Through the Immigration & Refugee Outreach Center (IROC), we’re helping the Khodadadi family get settled in their new home in Hyattsville, Maryland.
They immigrated from Afghanistan in the spring of 2025 with Special Immigration Status for Afghans, and need help establishing themselves. They are truly starting from scratch.
The family has five children: four daughters and one son. The girls are 16, 14, 10, and 1; the boy is 8.
We’ve compiled a wish list of things they’ve specifically asked for (along with a few things we think they need—like a booster car seat for the baby). Will you check your closets and see if there’s anything you might be able to pull out and pass along?
Grateful for your help,
Phoebe Smith & Lauren Cattaneo
Do you have, or do you know someone who might have, any of these items to give to a family of Afghan refugees?
Blender
This is a kitchen appliance they specifically requested, but we imagine that a food processor or anything similar might also work.
Electric juicer
But they’d happily accept a traditional/manual juicer, too.
Sewing Notions
Quality sewing scissors, thread, bobbins, etc. — even fabric? The mother now has a sewing machine, which she is apparently good with, and just needs associated elements.
Pillows
A family of seven needs a lot of bed pillows. They also have a big (used) sofa and could use throw pillows to dress it up a bit.
For the kids
The little boy loves motorcycles and was thrilled with a delivery of stuffed animals. The 10 year-old girl is interested in medical equipment (perhaps wants to be a doctor — but is probably old enough that she’d likely be happier with a real stethoscope or blood pressure machine and the like, than with toy versions). The one-year-old would benefit from toddler toys, blocks, etc. She also needs a booster car seat. The 14 year-old likes to cook, so any kitchen equipment is a winner. And the 16 year old would love some painting supplies.
School supplies
They have a few notebooks and the like, but we can imagine them benefitting from sketchbooks, scissors, colored pencils, etc. if you’ve got some kicking around.
School uniforms
Size 0 women’s wide-leg khaki pants. The high school uniform requires khaki pants, and most standard uniform pants are narrow-legged. The family is Muslim and would prefer wide leg pants. Someone donated a pair from Uniqlo that the mother LOVED.
Dining room chairs
They have a table, but only two folding chairs for their family of seven. Anyone have a set of chairs to pass along?
Dresser or chest of drawers
We imagine they’d accept a range of sizes or styles.
Smart phones
The family has one active cell phone number, but the teen girls especially are eager to have smart phones (ideally iPhones) — basically to use as old-school iPod touches. Anyone have an old phone you’d meant to recycle? Or planning an upgrade soon, and are willing to pass on your current phone?
Employment
The father is taking English classes, but needs work that does not require command of the English language, ideally somewhere in Hyattsville. The complication is that their baby has frequent need for medical appointments (she has an extra bone in her back), and the mother does not drive. So the father needs a little bit of grace and flexibility at any job in order to take his daughter for care.
Toiletries
For this family and others, one of the big ongoing needs, according to other IROC volunteers, are basic hygiene products like soap and shampoo. If you have a collection of sample-size toothpaste, toothbrushes, and dental floss in your bathroom cabinet from years of dentists trips, we can distribute those to new families.
And if you’re headed to Costco and want to contribute, consider picking up a big package of soap bars, or shampoo, or tampons, or diapers (the baby in this family is currently in size 4)? We’d take and distribute any of those items to the Khodadadi family and others.
Anything else?
If you’re doing a house or cabinet purge, send photos of whatever you’re getting rid of. The family hasn’t turned down many of the things we’ve offered so far.
What to be more involved?
The IROC organization currently has more refugee families than it has participants in their “New Neighbors” program. If you’d be interested in “adopting” a refugee family, they’d love to hear from you.