About us
Welcome to Taste of Home, a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by Soraya Johansson, a passionate student and refugee advocate based in the Bay Area. Our mission is to provide newly resettled refugees with a taste of home by curating boxes filled with cultural ingredients that bring comfort and familiarity during times of transition.
Growing up, Soraya felt deeply connected to her Persian and Swedish heritage through food, which inspired her to share that sense of belonging with others. In 8th grade, she launched Taste of Home Refugee Welcome Baskets, donating over 60 baskets to the Sacramento Food Bank with the support of her school and community. This small initiative sparked a greater vision: what began as baskets has now evolved into carefully curated boxes, allowing us to include a broader range of items and reach more families in need.
Today, Taste of Home partners with the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services to create culturally tailored boxes for Afghan, Ukrainian, Sudanese, and Syrian refugees arriving in the Bay Area. By focusing on the unique flavors and scents that connect people to their roots, we aim to offer comfort and support to those navigating the challenges of resettlement. As we grow, we plan to expand our boxes to reflect even more cultures and traditions, ensuring every refugee feels seen and welcomed.
Our baskets are more than just food; they are a bridge to the familiar—a way to bring a piece of home to a new place.
Join us in making a difference, one box at a time. Donate today or share our mission with your community. Together, we can bring comfort, connection, and a sense of belonging to refugees seeking a fresh start.
Thank you for supporting Taste of Home and helping create a more welcoming world!
Soraya Johansson
Soraya Johansson is an 11th-grade student, refugee advocate, and nonprofit founder based in the Bay Area. Outside of school, she loves exploring architecture, reading novels, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Her passion for refugee advocacy is deeply personal, inspired by her mother’s experience fleeing the Islamic Revolution. Growing up in a Persian and Swedish household, food was a way for her to connect with her heritage and the stories of her family. This passion inspired her to launch Taste of Home in 8th grade, an initiative that began with refugee welcome baskets and has since grown into curated boxes filled with cultural ingredients. Through her work, Soraya aims to bring comfort and connection to refugees, helping them feel closer to their roots in unfamiliar surroundings.
Read this article to learn more about the origins of the project: http://www.hillbrook.us/voices/2021/10/a-taste-of-home-for-afghan-refugees/