Written by Garrett Gibbons
Kirsten helped her friend Ellin organize a small Thanksgiving dinner for the 40 Syrian refugees who they meet with on a regular basis.
“It’s great to do something a little bigger than myself.”
She made a little post on Facebook, asking if anyone wanted to donate food, and it lead to a huge response. More than 25 people donated cash, raising over $1000 for this event; more than 50 people donated food and drinks, and a few dozen more came and helped prepare and serve the food. Seeing that the event was growing, Impact Hub donated their large and beautiful space in downtown Seattle to fit all of the people involved.
Kirsten is overwhelmed at the outpouring of goodness from so many people, and is thankful for the people who were once strangers to these refugees who came to meet them and share a meal together.
When the meal was over, the remaining food was donated to the Union Gospel Mission homeless shelter across the street, who estimated that it would provide for 1500 meals over the coming days. Truly an outpouring of generosity throughout the community!
Helping ITPs Succeed: Insights from Leading Support Programs
Partner Profile: No One Left Behind
Their Story is Our Story and No One Left Behind (NOLB) joined forces in 2025 to launch the StoryShield program.
We spoke with Matthew Marcellus, Director of Communications with NOLB, and asked what the partnership with TSOS has meant for his organization and their Afghan clients.
Context with Layma
Social media presents us with an endless scroll of headlines and ‘hot takes’. What’s often missing is context. What is the history that led up to an event? Whose interests are served by a certain policy? What effects is that policy having on people’s lives? Layma Murtaza produces and hosts the video series “Context with Layma”, featured on Their Story is Our Story’s social media channels. We spoke to her about the context of her own life, as an Afghan-American and a professional in humanitarian aid, that led her to use storytelling to illuminate the personal and political context behind the headlines.