August 14, 2026
Honoring a Legacy of Welcome
Barry and Lori Stoll Retire After Years of Serving the Refugee Community
There has been a lot of reflecting around City of Refuge lately.
As our organization celebrates sixteen years of serving refugee families in and around Columbia, I’ve found myself marveling at everything that has transpired. I wasn’t here for those early conversations about starting a cleaning company that would quickly become a nonprofit. I never saw the car that doubled as an office, the massive garage sales that helped fund the mission, or the back room of Nancy Allison’s Shelter Insurance office that she so graciously offered when the team outgrew the car.
But I love hearing those stories.
They remind me that City of Refuge didn’t become what it is today overnight. It all began when Jen Wheeler took a leap of faith to start something that didn’t yet exist. She couldn’t have known where that first “yes” would lead, or how many people would eventually become part of the story.
Through countless miracles, volunteers, staff, donors, community partners, and refugee families, each has added a thread to what has become a vibrant tapestry of welcome, hospitality, service, and empowerment.
This month marks the retirement of two people who have been instrumental in weaving that tapestry: Barry and Lori Stoll.
Barry shared the news in our last Quarterly Update (which you can view here if you missed it), but even after years of preparing for this transition, its reality is bittersweet. Lori was City of Refuge’s very first employee—the one running around Columbia helping refugee families from the back of her car. Barry joined full-time after retiring from his “real job,” and together they helped shape not just our programs, but our culture.
If I had to describe their legacy in one word, it would be relationship.
One of my favorite memories is interviewing with Barry and Lori when I was being considered as Executive Director. The Board wanted to know that I was the right fit for City of Refuge, but they also wanted to know that I was the right fit for Barry and Lori. We connected quickly over our shared faith and a desire to live lives on mission.
Unlike them, though, I knew very little about refugees.
They patiently taught me – not just about refugee resettlement and services, but about seeing the person before the need. Over the years, I’ve watched them navigate tremendous growth with humility, honesty, and unwavering commitment to the people they serve. These aren’t simply clients to them. They are dear friends. Some have even become family through legal adoption.
Even today, we have people walk through our doors from all over the world asking specifically for the Stolls because they’ve heard—through friends, neighbors, and family members—that if they come here, they will be cared for. They will be seen. They will be helped.
What an incredible legacy.
That is the culture we hope to continue long after Barry and Lori’s retirement.
We want City of Refuge to remain the kind of place where every person is known by name. Where refugee families find safety, stability, and the opportunity to thrive. Where relationships matter more than transactions. Where we celebrate together, grieve together, and build genuine friendships that extend far beyond meeting immediate needs.
The coming weeks will certainly carry a measure of sadness as we prepare for this transition. But it is also filled with hope. The foundation Barry and Lori helped build is strong because it was never built around programs alone—it was built around people.
As we step into this next chapter, we remain committed to carrying that legacy forward: to seeing the person in front of us, treating every individual with dignity and honor, and living lives of mission both inside and outside the walls of our organization.
Barry and Lori, thank you.
Thank you for loving generously. Thank you for believing in people. Thank you for reminding all of us that the greatest work we do isn’t measured in programs or buildings, but in relationships.
Because of you, Columbia is a more welcoming place for refugees. Because of you, countless lives have been changed. And because of you, City of Refuge will always be a place where people are welcomed, known, and loved.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll have more opportunities to celebrate Barry and Lori and thank them for the incredible impact they’ve had on City of Refuge and our community. We hope you’ll join us in honoring a legacy that will continue shaping this organization for years to come.
Debbie Beal
Executive Director
