By Forum Staff
On Monday, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro announced a $600,000 grant from The Rockefeller Foundation and other donors to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City with funds earmarked for the Immigrant Peer Navigator Program, an asylum seeker relief project.
The Immigrant Peer Navigator program is a first of its kind six-session New York City orientation that will connect 250 long time immigrant New Yorkers to 250 recently arrived asylum seekers. Long time immigrant New Yorkers with similar immigration experiences will serve as mentors to newly arrived asylum seekers to give them tips on surviving and navigating life in the five boroughs, including finding work, housing, and providing community connections.
“We are thrilled to launch the Immigrant Peer Navigator Program, an innovative approach to meet the needs of arriving asylum seekers and continue to foster connections within New York City’s immigrant community,” Castro said. “Our long-standing partnerships with community organizations have been critical to deliver essential services to immigrants across the city, and we’re excited to tap into these networks to build community connections and support between longtime immigrants and newly arrived asylum seekers.”
The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs began working with nine immigrant serving community-based organizations to identify and select the participants of the programs based on preset requirements and match them with mentors. Each participant will receive a $599 stipend and a MetroCard over the course of the program. The organizations selected represent a diverse group with an extensive reach to immigrant New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Each organization provides cultural and linguistic services to immigrant New Yorkers. The following organizations are participating in the program:
- African Communities Together
- African Services Committee
- Aid for Life
- Catholic Charities
- Fundavenyc
- La Colmena
- Mexican Coalition
- Mixteca
- New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE)
The requirements for a mentor include being a community member, a member, current or former client of the organization. The mentor will also need to be an immigrant to the Big Apple who understands the challenges newly arrived asylum seekers face, and who is willing to share personal experiences as an immigrant having to survive in NYC. Additionally, the mentor will need to communicate in the same language as the assigned asylum seeker. The requirement for the mentee is to be a recently arrived asylum seeker who resides in the five boroughs, including at a city-based shelter. Each participant must participate in the program from start to finish to receive the stipend.
“Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York is proud to be part of this impactful new program, which will connect newly arrived immigrants with immigrant New Yorkers who have been able to find housing and make a living for themselves and their families. Through our Day Laborer Program and other facets of our Immigration-related work, we have seen first-hand how this has become a major challenge for those that are new to our city,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “Guidance and mentorship are among the most valuable sources of support for new arrivals. Now, thanks to Mayor Adams Administration, the Immigrant Peer Navigator Program will support the formation of these connections and help to welcome and integrate new arrivals into the fabric of our city.”
