Inspired by her own experience as a refugee from Cambodia, Sambo Dul founded COAR (then Refugee Resettlement Volunteers) in 2002 as a student organization at Arizona State University. In her sophomore year at ASU, Sambo was approached by a representative from Catholic Social Services’ Resettlement Program to assist a local refugee family with their resettlement needs. This experience revealed that the obstacles once faced by Sambo and her family continue to challenge those on similar journeys today. Sambo however saw beyond the urgent need, to the potential for community involvement in assisting refugees and began recruiting other students and community members to get involved.

After receiving seed funding and support from the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative, an ASU based award program, in January 2005, COAR incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Arizona and is now federally recognized as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Milestones

2007

• November – Fall Refugee Soccer Tournament co-hosted with the International Rescue Committee
• June – World Refugee Day soccer tournament co-hosted with the International Rescue Committee
• April – Lecture by Dr. Jessica Goodkind on Refugee Well-Being and Social Justice

• March – Workshop at Arizona Resettlement Program Annual Conference, “Stop the Traffick Week” at Arizona State University, “The Day my God Died” film screening

2006

• November – Featured in “ASU in the Community”
• October – Southeast Asian Refugee Film Series with Tempe Historical Museum
• September – “A Little Rebirth” film screening and discussion
• August – Cara Steiner is hired part-time as COAR’s Executive Director. Vahid Dejwakh is hired as COAR’s part-time Business Manager.
• April – “A Proud Journey Home” Film Series with Tempe Historical Museum

• February – COAR hosts workshop at Fifth Annual Local-to-Global Justice Teach-In

2005

• November – “Together for West Africa” Open Mic Night at Three Roots Cafe
• October – COAR granted 501(c)(3) status
• June – Refugee Resettlement Volunteers is renamed to Community Outreach & Advocacy for Refugees (COAR)
• May – Camp Refugee- an over-night interactive education event intended to teach participants about the refugee experience throught role-playing.
• March – Somali Bantu Education Event
• Feburary- College Outreach Workshop ( later renamed Reaching Higher!) pilot program intitated with 12 participants referred by area resettlement agencies and mutal assitance organizations

• January – Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative awarded to team leaders Sambo Dul, Jessica Wanke, Dolma Roder, and Cara Steiner

2004

• November – Screening of “Monkey Dance” followed by discussion at the Memorial Union
• October – Screening of “Lost Boys of Sudan” following by disucussion at the Muse Coffee House

• April – Screening of “Chasing Freedom” followed by panel discussion co-sponsored with the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

2003

• November – First Open Mic Night in Collaboration with Amnesty International ASU and the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (Theme: unaccompanied minors)

2002

• November – Refugee Resettlement Volunteers is founded as a student club at Arizona State University.

• October – Sambo Dul and Andre Olivie begin volunteering with Catholic Social Services