Roger Boyer, Chairman of the Board at One Refugee | boyercompany.com
Roger Boyer, Chairman of the Board at One Refugee | boyercompany.com
The listed appropriations included grants of $250,000 and $200,000 if two, each designated for programs or services funded by the State of Illinois.
These appropriations represent state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.
Founded in 2014, Refugee One states that its mission is: “Champion students of refugee backgrounds by helping them obtain post-secondary education and skills to prepare for a professional life.”
You can learn more about the organization at its website.
However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.
Refugee One is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.
In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.
According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.
| Fiscal Year | Total Grants/Contracts | Total Taxpayer $$ |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | $450,000 |
| Term | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2024 | Allen Evans | Board Member |
| 2024-2024 | H Roger Boyer | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Raymon Burton | Executive Director |
| 2024-2024 | Rebecca Cooley | Board Member |
| 2024-2024 | Sara Boyer | Board Member |
| Year | Name | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Abigail Jean Hancock | Youth Activities Coordinator | - |
| 2024 | Andrew Connor Rivera | Administrative Intern | - |
| 2024 | CELESTINE MUGISHA | Home Visitor | - |
| 2024 | Cuyana R Davis-Carter | External Affairs Associate, Fundraising Department | - |
| 2024 | Diana S Ali | Intern | - |
| 2024 | Emina Mahic | Reception And Placement Manager | - |
| 2024 | Emma Elise Gier | Resettlement Case Coordinator | - |
| 2024 | Erika Monade Akinrimisi | Youth Program Intern | - |
| 2024 | Hadasseh Pearl Puderbaugh | Wellness Program Intern | - |
| 2024 | Helen Sweitzer | Adjustment Program Manager | - |
| 2024 | Jennifer Goodwin | Individual Giving And Special Events Coordinator | - |
| 2024 | Kelli Renae Wendt | Development Associate | - |
| 2024 | Mark N Youtem | Case Manager | - |
| 2024 | Melineh Kano | Executive Director | - |
| 2024 | Melissa Anne Janisch | Youth Program Manager | - |
| 2024 | Millie Hill | Youth Program Manager | - |
| 2024 | Ninawa B Botros | Employment Specialist | - |
| 2024 | Rachael Elizabeth Reed | Early Childhood Coordinator | - |
| 2024 | Samantha Boswell Allweiss | Social Worker And Therapist | - |
| 2024 | Stacey L Adams | Grants Manager | - |
| 2024 | Virginia B Gaulin | Therapist And In-Home Counselor | - |
| 2019 | Isabelle Mae Shively | Esl And Digital Literacy Instructor | - |
| 2019 | Julia Sophia Pappageorge | English As A Second Language Tutor | - |
| 2019 | Raelyn J Rowland | Case Managment And Employment Specialist Intern | - |
| 2018 | ESMERALDA KARINA ALARCON | Immigration And Policy And Advocacy Intern | - |
| 2018 | Gabriela Jovanoski | Immigration Intern | - |
| 2018 | Gianni Matz Semorile | Clinical Social Work Intern | - |
| 2017 | Chris Ostler | Intern | - |
| 2017 | Dana Alexandra Abelson | Summer Program Intern | - |
| 2017 | Hannah Marie Nicholson | Youth Program Intern | - |
| 2017 | Karlie A Thornton | Volunteer | - |
| 2017 | Kennedy Madeleini Odulio-Papa | Volunteer | - |
| 2017 | Laura A Bartusiak | Medical Case Management Intern | - |
| 2017 | Madeline Grace Beattie | Development Intern | - |
| 2017 | Mary A Miro | Mentorship Coordinator And Intensive Case Management Intern | - |
| 2017 | Michael J Bacos | Fellow | - |
| 2017 | Rafael Villa | Case Manager Intern And Housing Manager Intern | - |
| 2016 | Ali Sharifi Tarokh | Case Manager | - |
| 2016 | Anna Palen | Mentorship Program Coordinator | - |
| 2016 | Annika Karin Rothbaum | Human Resources Contractor | - |
| 2016 | Chase J Ritchey | Youth Program Intern | - |
| 2016 | Christy Lynn Gonzales | Intern | - |
| 2016 | Edward Macias | Public Policy Intern - Spring Semester | - |
| 2016 | Helen Zoumaya | Immigration Counselor | - |
| 2016 | Kaitlyn Therese Leone | Volunteer | - |
| 2016 | Kelsey D Bourquin | Case Management Intern | - |
| 2016 | Lee Turner | Research Fellow | - |
| 2016 | Mark Alan Smith | Administrative Intern | - |
| 2016 | Mary E Murphy | Volunteer: Afterschool Youth Program Intern | - |
| 2016 | Rabail Sofi | Case Management Intern | - |
| 2015 | Ahmad L Almousawi | Volunteer | - |
| 2015 | Anna Maria Ilchyshyn | Human Resources Intern | - |
| 2015 | Brienne Ahearn | English Language Training Manager | - |
| 2015 | Catherine C Looby | Youth Program Summer Intern | - |
| 2015 | Hannah Bixler Bottum | Employment Intern | - |
| 2015 | Hannah Diann Wilkinson | English Language Instructor And Employment Specialist | - |
| 2015 | Hartwig Zakin | President, Board Of Directors | - |
| 2015 | Jenna Nicole Severson | After School Program Intern | - |
| 2015 | Juliana S Strawn | Volunteer Coordinator | - |
| 2015 | Kiersten Deanna Nickel | Case Manager Intern | - |
| 2015 | Lindsay M Kasmer | Wellness Program Intern | - |
| 2015 | Margaret K Lindrooth | Youth Program Summer Intern | - |
| 2015 | Mary E Dahlem | Youth Program Social Work Intern | - |
| 2015 | ROOH SINGH | Youth Activities Intern | - |
| 2015 | Tifani Mbombo | Volunteer | - |
| 2014 | Emma Lee Sweikert | Youth Education Coordinator | - |
| 2014 | Leyia Moges Getachew | Legal Intern | - |
| 2014 | Nicholas P Odonoghue | Recruiting Specialist | - |
| 2014 | Paul Daniel Mendez | Human Resource And Employment Intern | - |
| 2014 | Siddhesh Jyoti Mukerji | Clinical Social Work Intern, Refugee Mental Health | - |
| 2014 | Virgil Roundtree | Development | - |
| 2013 | Catherine Harris | Volunteer Therapist | - |
| 2013 | Hannah Schuppner | Intern | - |
| 2013 | Sarah Lucinda Wilkinson | Medical Case Management Intern | - |
| 2013 | Sylvia Nicole Montijo | After School Program Intern | - |
| 2013 | Tyania Belle Mcconnell | Social Work Intern And Counseling Intern | - |
| 2012 | Alexandra Jael Schwartzman | Youth Education Coordination Intern | - |
| 2012 | Anna Carroll Zelenz | Youth Tutor | - |
| 2012 | Gregory James Wangerin | Executive Director | - |
| 2012 | Jennifer Ann Kost | Volunteer Coordinator | - |
| 2012 | Lauren R Mclauchlan | Volunteer Esl Tutor | - |
| 2012 | Maggie Miller | Mccormick Community Intern | - |
| 2011 | Jasmine Carson | Case Management Intern | - |
| 2011 | Jessica Kurtz Hurwith | Clinical Intern | - |
| 2011 | Mary Florence Bailey | Tutor | - |
| 2011 | Rabah Alhassan | Case Worker, Community Outreach And Interpreter | - |
| 2011 | Sela Marie Cowger | Women's Empowerment Intern And Esl Instructor | - |
| 2011 | Sheena Shukla | Intern | - |
| 2011 | Susannah J Mcfaul | Student Services Manager I | - |
| 2011 | Tatiana Rohner | Volunteer | - |
| 2010 | Elizabeth Machaj | Volunteer Refugee Mentor | - |
| 2010 | Leeann Raye Terwilliger | Housing Department Intern - Volunteer Sewing Teacher | - |
| 2010 | Marty Johnson | Social Work Intern, Women's Empowerment Program | - |
| 2009 | Laura Holt | Intern | - |
| 2007 | Aldiana Deumic | Esl Substitute Teacher And Classroom Assistant | - |
| 2006 | Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum | Development Director | - |
| 2003 | Heidi Ruth Ruehle-May | Vocational Training Coordinator | - |
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