The Arab-American Family Support Center, Inc.

Through our Readiness Program, we teach English reading and writing to adults, many of whom are illiterate in their native language. Through group classroom instruction and individual tutoring, we meet our students where they are to ensure success. We also offer civic engagement classes by which 100% of participants pass their citizenship exams. Given the challenges associated with finding and securing employment, we offer job readiness sessions, where we help our students prepare resumes, learn about opportunities, and receive support during the application process.

AAFSC created our Legal Services Program to address discrimination, racial profiling, loss of employment, detentions, and deportations against the AMENAMSA community in the wake of post-9/11 hostility. Our program has since evolved into a multi-faceted unit providing family-based immigration services, helping immigrants navigate American bureaucracy, citizenship, and family reunification. Our linguistically-accessible services support underserved immigrants and refugees become knowledgeable about their rights, remain with their families, and navigate their immigrant proceedings with confidence and security.

Through our Community Health & Well-being Program, AAFSC seeks to ensure that all families have the knowledge and tools to manage healthy behaviors, seek care when needed, and live healthy lives. Our Health Program staff connect individuals and families with affordable health care and nutritional assistance benefits. AAFSC is proud to be an official partner of NYC Care, a health care access program that guarantees services at little or no cost to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. This city-wide program allows all New Yorkers to access affordable health care with dignity and respect, regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay.

AAFSC also actively supports individuals in overcoming food insecurity through SNAP enrollment assistance and regular food distribution.

Through our Anti-Violence Program, we work to end partner violence, create equitable relationships, and revolutionize gendered discussions. We partner with the New York City Family Justice Centers to serve survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and trafficking. Our Case Managers are there for survivors of violence during times of crisis, helping them process emotions and build safety plans and providing legal advocacy, court accompaniments, translation services, assistance with Orders of Protection, and referrals for other services, as needed. We also offer support groups to survivors of violence, where they can build trust and community and share their personal experiences without fear of retribution. AAFSC is also leading restorative justice initiatives, which is particularly important for those seeking a non-systems approach to healing and recovery.

A component of our Young Adult & Youth Program, the Audacious Young Women of Action (AYWA – which means “Yes!” in Arabic) is a support group for young women and girls designed to foster a safe space for vulnerable, gender-related topics discussed within a culturally-sensitive framework. In this group, young women gain exposure to role models, explore possible life pathways, share their struggles, collectively craft solutions, and address relationship issues and cultural expectations.

Our equivalent program for men, MENar (“light” in Arabic), is a group dedicated to the advancement of boys and young men of color, with an emphasis on creating a safe space to grow, heal, and thrive. We work with young men to develop life skills such as: financial literacy, college and career readiness, healthy relationship habits, and healthy masculinity.

Our Youth Program also includes Funny Girls, an improv group for young girls, and academic support, tutoring, and college and career readiness.

Through our Emergency Relief Fund, we support vulnerable, low-income, immigrant and refugee clients in need of emergency financial assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless, food insecure, falling into situations of harmful debt due to medical and other bills, or remaining in living situations that undermine their safety due to the threat of domestic violence.

Our Caregiver-Child Bonding Circle provides caregivers with special support to connect with their children 0-3 years old, enabling us to reach families at a critical juncture in their children’s development. Our Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)-informed staff and mental health specialists deliver the program in a safe, friendly group setting that promotes positive development and social-emotional well-being. Our theme-based curriculum provides the participants with knowledge, tools, behaviors, and toys to take home and embed into the family culture. We currently offer the Circles in Arabic and Bangla.

AAFSC’s Research Institute is a hub for research & evaluation that measures community needs and analyzes the impact of culturally and linguistically-responsive programs and initiatives. We are committed to measuring our impact and utilizing culturally and linguistically responsive evaluation practices to ensure ongoing improvement of our programs and initiatives. We are proud to prioritize research and analysis that expands our understanding of community needs and highlights the impact of culturally appropriate intervention. For more reports and insights, visit our Impact page at aafscny.org/our-impact.

AAFSC’s Mental Health Initiative combines community-level education with direct mental health counseling for individual clients. As first and second-generation immigrants themselves, AAFSC counselors work with clients individually to maintain mental resiliency and attain long-term well-being. As a complement to our direct service program, AAFSC established the Reclaiming Our Health (ROH) project in collaboration with NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Maimonides Medical Center, and community partners, to reimagine culturally responsive mental health support within immigrant communities. Through this partnership, we collaborate on outreach initiatives with the goal of reducing the stigma that prevents many from seeking care. We also seek input about effective interventions from within the community and leverage a vast network of community leaders and experts to channel mental health resources and services broadly.