About Us

LexRAP is a group of concerned people from Lexington and surrounding communities calling itself the Lexington Refugee Assistance Program or “LexRAP.” Our focus is to make Lexington a welcoming place for refugees and to help them directly.

Mission

LexRAP is a Lexington-based 501C non-profit organization helping refugees to settle in the United States and to become productive and well-adjusted members of the community.  The mission of LexRAP is to support and to assist refugees and asylum seekers into American society. This assistance includes a support network for housing, food, clothing, transportation, health care, education (especially English), employment, legal aid, and socialization. Beneficiaries of this assistance must have received (or be legally seeking) permission to live in the U.S., either temporarily or permanently.

Hand in Hand Cafe


UPDATE: The Hand-in-Hand Café is being relaunched as the Hand-in-Hand Carry Out Café!  We need volunteers to help with transport  food prep, and food packaging.  We request that drivers be women only  in order to respect our families' cultural norms. These dinners will be offered twice a month, so there will be plenty of opportunities to help out.  Click HERE to sign up.

 Sponsored by LexRAP with support from First Parish Church of Lexington, the same delicious foods the same wonderful refugee cooks, are now offered for carry-out pickups between 5:30PM and 6:15PM at the east (side) entrance of the historic First Parish Church 7 Harrington Road, Lexington, 02421.  All dinners include an Entrée, fatoush salad/dressing, hummus, rice, and dessert.   
 
If you attended one of the many Hand-in-Hand "sit down dinners" at First Parish Church in 2019-2020, here's a chance to eat these great foods in the comfort and safety of your own home -- and to support our Refugee Women who are being paid for their culinary skills and efforts!
 
CLICK A DATE AND PLACE YOUR ORDER (use "quantity selector box" to increase order for more than one meal)

Dec 3: Chicken and rice stew
Dec 17: Ground Beef Kubba

If you haven't tried these Middle Eastern specialty dishes, click below to order your meal(s) and find out what you've been missing!  [Note:  MA Covid 19 Guidelines will be followed in the preparation and distribution of these meals.] 
 
To pick up meals, please take the driveway drive into First Parish site, around the rear entrance and continue around to the exit lane to the entrance on that side of the Church.  Someone will bring a bag with your meal or meals to your car and put the bag in your trunk on your back seat. 
 
MA Covid 19 guidelines for restaurants will be observed in the screening of kitchen crew, social distancing, and cleanup/sanitizing.

Donate

Tax-exempt  donations support LexRAP
initiatives. Online donations will be processed by PayPal.

Sustaining Monthly Donation

One time Donation

By Check

Please mail checks made out to "LexRAP" to:
​LexRAP
PO Box 244
Lexington, MA 02420
Email Don Detweiler with any questions you may have about donations.

How do refugees get to the U.S and what is LexRAP doing to help with their resettlement?

Current Focus
LexRAP currently focuses on 3 areas: Hosting Asylum Seekers, Hosting Unaccompanied Minors, and Assisting Refugees who, for any number of reasons, are having difficulties navigating the challenging terrain of adapting to life in the US. 
​
While some may be able to make the bigger commitment of hosting, other volunteers are ready and willing to support their efforts. In addition, we keep a list of agencies working with refuges and asylum seekers – many of these agencies will welcome volunteer help.

Join Us
We are currently seeking volunteers to assist in any way possible, with either major or modest time commitments. All assistance is welcome. Click here to find out how you can help .

Stay informed
Join our email list to stay up to date on current LexRAP events and  needs. 

Who We Are​

Officers
Marianne Boswell, President & Founder
Don Detweiler, Vice President
Ingrid Klimoff,   Secretary
Omar Khudari, Treasurer

Board
Thomas Tsaros
Laura Tandara
Pat Moyer
Elizabeth Ellen
Marianne Boswell
Don Detweiler
Ingrid Klimoff​
Naomi Rosenthal
LexRAP Bylaws