Community Engagement

Through the Ethnic Community Self Help Program and broader community initiatives, HMI strengthens both individual outcomes and regional support systems. Programs supported through ECSH, including workforce ESL, GED preparation, and youth engagement, are paired with large scale community efforts such as the Inland Empire Refugee Forum, Riverside Community Resource Fair, and ongoing workshops. Signature events including International Women’s Day, World Refugee Day, Peace Day, and the 10 Year Anniversary Gala bring together community members, partners, and leaders to build connection, visibility, and collective impact. Together, these efforts ensure that newcomer families are not only supported, but fully integrated into a thriving and inclusive community.

Women’s Empowerment and Economic Mobility

HMI’s Women’s Equity Initiative advances independence, confidence, and economic opportunity for refugee women. Through this program, women have gained access to driving education, obtained licenses, and launched home based businesses, creating new pathways toward financial autonomy. Support from the Dollar General grant has further strengthened these efforts, expanding access to education and resources for women and families. This work centers dignity and opportunity, ensuring that women are equipped to lead within their households and communities.

Our Local Work

In 2025, HMI’s programs came together to do more than provide services, they helped rebuild lives. Through the Afghan Newcomer Support Program, Ukrainian Newcomer Support Program, Refugee Career Pathways, Afghan Refugee School Impact Program, Ethnic Community Self Help Program, and Community ESL Program, over 400 individuals were supported as they navigated what it means to start over. Families arrived carrying uncertainty, but through consistent, culturally responsive care, they found guidance, stability, and a community that chose to walk alongside them.

Across each program, moments of transformation became visible. Parents secured stable housing after months of instability. Students found confidence in the classroom and began to see new futures for themselves. Adults who once felt limited by language barriers began pursuing education, certifications, and meaningful careers. Through Refugee Career Pathways, individuals moved beyond survival work and reconnected with their professional identities, while education programs like Afghan Refugee School Impact and Community ESL opened doors for both youth and adults to grow, learn, and belong.

At its core, this year’s programming was about connection. The Ethnic Community Self Help Program and HMI’s broader initiatives created spaces where people felt seen, supported, and valued. Workshops turned into conversations, and conversations turned into relationships that strengthened entire families. What this year made clear is that when individuals are supported with care, dignity, and opportunity, they do not just rebuild their lives, they begin to thrive, and in doing so, they strengthen the entire community around them.

Our Global Work 

Where someone is born should not determine whether they have access to education, safety, or opportunity. Yet for many refugee families around the world, these basic rights remain out of reach. In 2025, HMI’s global efforts continued through our work at the Torbalı field site in Türkiye and through our broader Global Humanitarian Aid and Advocacy efforts, while also expanding access to higher education through the Community Sponsor Circles program.

At the Torbalı site, our work focused on creating moments of learning, care, and possibility. Children participated in educational and creative sessions that supported literacy, critical thinking, and psychosocial well being, while families received essential items such as clothing, hygiene supplies, and educational materials. At the same time, through the Community Sponsor Circles program in partnership with the University of California, Riverside, HMI supported refugee students in accessing higher education in the United States. These scholarships provided not only financial support, but also a pathway toward long term academic and professional success.

Across all refugee communities, both locally and globally, HMI’s work is guided by a shared vision of change. We aim to create a world where displacement does not define a person’s future, and where every individual has access to education, opportunity, and a sense of belonging. Whether in Riverside or Torbalı, our commitment remains the same, to walk alongside refugee families as they rebuild, invest in their potential, and create pathways where they can truly thrive.

Growing our reach each year.