New York City has long offered opportunity and asylum for those seeking a better life. In turn, immigrants have contributed immeasurably to New York.
The number of people fleeing violence around the globe is at the highest levels since World War II. In the United States, this trend is most stark at the southern border. Many of those who cross the border travel onward to New York City, looking for work and opportunity. Others arrive on buses chartered by border communities whose shelters are already at capacity or are sent by immigration opponents seeking to score political points. With the rollback of Title 42—a pandemic-era federal policy that closed the border to most asylum-seekers—New York City will be the destination of many more immigrant families seeking aid. Many arrive penniless, and nonprofits are stepping in to help recent arrivals stay safe, fed, housed, and pursue work and education while they apply for lawful status, which can take years.
We are proud to “lift our lamp beside the golden door”—words immortalized on the Statue of Liberty. You can help ensure the door stays open by supporting nonprofits who continue to uphold our city’s tradition of welcoming immigrants.
Many nonprofits are providing an array of direct services to immigrants. Below, we highlight a few who are supporting outreach and social services and making emergency grants. If you want your gift to specifically address the most recent crisis, you can designate your gift to help recent migrant arrivals.
Havens Relief Fund Society works through volunteers, or almoners—social workers, clergy, legal aid lawyers, and community leaders—embedded in diverse communities to provide modest cash assistance grants to vulnerable individuals experiencing financial hardship. These grants, averaging $700, often fill gaps in the safety net, addressing financial emergencies when no other resources are available. It is helping recent arrivals with resources from Metrocards to security deposits to clothing.
La Colmena is a membership organization composed of day laborers, domestic workers, and undocumented immigrants in Staten Island. A source for work training for immigrants on Staten Island, it also provides direct emergency relief assistance to families, helps organize around immigration policy and anti-hate campaigns, and makes referrals to services such as food pantries and legal aid.
New York Immigration Coalition is a statewide policy and advocacy organization of nearly 200 immigrant groups. It is advocating for more city, state, and federal resources and for the expansion of emergency shelter services to support the recent surge. And it is coordinating with other nonprofits to welcome new arrivals at the Port Authority bus terminal with food and information, directing them to resources in the city.
The complexities of immigration law almost guarantee that, even with legal representation, many immigrants will lose their claims for lawful status in the immigration courts. Because deportation proceedings are considered a civil, not criminal, proceeding, migrants do not have the right to a public defender. The city and state have stepped in to fund free legal services, but there are not enough resources—or lawyers—to meet the need.
UnLocal is leading a network of legal providers and immigrant aid groups helping migrants navigate the immigration system on their own. Similarly, Catholic Charities Community Services and Immigrant ARC are staffing help desks in immigration court and training volunteers as Friends of the Court who can advocate for immigrants appearing without a lawyer. Consider a grant to any of these organizations who are filling this gap in legal assistance to immigrant communities.
The current wave of migration deepens the urgent need to help the city’s youngest newcomers succeed in school and beyond. Almost all need to learn English and had inconsistent schooling in their home countries, and many are coping with trauma from the crises they fled, or from the journey to the United States.
ImmSchools ensures that the city’s public schools support undocumented and mixed-status students and families through advocacy, workshops, and trainings. It is providing recent arrivals with supplies and resources, and working to meet the unique needs of newcomer families living in temporary housing through outreach and training for school administrators.
Internationals Network for Public Schools leads a network of public schools that enroll newly arrived immigrants and improve their outcomes—not only through the curriculum and mode of teaching they provide, but also through trauma-informed training for teachers, and referrals to mental health and legal resources. Three out of every four students in the Network’s schools earn diplomas, more than double the rate for English language learners statewide.
Many of the agencies providing emergency humanitarian aid at the country’s southern border are small and volunteer-run. The El Paso Community Foundation is pooling resources to give to these agencies through its Migrant Families Relief Fund. 100 percent of donations go to provide direct services.
Headquartered in Nogales, Arizona, the Kino Border Initiative provides food, shelter, and medical care to migrants just across the border in Nogales, Mexico. Last year, it served more than 46,000 meals to migrant families. It accepts cash and in-kind donations.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping to make our city a better place for all. We are highlighting a few that may not be on your radar, but please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at info@nyct-cfi.org if you would like recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.
Peter Panapento
peter@turn-two.co
(202) 531-3886
Courtney Biggs
cbi@nyct-cfi.org
(212) 889-3963
Peter Panapento
peter@turn-two.co
(202) 531-3886
Courtney Biggs
cbi@nyct-cfi.org
(212) 889-3963