What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Refugee Dream Center

Home
United States
Providence, RI
Refugee Dream Center

Mission
The Refugee Dream Center is established to create opportunities within the refugee community to facilitate their resettlement process in the U.S.

Healthcare Education & Orientation Program

The Refugee Dream Center, Inc. provides education and cultural orientation on healthcare. This summer, the Center is engaged in offering basic healthcare education to refugee families from different countries of origin. The program focuses on primary care operations, mental health and cultural barriers such as stigma and idioms of distress. Refugees are taught about dietary processes, dental services, importance of keeping doctor’s appointments, not sharing medication, continuity in taking medication as prescribed, exercise, and general coping tools for stress and adjustment related issues. Youth Role Modelling Program: Refugee Youth Dream

This program focuses primarily on targeting teens and young adults. Refugee youth are specifically faced with a number of challenges due to acculturation pressure and educational gaps. The Refugee Youth Dream program engages such youth in meaningful activities geared towards improving their social functioning skills, prevent truancy, enhance entrance into college, prevent gangs and gang-related violence, and receive mentorship. These activities include the utilization of speeches, poetry, music, field trips, and art to inspire young people towards achieving. Youth are also supported in school and homework related needs. Refugee Adult Literacy & Job Readiness

This program includes training refugee adults in English as a Second Language (ESL), job and interview skills training, cultural enhancement training, training in basic computer skills, and referrals for supportive services including employment prospects, housing, and related social service needs. Refugee Dream Center offers interpreting in a wide range of languages via Refugee Interpreting Services, LLC. http://www.refugeeinterpretingservices.com

11/04/2026

Building confidence, independence, and life skills!

Our youth at RDC receive in-house learner’s permit preparation and training, building the knowledge and confidence needed to earn their permits. Once they’re ready, our partner, Bolt Driving Academy, takes them behind the wheel for professional driving lessons and hands-on practice.
It’s more than learning to drive, it’s about responsibility, independence, and opening doors to new opportunities! 🛣️💙

Together, we’re preparing youth for the road ahead and for life!

11/04/2026

❄️ Help Keep Our Community Warm This Winter!

As temperatures drop, Refugee Dream Center is collecting donations of NEW winter clothing and essentials to help refugee and immigrant families stay warm throughout the colder months.

We are currently in need of:
- New winter coats and jackets
- New Scarves
- Winter essentials and cold-weather accessories

Every donation makes a difference and helps ensure families have the warmth and comfort they need this winter.

📍 Donations can be dropped off at:
Refugee Dream Center
747 Broad Street, Providence, RI

📞 Questions? Contact us at 401-300-0544.

Thank you for helping us keep our community warm!

10/31/2026

Our youth didn’t just celebrate Halloween this Friday. They read, solved, spoke, and created their way through it! 🎃👻

The afternoon kicked off with Halloween Bingo 🦇 and then turned into our biggest challenge yet: Escape the Haunted House 🏚️. Three Teams moved through six spooky rooms, and in every room they had to:
📖 Read a ghost’s note out loud, and learn a new word along the way
🧠 Think through riddles and puzzles as a team
🗣️ Speak up by persuading a ghost, inventing magic potions, and building a group story together

The highlight was our Hall of Portraits 🖼️, where youth shared festivals and traditions from their families’ cultures and home countries. We learned so much from each other. 🌍

We wrapped things up (literally 😄) with pumpkin painting 🎨 and The Great Zombie Wrap-Up 🧟, and then celebrated with pizza 🍕.

The best part was watching youth who are usually quiet step up to read, speak, and lead their teams. Every room was a chance to practice English, public speaking, and teamwork while having fun. 🧡

Thank you to every young person who came with courage and creativity, and to everyone who made this afternoon possible! 👏

10/30/2026

The ladies of the Women's Intercultural Group have flourished in the Threadwork Unit of their program! 🪡🧶🧡
Here are some of the pincushions, hanging ornaments and embroidery work they have meticulously crafted!

Volunteer with us or join one of the many Adult Education Programs we offer at the Refugee Dream Center.
Message the program number 401 449 0948 for more info ✨

10/29/2026

RDC Partners with Brown Street Medicine in response to Medicaid cuts.

On October 1, 2026, the federal government cut Medicaid coverage for thousands of refugee families across the country. In response, we decided to partner with Brown University Health (formerly Lifespan) to launch a medical clinic at our office in Providence. The first clinic was a success that brought about vast range of collaborators to ensure refugees have medical care.

~ Brown Street Medicine team brought their van, team of doctors, and resources to see refugees at the RDC.

~ About 30 individuals were seen and received medical services during the day-long clinic.

~ Medicaid fellows from Brown University School of Public Health set up triage to see refugee patients and support them on navigational needs.

~ Community Free Support Program (CFS) team from Brown University Health worked with refugee patients to explore potential for financial assistance to access Brown Health medical services in the future.

~ Our partners from the State Refugee Coordinator's Office and state Refugee Health Coordinators Office as well as other Brown Health partners were in to observe and support the pilot clinic.

We are grateful for this statewide response to this health situation and hope to sustain and expand this very invaluable work to ensure all refugees access medical care.

10/29/2026

The Boston Globe journalist Edward Fitzpatrick covered the newportFILM screening of "UNBOWED" earlier this month.

Through his journey from exile to becoming a leading advocate for refugees and immigrants in Rhode Island, RDC founder Dr. Bah’s story reflects the resilience, courage, and determination that inspire our work every day. His commitment to supporting refugee communities and amplifying the voices of those too often unheard continues to make a lasting impact.

You can also read the article at the link below:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/10/12/metro/ri-documentary-refugee-omar-bah/

10/28/2026

🌎 Understanding the Difference: Refugee, Asylum Seeker, Immigrant, and Migrant

The words refugee, asylum seeker, immigrant, and migrant are often used interchangeably, but each has a different meaning. Understanding these distinctions helps us build awareness, challenge misconceptions, and foster a more informed and compassionate community. 💙

At Refugee Dream Center, we believe that education and understanding are essential to creating a welcoming and inclusive society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

📚 Take a moment to learn, share this post, and help spread awareness!

10/26/2026

Refugee Dream Center is grateful to RIPIN for creating a helpful fact sheet outlining upcoming HR1 changes that may affect noncitizen eligibility for Medicaid, HealthSource RI financial assistance, and Medicare.

Understanding changes to healthcare eligibility is essential to ensuring our refugee and immigrant communities can access the care they need. We encourage community members, service providers, and healthcare advocates to join RIPIN and Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island for an informative webinar covering eligibility categories, exceptions, implementation dates, real-life examples, and available resources. Representatives from the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) will also be in attendance.

📅 Tuesday, October 27
⏰ 12:00–1:30 PM
🔗 Registration required: https://ow.ly/XaJz50ZXbNE

Together, we can help our communities stay informed and connected to essential healthcare resources.

10/21/2026

🎓 Celebrating Success: Ousainou Faal!

Born in the United States and raised in The Gambia, Ousainou returned to the U.S. as a teenager to continue his education. As a first-generation college student, he faced challenges adapting to a new educational system while navigating financial pressures and the demands of higher education.

Through the Refugee Dream Center’s Summer Youth Program, Ousainou developed valuable professional skills, and RDC’s scholarship support helped ease his financial burden as he pursued his goals.

In May 2026, he graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree! 🎉 He is now working at CVS pharmacy as a pharmacist helping the community.

We are proud to have been part of Ousainou’s journey! His story demonstrates the power of education, perseverance, and community support in helping young people achieve their dreams. 💙

10/14/2026

At last week's newportFILM screening of UNBOWED, we were honored to see the story of our founder, Dr. Omar Bah, brought to life through this powerful documentary by Rhode Island filmmakers Mae Gammino and David H Wells/The Wells Point. The evening highlighted the importance of sharing refugee stories and celebrating the impact of community-driven work.

Following the screening, Dr. Bah joined the filmmakers and Amy Romero of the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island for a meaningful conversation about refugee advocacy, community, and the work being done to help refugees build new lives in Rhode Island.

A special thank-you to Hope High School, the student filmmaking team, and everyone who attended and helped make this event possible. We are grateful for your continued support in sharing our story and uplifting refugee voices!

Address

747 Broad Street
Providence, RI
02907

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.refugeedreamcenter.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Refugee Dream Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.