OUR PASSION AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Hope Care and Beyond’s (HCB) directors of operations and community engagement immigrated from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to Canada, and finally to the U.S. for work, settling in Michigan over 30 years ago. While both were well educated and connected, they saw that their story was not one that other immigrants, and especially many refugees, shared. Though it was challenging at first to navigate and familiarize themselves with some of the American systems, they found Americans welcoming, helpful, and openhearted, aiding them in acclimating to life in a new, Western and American culture. Since then, it has been their goal to help immigrants and refugees connect to the same positive experiences and types of guidance they received by forming strong community partnerships with local community organizations.

The Directors developed HCB, a privately funded 501(c)3, non-profit human care project. Through relationship building, its mission became to help meet the basic physical and social needs of refugees and immigrants in Michigan and the United States as they transitioned to life as new Americans with the eventual goal of bringing them to a level of stability and self-sufficiency by collaborating with local churches, businesses, community organizations and a network of volunteers. 

The response to this segment of the populations’ needs was overwhelmingly positive amongst those receiving services and with other social service networks that would refer refugee and immigrant families and individuals to HCB for help. As a result, the decision was made to create Hope Care and Beyond into a separate arm of service. Program services have since expanded to include marginalized populations in local communities in addition to continuing to support refugee and immigrant communities. Today, HCB, in partnership with community leaders, organizations, and volunteers offers a myriad of services and resources accessible through community hubs known as International Friendship Centers (IFCs). It is through these centers that refugee, immigrant, and disenfranchised families/individuals can access:

• Basic needs pantries for assistance with food, clothing, and basic housewares

Quality-of-life building resources and classes such as: 

• English as a second language (ESL) class
• Citizenship and Cultural assimilation classes
• Sewing skill classes
• Many other resources and services  

 IFCs are based in the communities where there is recognized need helping ensure that programming is well attended by decreasing the limitations lack of transportation can bring. 

HCB’s motto is “Together, We Can!”, one that rings true because of the great team and community effort of partnership employed to help refugee, immigrant, and disenfranchised families/individuals have a sense of belonging and gain the satisfaction of becoming self-reliant. In order for our programming to remain successful, HCB realizes that it is important that the native-born communities and international/disenfranchised families/individuals see themselves as allies, essential to building and growing their communities, together. As such, we employ a program model that relies heavily on community engagement through volunteerism which encourages and builds upon involvement from local communities. Participation from the neighboring communities is open and encouraged as we affirm this by seeking our volunteer base within the local community and offering community-building events and gatherings. HCB desires to help each group to create a partnership in which each sees how they are able to share, and contribute, equally. With IFCs currently in Warren and Dearborn, MI, HCB seeks to expand to offering additional IFC locations in the Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland Counties in Michigan.