What Giving Back Looks Like (and Feels Like) in Real Time 🌍
A love letter to community, courage, and the uncomfortable truth that it took me too long to get here.
Wednesday morning, I traded in my usual latte-fueled scroll for something with a little more bite: Columbus Young Professionals’ Coffee with a Cause series. I walked in thinking I’d sip some brew, smile politely, and maybe feel inspired. What I didn’t expect was to be cracked wide open by a panel of community workers who.. no exaggeration.. are holding the fragile seams of our city together.
We're talking translators, trauma counselors, case managers, school liaisons, medical access teams, immigration lawyers, and job placement heroes; folks who work directly with immigrant and refugee families building brand-new lives in Columbus, often with nothing but grit, resilience, and the clothes they came in wearing.
And here’s what shook me:
Despite facing unimaginable loss, language gaps, trauma, and real fear around deportation or separation, these “New Americans” show up hungry to contribute.
Their energy is electric. Purposeful. Unapologetically hopeful.
One panelist said, “They must make this new life work.” And you could feel the weight and truth of that sentence hang in the air.
And yet, amid that tenacity, support systems are starting to crumble.
The current administration’s proposed Medicaid cuts, increased ICE raids, and policy shifts are already having an impact: programs are being canceled, attendance is down, and misinformation is spreading like wildfire. Refugee agencies are being forced to rewrite paid job descriptions into volunteer roles just to keep services alive.
So here I am, squirming in my seat, wondering how I can help.
Because here’s the thing.. I’m not the human who can show up on weekday afternoons to translate at a clinic or drive someone to their green card appointment. I’m a business owner, a mom of three, a person with maybe three brain tabs open at any given time, all titled “URGENT.” My hands are full, and I know yours probably are too.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t show up.
It just means we have to get creative.
This moment reignited something I’ve felt tugging at my sleeve for years.. the desire to build a formal give-back initiative into Together Textiles. My own life is so deeply tied to this community.
Güven is a first-generation immigrant who came to America when he was 30 years old. I watched him (and helped him) file endless paperwork to become a U.S. citizen. We’ve navigated systems, ceremonies, setbacks. We’ve danced between two cultures, two languages and two time zones. I’ve lived abroad in Türkiye—twice—and have seen up close how displacement affects everything: family, identity, safety, joy.
So it’s personal.
And yet, until now, I’ve kept my giving small and quiet.. donating robes for auctions, saying yes to one-off fundraisers. But that’s not enough anymore.
🧵 It’s time to stitch our values into the fabric of this brand.
Pun extremely intended.
In the coming months, I’ll be announcing a Together Textiles initiative to support refugee families right here in Columbus. I’m exploring ways to partner with agencies like:
US Together – A mutual assistance agency founded by and for former refugees, serving Central Ohio with heart and hustle.
ETSS – Serving New Americans with education, job readiness, and wraparound support.
The New American Program – A city-led initiative focused on inclusion, cultural exchange, and practical services for our newest neighbors.
The idea is still taking shape.. will it be memberships, mentorships, garment donations, a percentage of profits? I’m not sure yet. But I know this: I want to do more than talk about warmth. I want to give it.
If you’ve been feeling that same “what can I do?” itch, start small. Share facts over fear. Learn about the programs that exist. Donate if you can. Amplify. Ask your business how it can do a little more.
We’re not here to be perfect.
We’re here to be present.
And maybe, to make something beautiful out of this messy, brave, stitched-together world we’re in.
With warmth,
Allie 🧡