LHI’s Humanitarian Aid Warehouse in Utah is home to its Beyond Borders program, which was started by volunteer Carlissa Larsen in 2016. Now she serves as Volunteer Co-Director of Utah Operations.
Q: Why did you start the Beyond Borders project?
Edward Everett Hale once said "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."
When I first started hearing of the refugee crisis, reading the stories in the news and seeing the pictures, I realized that I could not stand idly by and watch the suffering of these men, women, and children without doing something. I had to do something. Like many of you, a humanitarian trip overseas was not realistic for me and my circumstances, so volunteering through LHI became the "something" that I could do. I understood that by myself I could do very little, but collectively, with the help and support of the community, the impact, and the good that we could do would be endless. And so I started the Beyond Borders project. Alone I could do something, but together with the combined efforts of the community we could relieve suffering in innumerable ways. My mission then became, and is now, to implore you to consider, what is the "something" that you can do? I encourage you to do it.
Q: What would you like people to know about the global refugee situation?
No matter how dark the world refugee situation may seem, there is always a flame of hope. But someone must hold the candle. There is something that everyone can do, and when we unite our efforts, no matter how small our individual flames may be, the combined warmth can ignite a blazing hope that cannot be ignored, illuminating the fact that there is still good in this world. That kindness can still prevail, and humanity is not lost. So pick up your candle and strike a match. Or just as important, pick up your pen and write a check. Do something about the inhumanity you see in the world. You are not the future. You are the present. And you have the power within you to make the world a better place from right where you are, right now. So change the world.
Q: You mentioned that there is something for everyone to do. Many people want to help refugees, they just don’t know how. Can you share some ideas of things that people can do to get involved with the Beyond Borders project?
This is actually one of the reasons I got involved with LHI. I saw that LHI provides the how. Here’s a list of just some of the ways you can start helping refugees right now:
Like us on social media and share our posts, especially our needs posts.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Host a service project collecting items and making needed kits (school kits, hygiene kits, etc).
Donate needed humanitarian aid supplies. Purchase items through our Amazon Wishlist and they will be shipped directly to our Humanitarian Aid Warehouse!
Donate cash to support Beyond Borders.
Host a small fundraising event like a dinner with friends and ask them to donate what they would pay for the price of their meal if they were to eat out.
List LHI as your Amazon Smile charity so Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchases to help us help refugees.
Make a blanket, a beanie hat, a scarf, or a drawstring backpack.
Explore our website or email us for additional information and more ways to help.
If you are in Utah, you can also:
Volunteer at our warehouse to help us sort and box humanitarian aid supplies.
Volunteer to help us load the shipping containers.
Register your Smith’s grocery card with LHI as your charity of choice and then every time you shop with your Smith’s card, Smith’s will donate a percentage of your purchase to help us help refugees.
Thank you so much, Carlissa, for your dedication to helping refugees around the world!
Click here to learn more about getting involved with our Beyond Borders program!