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Dec 30, 2023 | April Xu

Asian Immigrants in NYC: Where To Find Legal Help, Education & Community

This article compiles a list of organizations that offer a range of services to help AAPI immigrants thrive in their new home.

New York City is home to one of the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in the country with a population of over 1.8 million. However, despite their significant presence, AAPI immigrants often face unique challenges when it comes to accessing resources and services due to language barriers, cultural differences, and discrimination. These organizations offer a range of services to help AAPI immigrants thrive in their new home. Chinese immigrants can learn about resources specific to them in this guide.

If you know any organizations serving AAPI immigrants in New York City but not listed in the article, please contact our Chinese Community Correspondent April Xu: april.xu@documentedny.com, we will add the information to the guide.

Adhikaar

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Adhikaar, meaning “rights” in Nepali, is a women-led community and workers’ center that provides direct services to the Nepali-speaking community and organizes low-income workers and community members to promote social justice and human rights. It creates access to information, builds community leadership, and grows collective power to win rights, dignity and equity for all. Adhikaar defines the Nepali-speaking community as descendants of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Burma, and Tibet that speak Nepali. Visit this website for more information.

Community Center

Address: 71-07 Woodside Avenue,1st Fl Woodside, NY 11377

Tel: 718-937-1117

Email: info@adhikaar.org

Arab American Association of New York

It provides services to the Arab American community in Bay Ridge and the surrounding

neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The organization offers adult education and classes, advocacy,

immigration services, youth development, social services in case management and

interpretation, and mental health counseling. Visit this website for more information.

Main Office

Address: 6803 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220

Tel: 718-745-3523

Email: info@ArabAmericanNY.org

Brooklyn Satellite: Beit El Maqdis

Address: 6206 6th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220

Queens Satellite: BHALO

Address: 172-27 Hillside Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432

The Asian American Federation

AAF represents a network of pan-Asian community service agencies in the Northeast. They work in research, policy advocacy, public awareness, and organizational development in the areas of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice. Visit this website for more information.

Manhattan Office: 120 Wall Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10005

Queens Office: 154-08 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354

Tel: 212-344-5878

Email: info@aafederation.org

Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC)

A non-profit, non-sectarian organization established in 1994 provides culturally and linguistically competent, trauma-informed, multigenerational social services to immigrants and refugees. Over its 27 years of experience, AAFSC has developed expertise serving the Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, Muslim, and South Asian (AMENAMSA) immigrant and refugee communities. Its staff speak 36 languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Hindi, Nepali, Pashto, Punjabi, Urdu, and Wakhi. Visit this website for more information.

Brooklyn Court Street – Headquarters

Address: 150 Court Street, 3rd Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Tel: 718-643-8000

Email: info@aafscny.org

AAFSC’s other locations and contact information in five boroughs can be found here.

Asian American Legal Defense Fund

An organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through

litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing. The organization provides language services in Bengali, Burmese, Cambodian, Cantonese, English, Filipino, Gujarati, Hindi,Hmong, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin Chinese, Nepali, Punjabi, Tagalog, Taiwanese, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Vietnamese, and others. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 99 Hudson St, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10013-2815

Tel: 212-966-5932

Bangladeshi American Community Development and Youth Services (BACDYS)

BACDYS was founded in 2009 by Misba Abdin. Since then, it has become the leading nonprofit organization in the surrounding neighborhoods of East Brooklyn, New York. Its mission is to provide low-income families with the skills, the confidence, and the knowledge that will help them improve their living conditions. By providing these families with information and guidance on affordable housing, education, youth programs, and entertainment we seek to grant them new opportunities to succeed. Visit this website for more information.

Address 1: 1101-B Liberty Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11208

Tel: 718-235-1700

Email: info@bacdys.org

Address 2: 8310 Rockaway Boulevard,  Ozone Park, NY, 11416

Tel: 718-235-1700

 Email: info@bacdys.org

CAAAV

CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities was founded in 1986 by working-class Asian women to build power in Asian communities against rising police and hate violence. Over time, its analysis deepened and its work broadened to fighting institutional and systemic racism and violence in Asian immigrant communities. It works to build grassroots community power across diverse poor and working-class Asian immigrant and refugee communities in New York City. Visit this website for more information.

Chinatown Office: 55 Hester Street, Storefront, New York, NY 10002

Tel: 212-473-6485

Queens Office: 37-24 24th Street, Suite 108, Queens, NY 11101

Tel: 718-255-2109

Email: justice@caaav.org

Coalition for Asian American Children & Families

This organization advocates for the Asian Pacific Americans in New York City through policy, youth leadership, parent leadership, and capacity and coalition building. It can also refer

individuals to their member organizations that operate in a variety of areas. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 50 Broad St. 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004

Tel: 212-809-4675

Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York Chapter

CAIR is one of the largest civil rights and advocacy organizations dedicated to fighting against discrimination against Muslims. It advocates for and empowers the New York Muslim community through legal support for those facing discrimination, support for victims of hate crimes and violence, Know Your Rights seminars and workshops, voter registration, and advocacy for Muslim Americans in schools and at the border. Visit this website for more information. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004

Tel: 646-665-7599

Email: INFO@NY.CAIR.COM

Chhaya Community Development Corporation

The organization builds the power, housing stability, and economic well-being of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities in New York City. For over 20 years, Chhaya has served tens of thousands of individuals and led the charge on key policy issues for immigrants, such as basement legalization, language access, tenant rights, and more. Visit this website for more information. 

Main Office (Jackson Heights)

Address: 37-43 77th St, 2nd Floor, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Tel: 718-478-3848

Email: info@chhayacdc.org

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Center (Richmond Hill)

Address: 121-18 Liberty Avenue, 2nd Floor, Richmond Hill, NY 11419

Tel: 718-374-3371

Email: info@chhayacdc.org

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Council of Peoples Organization

COPO is a non-profit organization in New York City serving the South Asian community providing multiple services. Through its broad range of programs, including a senior center, health care, legal clinics and Pre-K, the organization helps to fulfill the dreams of Asian Americans and other neighbors across New York City. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 1077 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230

Tel: 718-434-3266

Email: info@copo.org

Hours: Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm

Damayan Migrant Workers Association

Damayan is a grassroots organization based in New York and New Jersey of and for Filipino immigrant workers and led by Filipino women domestic workers. It helps labor trafficking survivors develop escape plans, secure emergency housing and financial assistance, access social and legal services, find employment, and facilitate family reunifications. Also engages in community and organizing for fair labor standards and labor trafficking. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 406 West 40th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10018

Tel: 212-564-6057

Email: contact@damayanmigrants.org

Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUM)

DRUM is an organization that advocates for low-income South Asian and Indo-Caribbean

immigrants in New York City. The organization coordinates legal and community services such as referrals and translations, youth leadership programs, worker rights organizing, and

racial and immigrant justice campaigns. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 72-18 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, NY 11372

Tel: 718-205-3036

Office Hours: Monday- Friday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Email: info@drumnyc[dot]org

India Home 

India Home is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of and empowering the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean senior immigrant community in New York City through culturally competent services. Its programs include congregate meals, creative aging programs, case management programs (e.g. assistance with citizenship, benefits access, service referrals, etc.), and educational talks on health, nutrition, financial safeguards and elder law. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 178-36 Wexford Terrace, Suite 2C, Jamaica, NY 11432

Tel: 917-288-7600

Email: indiahomeusa@gmail.com

Indochina Sino American Community Center

It offers services to people from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and other parts of Southeast Asia. The organization offers immigrant and naturalization services, computer training, senior services, health services, English education, free food services, storage rooms, and a Buddhist sanctuary. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 170 Forsyth St. 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10002

Tel: 212-226-0317

Email: isacc@isacc-ny.org

Japanese American Association of New York

Since 1907, JAANY has been the heart of the Japanese community. It serves the Japanese American community through bilingual social services, educational programs, and community outreach. With a strong sense of diversity, JAANY celebrates and shares Japanese culture and heritage with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Address: 49 W 45th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10036

Tel: 212-840-6942/6899

Email: info@jaany.org

Japanese American Social Services, Inc. 

Founded in 1981, JASSI is a non-profit organization that offers welfare services to people in the New York area who need assistance due to language or cultural barriers. The organization provides free and confidential consultation on life issues, regardless of age, gender, background or immigration status.

Address: 100 Gold Street, Lower Level, New York, NY 10038

Tel: 212-442-1541 – Ext# 1

Email: info@jassi.org

Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.

KCS’ mission is to be a bridge for Korean immigrants and the wider Asian community to fully integrate into society and overcome any economic, health and linguistic barriers so that they become independent and thriving members of the community. KCS accomplishes this mission by providing culturally competent programs in the areas of aging, education, immigration, workforce development, public health and mental health. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 203-05 32nd Ave, Bayside, NY 11361. Visit this page to see more locations.

Tel:718-939-6137

Email: info@kcsny.org

LAAL NYC

Laal states that it provides resources for Bangladeshi womxn in the Bronx so that they can live healthy, engaged, joyful lives, the organization states. Laal means the color red in Bangla, which holds great cultural significance in Bengali culture. Laal symbolizes the mark of menstruation; the alta Bengali womxn use to adorn themselves; the red saree Bengali womxn wear on their wedding day; the red bindi for which Bengali womxn are famous; and the red sun which is in the center of the Bangladeshi flag. The color red, laal is a testament to the strength and resilience of Bengali womxn. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 249 East Mosholu Parkway North, Bronx, NY 10467

Tel: 347-427-2134

Email: info@laalnyc.org

MinKwon Center for Community Action

The organization advocates for Korean American and Asian American immigrant communities through community organizing, civic participation initiatives, cultural events, and youth

development. Also offers social and legal services in immigration, tenants’ rights,

workers’ rights, and public assistance. Visit this website for more information.

Flushing Office: 133-29 41st Avenue, Suite 202, Flushing, NY 11355

Flushing Tel: 718-460-5600

Email: minkwon@minkwon.org

New Jersey Office: 316 Broad Ave 2nd Fl, Palisades Park NJ 07650

New Jersey Tel: 201-416-4393

Mekong NYC

Mekong NYC provides services to the Southeast Asian community in the Bronx and New York City through community organizing, cultural events, and referrals to health care and social

Services. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 2471 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10468 (near E. 190th Street)

Tel: 347-918-9220

In-person office hours (by appointment only): Wednesday: 10 am – 4 pm; Friday: 10 am – 4 pm

*Mekong staff are currently working remotely Mondays and Wednesdays-Fridays.

Muslim Community Network

MCN seeks to connect and engage the Muslim community through civic education, workshops, leadership development for youth, diversity education and presentations, and food assistance and toy drives. Its vision is to help facilitate the emergence of a Muslim-American identity that transcends generational, ethnic, gender, racial, and class-based boundaries while building bridges with other communities of faith to build peaceful, just, and inclusive communities. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 450 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10017

Tel: 347-519-2755

Email: info@mcnny.org

New York Armenian Home 

For over 65 years the New York Armenian Home has been caring for the frail and elderly. It has served as a home away from home for fellow Armenians, providing loving care in culturally rich surroundings. The Home’s mission began with a handful of Armenian Genocide survivors three generations ago. Regardless of political or church affiliation, the primary goal of the Home was to create a congenial surrounding where the residents find a measure of happiness while maintaining their Armenian culture. Visit this website for more information.

Address: PO Box 754098, Forest Hills, New York, 11375

Email: visit this website for more information

OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates New York

Founded in 1973, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national non-profit civil rights organization promoting and protecting the political, economic, and cultural rights of Asian Pacific Americans in America.  OCA is interested in working with anyone who shares its mission of creating a stronger America by advocating for the values of equal liberty and justice for all. Visit this website for more information.

Email: You can email OCA-NY via this page.

South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS)

SACSS is a community-based nonprofit organization with the mission to empower and integrate underserved South Asians and other immigrants into the economic and civic life of NYC – particularly Queens. SACSS champions healthcare access for all, supports seniors’ thriving, enables food justice, prepares community members for jobs through language and computer learning, provides information on immigration through a legal clinic, develops youth leadership, and engages community members in their civic rights through our programs. It provides free services in any of the 19 languages its staff members speak: Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Nepali, Tamil, Telugu, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Malay, French and Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English. Visit this website for more information.

Address​: 143 02 45th Avenue, Flushing, New York 11355

Email: sacss@sacssny.org

Tel: 718-321-7929

South Asian Youth Action

Established in 1996, SAYA is one of the first South Asian organizations created in the United States. Seeing the critical need among New York City immigrant youth for additional mentorship and academic support both inside and outside of school, founder Sayu Bhojwani was inspired to increase culturally-affirming resources for low-income, underserved youth. SAYA youth come from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Across all eight of its program sites, approximately 30% of its youth identify as South Asian, descending from countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Guyana, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, and Trinidad and Tobago. Visit this website for more information.

Address: 54-05 Seabury Street, Elmhurst, NY 11373

Tel: 718-651-3484

Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) – New York Chapter

SOAR was formed in 2005 as a charitable organization to provide humanitarian assistance to orphaned Armenian children. Its work spans the entire child protection spectrum, including aid to non-residential day centers who aim to prevent institutionalization as well as providing assistance to residential care centers that provide safe and nurturing environments for children and adult residents with disabilities who cannot be raised by biological family. Visit this website for more information.

Email: newyork@soar-us.org

Sakhi for South Asian Women

Sakhi for South Asian Women’s vision is to end violence against women from the South Asian Diaspora through domestic violence & sexual assault services, an economic empowerment program, immigration & civic integration, reproductive justice, a youth empowerment program, and outreach, workshops and training. Visit this website for more information.

Tel: (212) 714-9153

Email: contactus@sakhi.org

Address: P.O. Box 1333, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008-1333

UNITED SIKHS – New York Chapter

United Sikhs is a U.N. affiliated, international, non-profit, non-governmental, humanitarian relief, education, human development and advocacy organization that aims to empower those in need, especially disadvantaged and minority communities around the world. It began in 1999 when a group of Sikhs from the New York metropolitan area banded together to assist in the socio-economic development of immigrant communities in Queens, New York. Today, UNITED SIKHS is a grass-roots organization with chapters in America, Asia and Europe that pursues projects for the spiritual, social and economic empowerment of underprivileged and minority communities. Visit this website for more information.

Address: JAF, POB 7203, New York, NY 10116

Tel: 1-888-243-1690

Email: unitedsikhs-usa@unitedsikhs.org

Women for Afghan Women

Women for Afghan Women (WAW) is a grassroots civil society organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls in Afghanistan and the United States. It provides direct, comprehensive services to the Afghan community and other Muslim immigrant communities in New York City. It also provides remote (phone or online) support to Afghans and other immigrants in the United States who live outside of NYC. 

WAW’s regular programs and services include case management, legal services, refugee responses, mental health programming, and women’s circles, among others. Visit this website for more information.

Women for Afghan Women 

New York Headquarters (HQ)

Address: PO Box 670999, Flushing, NY 11367

Tel: 929-519-5994

New York Community Center

Address: 71-19 162nd St, Unit CF-D, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

Tel: 718-591-2434

Virginia Community Center

Address: 5510 Cherokee Ave., Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22312

Tel: 703-658-5209

Afghanistan Office

For more information or queries related to WAW’s Afghanistan operations, please write to: office@womenforafghanwomen.org

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