Welcome to the YMCA New Americans Initiative
As of the 2000 census, more than 35% of City’s residents are foreign-born and 43% of the City’s workforce are immigrants. Nearly 70% of the total immigrant population in New York speaks a language other than English. Within this group 23% do not speak English very well and about 10% do not speak English at all.
Most of these immigrants live in population clusters that are underserved for informational, education, recreational, vocational, advocacy and human services that the YMCA of Greater New York is in a position to provide, in collaboration with other human service and immigrant–service agencies. Our core initiatives are:
- New American Welcome Centers: Our six New Americans Welcome Centers (NAWCs) offer English language/literacy, employment and citizenship classes and other services to address the needs of immigrant communities in New York City.
- ELESAIR: Our flagship English Language and Employment Services for Adult Immigrants and Refugees (ELESAIR) program provides free educational and social services at YMCA branches and community centers citywide.
- http://www.ymcanyc.org/new-americans-initiative/elesair/YMCA Language Center
- English Immersion Program - Residential English Immersion for young professionals and international students.
- Foreign Language Program - Eight-week Intensive Foreign Language Classes (Spanish), 3 hours per session, once a week.
For more information on the YMCA New Americans Initiative, contact:
Diosdado G. Gica | Executive Director, International YMCA/New Americans Initiative
YMCA of Greater New York
5 West 63rd Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10023
PH: 212-875-4336 | Fax: 212-724-2344 | Email: dgica@ymcanyc.org
www.internationalymca.org | www.ymcanewamericans.org | http://facebook.com/ymcanyc
