WE ARE NOT AFRAID COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER INC
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Mission Statement
We Are Not Afraid Community Resource Center, WANA, advocates and coordinates resources for those seeking safety from oppression; we center the lived experiences of those navigating poverty and economic insecurity, specifically food, housing, and immigration.
About This Cause
Founded in 2020, WANA is a direct service provider to under-resourced populations, including undocumented immigrants. WANA is a new nonprofit; we received our determination letter in March 2020 on the week of the shutdown. As such, we had to adapt our food distribution efforts into disaster relief support due to the pandemic effort. Moreover, for 10 years, WANA’s fiscally sponsored shelter was the only shelter in NYC serving asylum seekers and refugees. The Mayor has declared a state of emergency regarding this crisis. Additionally, our food programs have also been operating locally in Harlem and Washington Heights for over 40 years. Our community volunteers have been around for 20 years. And in 2020, we developed a community wellness program to fill gaps observed within our community of low-income older adult populations. Healthy Foods and Healthy Lives: Our Food Programs was founded in 1982 as a small food pantry and soup kitchen and has grown to include a weekly food pantry, soup kitchen, mobile soup kitchen, a 24/7 community fridge, and nutritional education classes. In each of our programs, we offer professional development, classes, and support groups. Through peer-based, women of color leadership, our programs address the social and emotional learning of seniors, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations. Healthy Foods and Healthy Living Services: Client Choice Food Pantry (Mondays 4:00 pm-6:00 pm) offers participants a serving of groceries from each food category sufficient for at least three days for each family member. Fresh produce is provided in cooperation with local organizations in New York City; clients “shop” once per month. The Pantry is open weekly, serving up to 100 households with an average of 3 per household. Karaoke/Game/Trivia/Movie Night and Soup Kitchen (Fridays 4:00 pm-7:00 pm) provides 60 hot meals to individuals and/or families living in shelters or on the streets as well as those who are domiciled. We also host either a karaoke night, a game night (with prizes) or a movie night each Friday open to the community Homeless Street Outreach-Mobile Soup Kitchen (Saturdays 12:00 pm-2:00 pm) is a mobile soup kitchen in which sandwiches are put together along with a salad, soup or stew option, juice, fruit, and a snack. 120 lunch packets are then distributed to hungry New Yorkers living on the street each week. Community Fridge (24 hours/365 Days a Week): Through the Washington HeightsMutual Aid Group, we host a community fridge that is filled with food Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays and one to two times a week by community volunteers. Food is for anyone in need, and community members can take any food to their liking. Community Healing: Our Poverty Alleviation Program is WANA’s community healing initiative. It was initially developed to fill gaps observed within our community and has since expanded into its own initiative. Through this initiative, we provide direct pipelines to leadership in Harlem and Washington Heights. Through our programming 1) we link families to essential services helping cultivate economic stability 2) utilize therapeutic interventions within community members 3) provide internships and fellowships at all education and experience levels to the community. Community Healing Initiatives: Community Gifts Program (Biweekly): is a small-scale financial gift program for people who reside in the West Harlem community, who are currently receiving some kind of subsidy and who struggle to make ends meet. Open Hours Case Management (Thursdays 10:00AM-2:00PM): Every week, a case manager hosts open hours where they respond to walk-in clients that need to be linked with essential services. A case manager also responds to client emails and phone calls. Wellness Workshops (Bi-weekly, Thursdays 12:00 pm-2:00 pm): Every other week, we host bi weekly workshops to ensure mental health and wellness in the community. Each workshop is facilitated by a series topic that helps community members cultivate positive change in their work and lives. Past workshop series have included: development of community support, change management, social emotional learning, team working skills and identifying the toxic and healthy environments. Professional Development/Conference (Yearround): We offer year round high school internships, college summer internships, internships for masters of social work students, fellowships programs and funding for staff professional development opportunities. Through our pre-professional and professional programming we can create pipelines to leadership, working to eradicate issues of economic inequality in Harlem and Washington Heights Housing and Homelessness Our Refugee Shelter Program was founded in 2011 as a drop-in shelter for homeless community members and has since expanded into the only shelter in NYC for refugees/asylum seekers. We work to fill the dearth of housing support for asylum seekers by providing 8 guests at a time with 3-12 months of stable housing and weekly case management. Most of our clients are navigating the first stage in their immigration process and are ineligible for government benefits, as they are filing for asylum after arriving in the country or being released from detention on bond. Housing and Homelessness Services Shelter (365 day/year): We are the only shelter in New York City serving asylum seekers at the moment. We provide 8 asylum seekers up to a year stay in a critical time of their lives where they must navigate their legal cases, post-detention support and homelessness. Case Management (Weekly): Each guest meets weekly with a case manager to define and work towards goals, from obtaining a job to filing for asylum. We have an extensive referral network that extends way beyond our catchment area. We have partnered with the City of Refugee Coalition and Refugee and Asylee Service Providers (RASP) and more than 30 other organizations across the city to provide legal, language, and employment services for asylum seekers. Employment Readiness (Weekly): The shelter’s employment program places guests in paid internships at WANA’s programs, and helps guests update resumes for American employers. These internships allow guests to build an employment history in the U.S., while also giving back to the community. This last year, WANA presented art at Hunter East Harlem Gallery where refugee artist Zac Harmon spent over a year working with RDJ Refugee Shelter. He created a listening workshop with the residents and paid them for their participation. Advocacy (Bi-weekly): WANA is part of the New York Immigration Coalition and Housing Justice for All. We attend Precinct Council and Community Board Meetings. We also host regular town halls and organize bi-weekly trips to Albany. This past Spring, we were a rapid response resource to the population we serve as well as an active advocate in partnership with UNLocal for legislation in favor of the black, brown and immigrant communities in New York City. We are currently partnering with UNLocal.