Concern Becomes a Mission
In 2016, Canopy was founded to build a stronger, more welcoming Northwest Arkansas. This founding grew from concerned community members who believed our region had the resources and heart to welcome Syrians fleeing instability and crisis. At the time, there were limited avenues for Arkansans to respond to the global refugee crisis, and residents from Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale, and Siloam Springs decided to take action. This community of Arkansans continued to advocate for the gift of welcome, despite elected officials resisting the resettlement of Syrian refugees in our state.
Patience is a Virtue
A testament to the community’s dedication, Canopy anticipated arrivals for years. Due to changes to the United States Refugee Resettlement Program, Syrian refugees were not permitted to travel to Northwest Arkansas. After five years of preparation and advocacy, the first Syrian families arrived on September 21, 2021. Those years of waiting were not wasted. Canopy increased its resources, grew its community, strengthened its foundation, and prepared for new arrivals. Momentum was not lost, and determination did not weaken.
Kimberley Elder, Canopy’s Partnerships Coordinator, reflects on welcoming one of the first Syrian families:
“After COVID restrictions were lifted, I was matched as an in-home ESL tutor with one member of the family. After our first meeting, she asked if I would tutor her whole family, and what began with one student quickly grew into a vibrant family experience and an extension of welcome that went both ways. We didn’t share a language at first, but smiles, thumbs-ups, high-fives, games of Bingo and cards soon gave way to boating trips, fishing, a wedding, new babies, and a friendship that became family. I may have started out thinking I was there to teach, but I gained far more than I ever gave, and years later, the bond we share is something words can hardly describe.”
We Are Still Here
Refugee resettlement is adaptable work, and Canopy is lucky to have such a supportive community behind its mission. This support allows Canopy to move forward and grow. Despite federal hurdles and swift changes, Canopy’s welcome continues. Uncertainty is met with shared ideals and common ground.
Canopy was founded with the idea that Northwest Arkansas could be a place where people fleeing crises could find safety, dignity, and belonging. Over the years, this idea has become a reality. We would not be here without sustained community support and the drive to create belonging.
After years of turmoil and anticipation, our new neighbors travel here to start again. They lend their talents, experiences, voices, perspectives, and bravery to our Northwest Arkansas community. Together, we are stronger.
We are here for the long haul. Delays do not mean our work is finished.
Khalid Ahmadzai, Canopy’s Senior Director of Partnerships, reflects on adaptability and patience in our work and in the lives of those we welcome:
“Adaptability and patience. In any kind of service work, having that attitude isn’t just essential, it’s imperative. In refugee resettlement, we are honored to work alongside individuals who have not only experienced but embody those two character traits. Every immigrant or refugee you encounter knows the value of adaptability and patience. When you are forced to leave your home, adaptability becomes a survival skill. Patience, as a character trait, is a quiet strength. The word itself comes from the Latin verb which means to suffer. Who else embodies that the way they do? Who else builds their life with those two traits as the central part of it, whether it’s arriving in a new place or waiting on bureaucracy for a long, long time? Therefore, in this line of work, we encounter those values daily, working with individuals who embody them. We learn from them and implement it in our own work.”
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