educated with a focus in IT and computer science, Orly’s greatest ambition has been to “make my momma proud” with a career in business. Based on the smile across his mother’s face during our interview, he has certainly done just that. I had…

By Khalid Ahmadzai I am a lover of words and their origins. I find joy in exploring the etymology of words, peeling back their layers, and discovering the stories they carry. Today, in honor of International Women’s Day and my mother’s birthday, I want to share a reflection I originally posted on my social media….

Canopy has been instructed to abandon the refugee families who arrived in the last three months.We won’t abandon refugees in our community. –January 27th 2025, A Message from Joanna Krause, Executive Director of Canopy NWA Dear Friends, On Friday, the Presidential Administration issued a stop work order for the Refugee Resettlement Reception and Placement Program….

– A Message from Joanna Krause, Executive Director of Canopy NWA On Monday, President Trump signed an Executive Order indefinitely suspending the United States Refugee Admissions Program.  This morning, Canopy received travel cancellations for refugees we were preparing to welcome.  Calling someone to let them know their family member is no longer coming is devastating. …

– By Khalid Ahmadzai, Senior Director of Economic & Community Development Yesterday evening, I sat down with Abdullah, a Syrian refugee who arrived in Northwest Arkansas almost a year ago. Over steaming cups of tea, he shared his incredible journey from Syria to the U.S., the challenges he faced, and the hopes that keep him…

11:30 AM | Downtown Bentonville The Giving Machine has officially arrived in Northwest Arkansas! Located in the Bentonville Square, come experience the Giving Machine from December 5th through December 16th. These innovative machines offer a unique way to support five local nonprofit organizations and two global partners, all while spreading the spirit of giving. Despite…

Published November 18th, 2024 | Written by Tyler Stenson, Canopy’s Communications Coordinator Meet Lisa Bass, one of the first female contractors in Arkansas, a business owner, builder, and landlord. A true Arkansan, Lisa has witnessed our region’s growth over the past twenty years. Based in Conway, she has strategically invested in residential building projects across…