Karen Organization of Minnesota

"I cannot describe how happy I was when my son got better." "To all the parents in the community, I would like to tell them if their children are struggling with substance use and drugs, get in touch with the Karen Organization of Minnesota." 

- Moo Paw (video interview below)

The Karen Organization of Minnesota is the first social services agency in the country founded by Karen refugees from Burma. We offer a variety of programs to help refugees transition to life in a new country and achieve their goals, not only for refugees from Burma, but for new arrivals from around the world. We provide services in employment, social services, community health, youth development, and walk-in services.

Our Mission

The mission of the Karen Organization of Minnesota is to build on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and remove barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.

Our Community

Karen New Year in St. Paul

More than 20,000 Karen people live in Minnesota, making it the largest Karen community in the country. Minnesota is also home to more than 3,000 refugees from other ethnic groups in Burma, including Karenni and Mon. Refugees from Burma come to Minnesota for the same reasons many people do: to find good jobs, access high-quality education, and connect with a strong community. Learn more about Karen people and other ethnic groups from Burma.

While most of our clients are from Burma, we also serve clients from areas including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Latin America who now live in the Twin Cities.

Our Impact

KOM is a leading service provider helping over 2,000 refugees and immigrants each year achieve their goals. Our success is due to:

• Programs designed by and for the community: KOM is founded and led by refugees from Burma who understand the needs and goals of the community we serve. Most of our staff and board members are from the communities we serve, giving us a unique ability to provide culturally responsive services and keep pace with the community’s changing needs.
• Providing wraparound support: Our staff take time to understand each person’s situation and make sure they can access all of the resources they need.
• Strong partnerships: KOM values working with partners to help refugees and immigrants access more opportunities and to help other service providers learn how to work with these growing communities.

Thank you so much to Moo Paw for sharing her family's story of her son's recovery through KOM's youth chemical health program.

Support from donors like you makes it possible for KOM to continue providing services without charge to individuals and families. We appreciate gifts in any amount to help refugees from Burma and around the world succeed in their new home.

TA BLUT DOE MAH (thank you so much) for your support!

To learn more about what we do, visit our website: www.mnkaren.org