A similar model drives Hope Boutique, where women sew together garments, decorations and take custom orders, building small businesses from their homes.
Beyond income opportunities, the organization also focuses on mobility — both literal and long-term. Through community donations, volunteers have helped secure used cars for women enrolled in driving classes, expanding access to jobs, education and daily necessities.
“We’ve given out about 15 to 20 cars, so far,” Khan says. “We’ll take the cars to a mechanic to make sure that there are no problems with them before we give them to our women.”
The majority of their donations come from their online presence on social media. With more than 3,000 followers on Instagram, the program uses daily posts to connect with supporters and meet the needs of the women it serves.
“We’re all over Dallas, but Instagram is our main resource,” she says. “We put everything there — our stories, what’s happening, what we’ve achieved. When people see a woman’s story, why she’s here and why she needs a car, they understand how much it can help.”
And help they have received.
According to its first-quarter impact report, the organization helped 24 families avoid eviction, provided grocery assistance to more than 400 households, and supported five students who completed driving classes, with three currently enrolled.
Even as the organization expands its reach, external pressures have made the work more difficult.
Government shutdowns and shifting immigration policies have disrupted parts of the resettlement system, delaying services and limiting support for families arriving in North Texas.
“We’re talking about people who have already gone through the legal process,” Khan says. “It takes five or six years. (Families) were on their way, and when the flight bans happened, they were stuck. They couldn’t go back, and they couldn’t move forward.”
Khan explained that some Afghan refugees remain stranded in places like Qatar and Algeria, unable to complete their journeys unless they can secure additional funds or travel on their own. Others have been forced to rely on loans from family or friends in order to continue forward.
“We haven’t seen many (families) come through since then,” she says.
While some refugee populations, such as those from Ukraine, have received more structured government support, others continue to face significant gaps in assistance. Khan pointed to Syrians, Sudanese and Afghan families as among those still in need.
As a result, the organization has seen increased requests for urgent assistance from individuals seeking shelter, transportation or help navigating travel logistics when returning to their home country voluntarily.
“We try to make sure people are safe and supported through whatever next step they have to take,” she says.