Phimmasone Kym Owens, Founder and Executive Director
Message from Our Founder
Support RGI This Holiday Season: Help Us Grow Together
As we approach our second year, Refugee Garden Initiatives (RGI) has already achieved significant milestones. In just a short time, we’ve secured three locations and developed a solid business plan, laying the groundwork for a brighter future. Now, we’re looking to expand our farm program and begin hiring dedicated personnel to further our mission.
This holiday season, we need your support to reach our goals. Your generous donations will directly help cover operational costs, enabling us to continue growing culturally appropriate foods for our clients. At RGI, we understand that food is more than sustenance—it’s a basic right, a cornerstone of health, and a reflection of cultural heritage.
For many refugees, access to familiar foods is essential not just for nutrition but for maintaining well-being. Differences in food norms and dietary traditions can lead to health challenges as our bodies adapt best to the foods we’ve grown up with. That’s why RGI is committed to working with the refugee community to explore and grow organic, locally sourced options that align with their cultural diets—right here in Michigan.
Food is also about connection, history, and storytelling. Every ingredient and every dish carries a story, a memory, and a sense of belonging. Through our work, we help preserve these foodways, passing down a rich legacy to the next generation. Food welcomes, comforts, and celebrates—bringing people together in a shared experience of culture and community.
This holiday season, join us in creating a welcoming environment for refugees in their new homes. Your contribution will help us celebrate the power of food to connect, heal, and honor the diverse stories within our community.
Together, let’s grow hope, history, and heritage—one garden at a time.
Peace to you,
Phimmasone Kym Owens
Phimmasone with volunteers on The Farm on Jennings - Fall 2024
Who We Are
Refugee Garden Initiatives (RGI) emerged in 2021, sparked by a profound question during Phimmasone Kym Owens' Social Work course: "How can you be an agent of change?" Rooted in her love for gardening and her own refugee background, Phimmasone founded RGI. The pivotal lessons learned during our 2022 prototype garden, primarily from single refugee mothers, led us to focus on this underserved and underrepresented population.
Why Single Refugee Mothers: Through the 2022 prototype garden, we discovered that the majority of our refugee participants were single mothers. Their stories resonated deeply with us, highlighting their underprivileged status and unmet needs. Phimmasone, herself a single refugee mother and a University of Michigan alum, saw an opportunity to leverage her privilege and education. She is driven to pay this forward by providing transformative opportunities to other single refugee mothers.
A Holistic Approach to Thrive: At RGI, we believe in a holistic approach to empower single refugee mothers, ensuring they thrive, not just survive:
Trauma-Informed Care: We recognize the significance of addressing the trauma many refugees carry. Our programs include mental health support and counseling to help participants heal and grow.
Food Security: Our culturally diverse gardens provide sustenance and honor ancestral traditions, alleviating the food security challenges refugees face in a new homeland.
Education: We offer comprehensive ESL programs, along with life and work skills training, empowering participants to engage fully in their new communities.
Entrepreneurship Opportunities: Through entrepreneurship initiatives, we foster self-reliance, giving single refugee mothers the tools they need to succeed.
Amplifying Voices: RGI provides a platform for storytelling and advocacy, ensuring that the experiences, struggles, and dreams of our beneficiaries are heard and acted upon.
Empowering Through Phimmasone's Success: Phimmasone's journey as an entrepreneur stands as a testament to what is possible. Her success inspires us to continue forging pathways for single refugee mothers, offering them opportunities to thrive, succeed, and create brighter futures.
Why Your Support Matters: Your support is the driving force behind our holistic mission. By joining hands with RGI, you empower single refugee mothers to heal, learn, grow, and prosper.
Join us in making a difference—click the "Donate" button below or in the top navigation menu to discover more and make your contribution today.
Volunteers assist in the installation of fencing around the perimeter of the 2022 prototype garden.
Refugee clients actively engage in the 2022 prototype garden site.
Board of Directors
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Dr. Suchiraphon (Su) McKeithen-Polish
PRESIDENT
Dr. Suchiraphon (Su) McKeithen-Polish was born and raised in Thailand and lived in various countries due to her father's diplomatic career. She is a highly accomplished and influential figure in the field of bilingual education and community leadership. With a wealth of experience and expertise, she currently serves as a Bilingual Education Program/Title III Consultant at Macomb ISD and is an active member of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) EL Advisory Committee, EL Statewide Network, and the National Association of Bilingual Education. Additionally, she holds the esteemed position of Commissioner of the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC) and serves as the President of the Council of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA).
Dr. Su is also a devoted spouse and parent to three accomplished daughters, each flourishing in their respective fields of study and work.
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Thavone Phommavongsa-Huinil
SECRETARY
As a Lao refugee, she understands the challenges that refugees and immigrants face daily. She is a senior adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University and advocates for all groups to access behavioral and mental health treatments. She is a certified Imago Relationship Therapist who strengthens connections and fosters healthier communication patterns. She has a private practice in Grand Rapids, MI.
In her personal life, Thavone loves spending time with her blended family of five children and her partner, Ian Huinil-Jimenez, from the Indigenous Mayan tribe. She has a diverse food palette and enjoys trying various foods. Additionally, she loves nature and animals, spending as much time outdoors as she can.
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Weronika Damek Valvano
TREASURER
Weronika Damek Valvano is a current MPH student in Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Weronika was born in Poland and resided there until she was 8 years old, when her family immigrated to the United Kingdom. She immigrated to the United States following graduation from a university. Outside of academia and volunteer work, Weronika enjoys hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and growing flowers.