TMA Homes Not Borders: Refugee Economic Empowerment VISTA

Since the fall of Kabul in August, 2021, Homes Not Borders has grown from a small volunteer group that prepared an average of one apartment per week for incoming refugees to one of the largest independent nonprofits serving refugees and SIVs in the greater DC area. Through partnerships with resettlement agencies, including the IRC,¿HNB¿now furnishes the equivalent of 6-10 apartments per week and has positively impacted hundreds if not thousands, of newly arrived families.¿HNB endeavors to ensure that clients have access to the tools they need to thrive in their new homes, and that the apartments we prepare are not just places to sleep at night but homes where our clients can feel empowered and secure in all aspects of their lives.¿¿

HNB is currently looking to refocus our programs on supporting refugee families that are already living in the country and supporting them beyond the first weeks of their arrival. We are looking to expand our Storytelling and Newcomers to Neighbors program to help speed up the integration of families into their new communities as well as provide a way for refugees to tell their stories and be compensated for it..¿As the majority of refugees come with little to no financial resources and receive only 90 days of direct support, the TMA AmeriCorps VISTA creating and implementing these programs will be critical in ensuring self-sufficiency and providing the tools our clients need to¿successfully grow and integrate in their new communities