Why this work is urgent
The crisis behind every program we run.
Our programs exist because the data demands it. Forced displacement, the ORR 5-year cliff, and the invisible struggles of first- and second-generation youth create a compounding crisis that mainstream systems were not designed to address.
117.3M
Forcibly displaced globally
Highest number ever recorded — mid-2024.
Source: UNHCR Global Trends 2024
5 years
ORR support window
Federal assistance ends regardless of stability achieved.
Source: ORR Policy, 45 CFR §400
2×
Mental health risk
Refugee youth face double the rate of depression and PTSD vs. peers.
Source: Am. Journal of Public Health, 2022
67%
2nd-gen youth report isolation
Caught between cultures — belonging fully to neither.
Source: Migration Policy Institute, 2023
1st Generation
Arrived as refugees or immigrants
- Language barriers limit school and workforce access
- Trauma from conflict, detention, or dangerous journeys
- ORR support ends at 5 years — often before full stability
- Cultural isolation and loss of community identity
- Navigating U.S. systems without trusted guides
2nd Generation
U.S.-born children of immigrants & refugees
- Identity conflict — "too American" at home, "too foreign" at school
- Pressure to translate and navigate systems for parents
- Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and school disengagement
- Underrepresented in college-prep and leadership pipelines
- Invisible to systems designed for either immigrants or citizens
The isolation gap
After 5 years of ORR support, social isolation often intensifies — not fades.
Research shows that refugee families who lose formal support after year 5 frequently experience increased social withdrawal, reduced civic participation, and higher rates of youth disengagement from school. Without trusted community anchors, the gains of early resettlement can unravel. More Than A Smile Foundation is designed specifically to fill this gap — long-term, community-rooted, and trusted.
Sources: Migration Policy Institute (2023); APA Stress in America Report (2022); ORR Annual Report to Congress (2023)
If you need help now
Immediate support resources for families and youth.
Whether you need a program, a referral, legal guidance, or someone to talk to — these resources are here for you.
Get support from us
Connect with our team for youth programs, family navigation, language support, and trusted community referrals.
Know your rights
Understand your rights as an immigrant, tenant, worker, and parent — with emergency ICE guidance and downloadable guides.
Our programs
Youth development, mental health, sports, leadership, women's empowerment, and global cultural exchange — all free or low-cost.
Crisis hotlines
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) · National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 · RAINN: 1-800-656-4673
Our response
We don't wait for the crisis to pass. We build through it.
More Than A Smile Foundation was built by people who lived this crisis — immigrant and refugee community members who know what it means to navigate systems alone, lose support at year 5, and watch youth fall through the gaps.
Our programs are designed to be long-term, culturally responsive, and community-led — because that's what the data, and our community, tell us is needed.
20,000+
Youth served since 2016
Documented engagements across all programs
6
Active programs
Youth development, sports, wellness, leadership, family support, global exchange
20+
Community partners
Local organizations, schools, funders, and government agencies
10+
Years of community work
Grassroots since 2016 · 501(c)(3) since 2023