City Announces Partnership with Historic Settlement Houses in Support of Newly Arrived Immigrant New Yorkers

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Contact: Shaina Coronel, Director of Communications, 646-385-0334

The sites will be established with a private investment.

New York – The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro and the Mayors Fund to Advance New York City today announced a partnership with historic settlement houses in support of newly arrived immigrant families with children. New York City settlement houses have a long history of successfully integrating and including immigrant communities. The partnership will expand community support for recently arrived migrants by establishing 'Immigrant Support Centers' that will provide an array of services to thousands of newly arrived migrants.

"For generations, settlement houses have supported our newest New Yorkers. Today's announcement reflects that ongoing tradition and shows the strength of community and philanthropic partnerships as part of our humanitarian response," said Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. "Thank you to MOIA and to all our partners involved in this effort as we continue to support individuals and families arriving to the city."

"Settlement Houses in New York City have led the way for over a century in serving and fighting for immigrant communities. I thank the Casey Family Programs for recognizing the value in partnering with New York City government and our nonprofit providers to continue the important work in support of our newest New Yorkers," said Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro. "This partnership between NYC government, philanthropy, and historic settlement houses will build upon critical support systems and community-connections for newly arrived immigrants."

The partnership with settlement houses will provide new arrivals with a variety of services including increased access to case management, beginner level English classes, access to a job developer and retention specialist, services for expectant and parenting immigrants, Site Safety Training, social services intake and screenings, and legal support/referrals.

The partnership will be with the following settlement house organizations across the city, given the unique history these organizations have of serving immigrant New Yorkers at a neighborhood level for over a century:

1. Center for Family Life in Sunset Park
2. Jacob Riis Settlement
3. Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
4. Henry Street Settlement

Since the most recent wave of migrants to New York City, MOIA has been coordinating a community rooted response. MOIA has led partnerships with community-based organizations, legal services providers, settlement houses, and the philanthropic partners.

"Center for Family Life in Sunset Park is honored to join the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs to provide essential supports including job readiness, skills trainings including OSHA certification, legal support to apply for asylum and work authorization and case management supports, to more than thousands of our neighbors who are newly arrived to New York City," said Julia Jean-Francois, Co-Executive Director of the Center for Family Life. "Providing these critical services is one way that we fulfill our mission to partner with our neighbors to together build strong and resilient communities."

Riis is proud and grateful to partner with MOIA and the Mayor's Fund to provide critical support to the large number of migrants and asylum seekers living in the myriad homeless shelters in our area," said Chris Hanway, Executive Director of Riis Neighborhood Settlement. "For more than two years, our Immigrant Services team has worked tirelessly to meet families' complex needs while operating with limited resources. This essential investment will increase our capacity, allowing us to offer additional ESOL classes and case management support, as well as host regular legal orientations and resource workshops for hundreds of families striving to acclimate to a new home and build safe and productive lives.

"Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation is excited to partner with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs to welcome asylum seekers to East New York and support them in securing needed services and benefits, training for jobs in construction and gaining proficiency in the English language," said Michelle Neugebauer, Executive Director of Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Inc. "We look forward to educating asylum seekers about their rights, helping them connect with legal services providers and integrating our new neighbors into the community."

"Henry Street Settlement is deeply grateful to the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs for supporting our work to expand critical services for newly arrived immigrants in New York City," said David Garza, President & CEO of Henry Street Settlement. "The needs of these newcomers are profound and, in many ways, greater than we have seen in previous waves of immigration, due to circumstances in their home countries that have caused many families to flee to the United States without support systems on arrival. Henry Street will use these funds to support tailored services for the individuals and families we are serving across our spectrum of programs, including access to food, education, hygiene supplies, and transportation; emergency case management and cash assistance; and legal assistance for work authorization and asylum as well as parenting support and needed children's supplies."

Support for the partnership comes from an investment by the Casey Family Programs to broadly support the City's work in meeting the needs of immigrant children and their families. Casey Family Programs is the nation's largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care across the United States.