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| 7111 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209 ~ Tel: (718) 745-3523 Fax: (718) 745-3070 ~ ArabAmericanNY@gmail.com |
About Us
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| Our mission is to support and empower the Arab immigrant community through providing services that will help them to adjust to their new homeland as well as become active members of American Society. Our aim is for families to achieve the ultimate goals of independence, productivity, and family stability. |
The founders of the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY), who were
prominent and active members of the Arab and Arab American community and were
themselves immigrants, recognized a growing need in the community for a variety of
services. They envisioned an organization that would serve the social and economic
needs of the growing Arab population in Bay Ridge and surrounding neighborhoods.
Although the process of establishing the organization began before the September 11th
attacks, the founders felt compelled to more immediate action after they witnessed the
heightened sense of fear and acts of blatant discrimination aimed at their community in
the days following the attacks.
It was thus that AAANY officially opened it’s doors as a not for profit organization in
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in December 2001, not only providing invaluable social services to
the community, but also empowering and defending the community. “Instead of social
services, we had to move into empowering the community, defending the community and
supporting the community. It was not easy. We had to prove ourselves as Americans, show that
we do care, that we are part of the community...” Dr. Ahmad Jaber, co-founder and current
board president, was quoted saying in a recent article in the Daily News. AAANY
serves as a bridge between the Arab community and the greater New York City
community, fostering more understanding of Arab culture and immigrant issues,
serving as a liaison between police, schools and other institutions and residents to
address issues of discrimination, as well as providing a variety of culturally sensitive
social services.
prominent and active members of the Arab and Arab American community and were
themselves immigrants, recognized a growing need in the community for a variety of
services. They envisioned an organization that would serve the social and economic
needs of the growing Arab population in Bay Ridge and surrounding neighborhoods.
Although the process of establishing the organization began before the September 11th
attacks, the founders felt compelled to more immediate action after they witnessed the
heightened sense of fear and acts of blatant discrimination aimed at their community in
the days following the attacks.
It was thus that AAANY officially opened it’s doors as a not for profit organization in
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in December 2001, not only providing invaluable social services to
the community, but also empowering and defending the community. “Instead of social
services, we had to move into empowering the community, defending the community and
supporting the community. It was not easy. We had to prove ourselves as Americans, show that
we do care, that we are part of the community...” Dr. Ahmad Jaber, co-founder and current
board president, was quoted saying in a recent article in the Daily News. AAANY
serves as a bridge between the Arab community and the greater New York City
community, fostering more understanding of Arab culture and immigrant issues,
serving as a liaison between police, schools and other institutions and residents to
address issues of discrimination, as well as providing a variety of culturally sensitive
social services.
Although we serve the greater New York Community, we serve mainly Arab immigrants
living in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has by far the largest number Arab speakers of the five
boroughs: approximately 24,000 of its 2 million residents are Arab speakers. They are
overwhelmingly concentrated in Bay Ridge, which has 7, 942 residents who speak Arabic at
home. We are located in the heart of this community.
living in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has by far the largest number Arab speakers of the five
boroughs: approximately 24,000 of its 2 million residents are Arab speakers. They are
overwhelmingly concentrated in Bay Ridge, which has 7, 942 residents who speak Arabic at
home. We are located in the heart of this community.
Some of the challenges facing the community include:
- Language and cultural barriers
- Issues pertaining to immigration
- Psychological issues involved in adjusting to new cultural norms
- The lack of understanding of legal rights, and/or access to legal representation
and counsel when necessary
- Lack of access to adequate health care or knowledge of affordable health
insurance possibilities as well as other public benefits
- Imbalance of parent-child power relations in families
| 85% of our clients are women and children, many of whom are from low-income families |
In order to address the issues listed above, we provide a variety of programs and services
including:
including:
- Youth Programs
- Adult Education Courses
- Bi-lingual Casework
- Immigration Assistance
- Cultural Events
| To all the beautiful staff of Arab American Association. Thank you for help about the immigration forms. Alhamdulilah [thank God] my wife got her green card yesterday on 8/8/07! Thank all! ~AAANY client |