News & Events

in-ti-grey-shuh n  (Integration) - Noun:  behavior, as of an individual, that is in harmony with the environment Images of refugees and migrants are filling the news. Solutions to this humanitarian crisis are complicated and divisive. The reality is that refugees and...

“Thank you.”  It’s probably the one sentence we hear most often these days at Water For Ishmael. Rafi’s two teenage boys had been coming home from school every day with that “deer in headlights” look.  Since they arrived in the US in June, they had managed to learn...

Right behind two new Syrian refugee families that came to our school was NPR! They have been focusing on the Syrian refugee crisis and learning more about refugee resettlement in the US. The host of "All Things Considered", Air Shapiro and a few others spent a week in...

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ ”...

There's a common thread that runs within the refugees and internationals that we work with. They want to give back! They want to help others the way that they have been helped. In the picture, we have Ted and Jeremy, our American School Evening instructors working...

Every year, the Toledo Community Foundation awards one small organization a Nonprofit Excellence Award. There were 19 organizations competing for this award. As you can probably guess where we are going with this, we won! This is a milestone achievement in the life of...

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed...

What is your reaction to the chaos occurring all around the world? Do you feel crippled? Helpless? Calloused? Hear how our Executive Director feels in the midst of all the strife:  A Critical Time in Toledo

Do you ever find yourself asking the question, “Am I actually making a difference?”  Here's proof that you are! This past month, a Vietnamese refugee family arrived in Toledo.  Mother, father, and three adult children came to the United States after 24 years of...

60 flags. 4000 people. 20+ local churches. The Toledo area is a place like nowhere else. If you don't look around, you will miss how unique it is. Yes, our zoo and the Jeep factory are unique. But the uniqueness that I'm talking about is in the Toledo area people. The...

We want to thank everyone who was able to attend our International Dinner.  All of the ethnic food was served by our English students who were overjoyed to interact with so many caring Americans.  Our students were honored to share their cooking talents and part of...

For the winter semester, the American Language Institute received an especially large number of international students enrolled in their English program. 86 international students applied to receive an American Conversation Partner. Despite the huge number of...

We have been waiting for years to offer English classes for immigrants and refugees in the evening! It has been made possible through the Toledo Community Foundation.  Our first class was last night and it was a great turn-out! "My important goals is to improve my...

The following is a testimony from a valued Water for Ishmael donor: "So I was sitting with my financial advisor a few months ago going through an annual checkup. Now this may sound about as exciting as watching paint dry (no offense to you who actually find that...

We are incredibly grateful for the grant we recently received from the Toledo Community Foundation. This grant will fund our newest program: Evening ESL! In January, we will begin the the Evening ESL program for immigrants and refugees looking to learn English. Many...

Who wants to support Water for Ishmael and get their Christmas shopping done at the same time?? It's super easy! 3 steps.... 1. Go to smile.amazon.com 2. Choose Water for Ishmael as your charitable organization 3. Shop away! Smile.amazon has same prices as Amazon, but...

Water for Ishmael wants to thank Healthy Living Newspaper for the excellent article about the American School for Women and Children. If you haven't checked out November's paper, go to a local provider and check out page 27 to learn about a little boy named Eduardo...

For the hundred or so people who came out to our annual election-day bake sale, thank you!! Students from the American School for Women and Children offered appetizers, lunch, and dessert from over 20 countries around the world! Apple cookies, Baklava, Falafels, grape...