About Us
Our Mission
The ArCS Cluster supports refugees and asylum seekers in establishing their lives in our communities by mobilizing a network of local volunteers.
![Children playing_edited.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb5fcc_946676c0ad9a48c2ad4819a8fa21124c~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_97,w_1519,h_898/fill/w_540,h_321,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Children%20playing_edited.jpg)
What We Believe
Over 60 million displaced people around the world today were forced to flee their homes because of war, terrorism or persecution. We believe local volunteers can have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of some of those individuals within our local communities. Just as volunteers enrich the lives of refugees, we believe those we serve enrich our communities by sharing their unique perspectives and gifts.
Who We Serve
We assist refugees in the communities of Arlington, Cambridge, Somerville, Massachusetts and nearby towns. We serve refugees of all races, creeds, and sexual orientations.
What We Do
We mobilize teams of volunteers to support local refugees and asylum seekers who have critical needs. We recognize that refugees require support on each step of their journey, so we provide a range of services to assist them in creating homes, finding work and establishing independent lives in our communities. Our network of volunteers helps those we serve in accessing critical services including safe housing, food, clothing, transportation, medical assistance, vocational training, and much more.
Our cluster has been staffed entirely by volunteers since our founding in 2016. Our services are free of charge - we're just being good neighbors.
Featured Team Member Profile
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb5fcc_3ea4941c15584141a8c5cbb1cd51457f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_216,h_216,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/eb5fcc_3ea4941c15584141a8c5cbb1cd51457f~mv2.jpg)
Eric Segal
Eric founded ArcsCluster in 2016 with the conviction that matching the needs of refugees from all over the world with the generosity of neighbors in the Boston area would only benefit everyone.
Eric has been participating in time for social justice movements his whole life. During the 1980s and 1990s, he sponsored a large family of Cambodians who fled the Khmer Rouge. He has also volunteered for the anti-nuclear movement, Central American solidarity, the rights of homeless people and various electoral campaigns.
Eric is a software worker, father of four and an avid hiker.