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In the Spotlight
 Become a Friend of PAIR
As a Friend of PAIR, your gift sustains and grows PAIR programs, directly impacting the lives of our students.
You will receive a regular update that shares the story of a young participant in one of PAIR's programs, youth who are
moving toward fulfilling their dreams for their future thanks to the ongoing support of Friends like you.
Go to our Friends of PAIR page and open our Friends of PAIR booklet to learn more about our students and the activities we carry out with your support. 
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In the last year alone, PAIR has engaged nearly 200 volunteers and over 150 refugee youth. Read what people have to say about PAIR:
Volunteers | Students | School Staff & Parents
Volunteers
"Despite having been uprooted from their homeland and forced to learn a new language, culture, and educational system, our students are among the brightest and friendliest teenagers I know....Some of the students I have mentored since my first day with PAIR will be graduating from our program and pursuing higher education. It is so exciting to see them moving ahead to fulfill their goals, and I cannot wait to hear about their future accomplishments. I know that the skills they have developed with PAIR will help them succeed at college and beyond." – Priya Rao, Rice PAIR officer and volunteer
"As a freshman in college, I was looking for many things. I wanted friends, a place that I could call home, and, most of all, a worthy purpose to devote myself to outside of school. I was fortunate enough to find all of these things with PAIR." – Mindy Pham, UH PAIR Volunteer
"I don't just work with refugee students. I am part of a community. I work to understand that community, love that community, and ultimately, empower all of those who have been affected by their displacement." – Amit Suneja, Rice PAIR program coordinator and volunteer
"PAIR makes a direct impact in students' lives."
"This was a great experience. The feeling drawn from bonding with kids has been amazing; I generate so much satisfaction from making a positive difference...every time I elicited a high five or smile from helping a student develop a specific conversation skill, or just simply from walking into the room..."
"I've learned more about other cultures, especially putting into perspective the city of Houston and [refugee] students coming into the city and how difficult it is for them. It definitely makes me appreciate my life experiences and made me want to help these kids more."
"With other organizations, I feel like I'm just volunteering to say I'm volunteering. With PAIR, I actually have relationships with the kids and I deeply care about their well-being."
"PAIR demands more time [compared to other volunteer experiences], but is pretty worth it. I love making an impact with kids, bonding with the students...helping them learn things...becoming their friend and someone they can talk to and hopefully look up to."
"Bonding with kids and fostering a love of learning and independence have been my favorite experiences. On top of that, I bonded with a lot of fellow volunteers."
"[I have learned that] to keep an open mind and welcoming, positive attitude is vital in working with children who are just adapting to a new environment. Overall, I felt that my skills in working with kids were tested...but in the end I think what amazed me the most was how I much I gained in terms of dealing with these type of situations. Being a mentor was challenging, yet rewarding."
"When we had field trips to the universities, I got to see the kids' reactions to different environments. I liked seeing them become inspired to work harder to go to college."
"I've learned that just being there consistently for someone is incredibly valuable."
"PAIR kids are awesome."
Simply put by one volunteer, PAIR is "life-changing."
Students
One PAIR student who was interviewed by the Houston Chronicle said he hopes to attend Rice University and either become an engineer or go into the FBI. He credited his success in school to PAIR, saying:
"When you come to the United States you don't know English. You are lost. But PAIR helped me so much. PAIR means so much to me. It's indescribable. If they weren't here I wouldn't be going to university. I wouldn't be an all-A student. I just love PAIR."
School Staff & Parents
Here is what one HISD (Houston Independent School Distrcit) counselor has to say about PAIR:
"While our refugee students desperately wish to attend college, our school's resources are stretched to the max with us focusing on attendance issues, language acquisition, and cultural adjustment. Thus, our PAIR volunteers represent...the cavalry riding to the rescue."
PAIR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Houston, Texas.
Please contact us at PAIR@pairhouston.org.
6440 Hillcroft, Suite 302, Houston, TX 77081 | (713) 771 - 1111
6440 Hillcroft, Suite 302, Houston, TX 77081 | (713) 771 - 1111