PLATINUM2023

AsylumWorks

Rebuilding lives. Strengthening communities.

aka AsylumWorks   |   Washington, DC   |  www.asylumworks.org

Mission

Founded in 2016, AsylumWorks is a nationally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established to empower asylum seekers and other forced migrants to rebuild their lives safely and with dignity. To do this, AsylumWorks has developed a culturally and linguistically appropriate migrant-sensitive model of care proven to help individuals and families regain control of their lives. Direct client services are free and available to individuals and families in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. To scale our impact beyond the National Capital Region, AsylumWorks creates expert tools and training to share with immigrant-serving organizations nationwide.

Ruling year info

2017

Founder & Executive Director

Joan Hodges-Wu

Main address

1718 Connecticut Avenue, NW STE 300

Washington, DC 20009 USA

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Formerly known as

Asylum Seekers Assistance Project

EIN

81-3205931

NTEE code info

Ethnic/Immigrant Services (P84)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The United States maintains no formal structures for addressing the safety, health and wellness of asylum seekers and other forced migrants who are lawfully present in the United States while their immigration cases remain pending. AsylumWorks seeks to fill this gap.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Employment

For many asylum seekers, economic survival is imperative to maintain hope and personal dignity. AsylumWorks' employment program uses a three-pronged approach combining individualized career planning, job readiness training, and job placement services as needed. Our goal is to equip asylum seekers with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to secure and retain safe, legal, and purposeful employment.

Population(s) Served
Immigrants and migrants

Unfamiliar with their new community and unable to financially support themselves, many asylum seekers experience extreme poverty, continued victimization, and profound isolation. AsylumWorks works with clients to create an individualized, client-led service plan to address safety, stability, and overall health and well-being.

Population(s) Served
Immigrants and migrants

Social connection is essential to one's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. AsylumWorks' community-building program facilitates opportunities for clients to connect with each other, volunteers, supporters, university students, and the larger community. The goal of this program is to provide a space where asylum seekers can connect, gain confidence, build friendships, and use their skills to help themselves and each another.

Population(s) Served
Immigrants and migrants

Where we work

Awards

Pro Bono Champions of the Year 2023

American Immigration Lawyers Association - DC Chapter

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

AsylumWorks worked with a record 506 individuals and families from 53 countries in 2022.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Social Services

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

AsylumWorks provides asylum seekers and other forced migrants with culturally and linguistically appropriate services to reduce health inequities, including the ability to participate in immigration legal processes. To do this, AsylumWorks has developed a model of care tailored to address the needs of migrants seeking humanitarian-based immigration relief. Our model is anchored by four core services: therapeutic case management, legal navigation, employment and career development, and community engagement.

Client services are free and available to individuals and families living in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., regardless of country of origin, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, ability, age, religion, or other identity. To scale our impact beyond the National Capital Region, AsylumWorks creates expert tools and training to share with immigrant-serving organizations nationwide.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Financials

AsylumWorks
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

AsylumWorks

Board of directors
as of 07/25/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Cindy Hallberlin

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 7/25/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

No data

Transgender Identity

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 07/25/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.