Educational Alliance’s Response to Asylum Seekers

Educational Alliance was founded to support the wave of Jewish immigrants who arrived decades ago to the Lower East Side.  As a Jewish organization committed to the core value of welcoming the stranger, we remain dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate their new lives in New York City. For 135 years, we have been carrying this mission forward, from our historic origins as a settlement house to the current wave of migrants seeking refuge here today. As a result, we have developed a unique expertise on how best to welcome and integrate asylum seekers into the fabric of the City.

Educational Alliance President and CEO Rich Baum spoke with Errol Louis on “Inside City Hall,” where he shared how EA is utilizing the holistic settlement house model to help asylum seekers and why it’s important to apply that model on a wider scale:

Our Approach: 

We recognize the importance of a holistic response that addresses the complex and multi-faceted needs of these newest arrivals to our community.  Our goal is to provide these individuals and families with a blueprint for long-term success in New York. To achieve financial stability and independence, asylum seekers need steady work but are coming up against significant barriers in their search for gainful employment. We recognize the urgent need for more English instruction, help with government forms, mental health services, and resource coordination, all of which are essential components of obtaining and securing a job. As we grow to serve more migrants in Lower Manhattan, we serve as a reliable network of supports that will help them build skills they need to thrive. 

Our approach is rooted in the following three tenets:

1. We treat them like neighbors, not intruders. Migrants and asylum seekers need partners who will allow them to feel safe and comfortable accepting assistance, so that they can leverage those resources to become independent and empowered in their new City. Human connection is vital to that goal.
2. We are a hub of activity, support, and opportunity.We marshal a broad array of social services to address New York City-specific needs. We believe that isolating the issues makes it harder for aslyum seekers to receive the full range of supports that they need in order to be set up for success in their new lives. 
3. We equip migrants to work. We place a heavy emphasis on learning English, obtaining work authorization, and getting a job.

• Our cohort-model “English Express” course emphasizes practical words and phrases.
• As part of a pilot initiative with the NYC Office of Asylum Seeker Operations, our volunteer-supported work authorization application “clinic” helps individuals with pending asylum submit their application for work authorization to the federal government.
• For migrants who are authorized to work, we leverage partnership to connect those seeking employment to permanent, sustainable jobs.

Our Services:

At our Askwith Kenner Family Resource Center (FRC), we provide support services to those who come through our doors, including these newest community members. We offer a wide array of classes, counseling, and other forms of crucial aid, in partnership with expert mental health and education professionals.

Our extensive list of services is constantly evolving, based on the needs of our community. At present, we offer the following support: 

• Monthly Welcome to New York events where participants can sign up for services and receive immediate aid. 
• Assistance filling out Employment Authorization applications.
• Essentials such as pantry staples, hot meals, and clothing .
• Housing Advocacy.
• Practical English language instruction. 
• Mental health counseling in English and Spanish from bilingual social workers.
• Immediate, priority enrollment in our 3K and UPK programs.
• Referrals for legal aid. 
• Assistance registering for benefits at our Benefits Clinics. 
• Assistance identifying and growing skills for entering the workforce.
• Vaccination clinics with medical professionals . 
• Substance abuse treatment.
• Community outreach and peer support.
• Free trips to museums and other cultural excursions around the City.
  

How You Can Help:

Wondering how you can help support Educational Alliance’s work on behalf of recent asylum seekers?  Scroll down to discover volunteering opportunities and more! 

• Drop off clothes and other provisions at the Manny Cantor Center to be donated to our Reloved Boutique at the Family Resource Center. Asylum seekers mostly come to NYC from warm climates, so their whole families are in urgent need of appropriate attire for our cold winter weather.
• Volunteer to personally assist asylum seekers by helping families complete forms to receive work permits (Spanish language proficiency is preferred but not necessary), washing and sorting donated clothes, and helping us run the Welcome to New York sessions.
• Donate to support the Educational Alliance’s assistance to asylum seekers. We are doing as much as we can with our current resources, but additional funds are crucial for the success of our ongoing efforts. 

 We encourage you to bring us your questions, ideas, and needs. And we want everyone in our community to know: You Belong Here.