Our Work

Refugee families come to the United States seeking a safe haven from violence and persecution in their home countries. They leave behind family and friends, as well as virtually everything they own. Many Americans, seeing these families in their communities, wonder: What can I do to help? Miry's List provides a mechanism for people to directly help new arrival refugee families with the things that they need to get started in their new lives – from diapers to beds to cleaning supplies and toiletries.

Our Approach

Our approach is divided into three chronological pillars that start from our families’ first steps off the plane:

Survive

Brand new arrival families are in “survival mode,” often living in motel rooms, jet-lagged, quiet, confused and scared. The goal in this initial phase is for each family member to rest, relax, and do whatever they need to do to feel safe. Services offered in Survive include: temporary housing, meal and groceries delivery, emergency supplies like diapers, wipes, cell phones, car seats.

Hive

Once a family has moved into their permanent home, we begin the Hive phase of our program. Our compassionate community surrounds our families with the people, services, and things they need to rebuild their lives. Services offered in Hive include: Wishlist creation, English tutoring, playdates and social gatherings, shopping trips, rides to appointments, career development and mentoring, pregnancy support.

Thrive

Refugees no longer, in the Thrive phase, our families feel safe, empowered, hopeful, and supported. One way we can tell that a family has reached the Thrive phase is when they ask about volunteering opportunities with Miry’s List. Refugees in survival model don't wonder whether their neighbors are struggling too -- their own immediate needs are too pressing. Thriving neighbors wonder how they can help other people around them. Services offered in Thrive include: New Arrival Supper Club event catering, volunteer and work opportunities at Miry’s List, specialized workshops and classes, reimbursement for job-seeking expenses, car donations, travel loan relief.

Our Method

Miry's List uses crowdsourcing and social media to connect people like you, who want to help, with new refugee families who have needs that are not completely met by the organizations that sponsor them. Each family has unique needs – some have small children, elderly grandparents, or members with disabilities. So each family has a unique "list" of supplies that they need to get started. Here's how it works:

We hear of a newly arrived refugee family and go meet them in their first home – typically a scantily furnished (or unfurnished!) apartment, or even a motel room.

Working with the family (and often a translator), a volunteer listmaker constructs a list of items, prioritized by need.

This list is published as an Amazon Wishlist to make it available to generous donors who want to help by purchasing specific items for specific families. The items are then sent directly to the families.

Take a look at The Lists now to see the families we are currently helping, and to help fulfill their lists! It's that simple to help a new refugee family.

We also support refugee families through delivery of donated furniture and other large items, and special events like the New Arrival Supper Club.

Our Impact

2019 Annual Report