SAN DIEGO — This year has been a mix of emotions for many Afghan Americans like Fatima Grismer, who felt a call to action to help the thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban overseas.

"Once I realized how many families were going to be coming to the United States and how different life is here and how more expensive everything is here, I just knew I wanted to help. I'm Afghan, and these are my people," Grismer said.

For the last four months, she's raised funds and partnered with organizations such as Helping El Cajon Refugees, Second Families San Diego and the San Diego Afghan Refugees Aid group to collectively help over 150 families in the area resettle and connect with services. 

In October, Grismer introduced Spectrum News to a family from the Hazara community, a Shiite minority group in Afghanistan with a long history of persecution, according to Minority Rights Group International. It's an ethnic group that also has been a target of the Taliban, which now maintains control of Afghanistan. 

"Besides Kabul, we couldn't go anywhere safely because of the threat of the Taliban. We always feared that if they take over Kabul, our lives would be in danger," the father of the family said.

He said his family's flight took off just one hour before chaos ensued at the Hamid Karzai International Airport the same day Kabul fell to the Taliban. But now, with the help of Grismer and the other organizations, the family is rebuilding their lives in SoCal.

"The father and the eldest son got jobs which is huge because they had such limited financial resources. The three other kids, the two sisters and brother had already started school a couple months ago," Grismer said.

Now, with a new year on the horizon, Grismer is making plans to expand an online tutoring program, recruit more volunteers and raise funds to help more families. At the same time, she's hoping this work will lead to awareness and assistance for those still in the country.

"There's still work to be done, but I really hope that we can see the families that we've helped so far, really thrive, and that they are all working and that the kids are doing well in school and happy. I mean that's the goal," she said.

It's a goal she's turned into her passion by welcoming the next wave of Afghan refugees with open arms.