In 1975, a Communist group known as the Khmer Rouge came into
power in Cambodia. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, they ordered
the evacuation of Cambodia's towns and cities, forcing more than
2.5 million civilians into provincial labor camps. Approximately
1.7 million Cambodians perished from starvation, exhaustion and
malnutrition. Others were tortured or executed for being
"enemies of the state." When the Khmer regime was overthrown in
1979, Cambodians sought refuge in Thailand and other countries.
Nearly 150,000 Cambodians sought refuge in the United States.
Deeply moved by their efforts to find a new home, Phyllis
Tompkins, a member of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, initiated
efforts to gather local resources for the needs of Cambodian
refugees resettling in Western New York. Other local churches
expressed support. The work of Journey's End had begun, and soon
we began providing a range of services to refugees from all over
the world. In 1998, Journey's End forged a stronger and more
direct relationship w