The Off Ramp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to ending cyclical poverty and creating opportunities to thrive for those who are forcibly displaced. Forcibly displaced people may include refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, and survivors of human trafficking.

how we work

With their proven, three-pronged approach, The Off Ramp and its donors and supporters fund life-changing opportunities for vulnerable people to live and make a living with dignity. They do this through opportunities for skill development, sponsorship for grants or micro-loans, English immersion, crisis intervention, and cultural adjustment. In addition, The Off Ramp provides hands-on marketing and market research training so qualifying artisans can learn and practice a lucrative skill and produce marketable items such as jewelry, clothing, and textiles. With those products, creative entrepreneurs are born and supported to launch brands and small businesses.

about nell

Nell Green is the Executive Director and co-founder of The Off Ramp and its subsidiary Threads by Nomad, and a passionate advocate for refugees and displaced people. As a minister-turned non-profit director, she combines a deep belief that everyone is equal in God’s eyes and her experience with overseas mission work to create opportunities for some of the most vulnerable — displaced people — so they can thrive. In her own words, “I have stretched what I believe is possible for myself, and every time I set out to do the right things for the right reasons the help appears, and we get it done.” When she’s not changing the world, you can find Nell spending time with her two grandchildren, walking her dog, or enjoying her garden with her husband.

about christen

Christen Kinard is the Advancement and Communications Director and co-founder of The Off Ramp and its subsidiary Threads by Nomad. She brings to these endeavors more than a decade's worth of experience in marketing and communications, design, fundraising and retail, as well as small business management. The Off Ramp and Threads by Nomad sit at the intersection of her talents and experience and her love of people and desire to care for them in uncommon ways. "When you see someone for who they are, and not just what you might need from them, that really brings out the best in them." When she's not posting, scrolling, tagging, tweeting, and going live, you can find Christen cooking, snuggling her two dogs, and (honestly) probably shopping online!