Skip to main content
Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10

Retired Georgia teacher helps Afghan refugees

FILE - Afghan refugees walk through an Afghan refugee camp at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., on Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
FILE - Afghan refugees walk through an Afghan refugee camp at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., on Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - Afghan refugees walk through an Afghan refugee camp at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., on Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) – On a warm May day, Sissy Hoffman steps out of the car with a bag of goodies.

In one hand, she holds a basket with peanuts, and in the other, she has mulberries. But before she can gain her composure, a toddler runs out of home yelling Bibi, or grandma.

She and the young child embrace.

Sharing a smile, Hoffman says this is the best job she has had since retirement. “When I retire, I want to work with refugee children,” she said. “This is really the crowning glory.”

Hoffman, 70, has spent nine months helping an Afghan refugee family adjust to life in America through the Inspiritus First Families Mentorship program. The program includes teaching English, introducing them to American customs and necessities and providing instruction on how to accomplish daily tasks such as crafting an email.