CIANA is proud to have joined the citywide effort to welcome asylum seekers and connect them with social services, legal screenings, food, and clothing.
In the last two years we have served over 1000 asylum seekers, mostly from West Africa and Latin America. Some are staying in shelters close to our office in Astoria and Long Island City; others are as far as away as Brooklyn or JFK Airport. No matter where they come from and what their needs are, we do what we can to welcome and assist them. Our staff speak Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, and several more languages to best serve our clients in their native languages.
Currently, our legal team is able to provide free consultations and assistance with applications for asylum, work permits, temporary protected status (TPS), special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), and other immigration-related legal concerns.
Browse through the different types of additional assistance we offer asylum seekers below, and contact us if you need help.
Services for Asylum Seekers
Education
Know-Your-Rights Workshops
English Classes
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Social Services
We help connect asylum seekers with various social services and public benefits program based on their eligibility.
NYC Care (Healthcare)
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Our Case Managers help new arrivals enroll in NYC Care, a no-cost and low-cost health plan for New York City residents, regardless of immigration status. With NYC Care, you can get a unique membership card to access health services, choose your own doctor, and get affordable medications.
Fair Fares
We help our clients apply for Fair Fares, a program that offers discounted MetroCards (half-priced, NOT free) for low-income New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status.
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IDNYC
All New York City residents, no matter their immigration status, can get a free ID card. Appointments can be made at select libraries across the five boroughs.
There is currently a waitlist for IDNYC appointments. As appointments open up, we can help schedule them for our clients. Learn more.
Food
Our Case Managers connect asylum seekers with various food and nutrition assistance programs. Pregnant women and families with children under five years old can be referred to WIC, and those who receive NYC Care may be eligible for Groceries to Go. We also help asylum seekers find nearby food pantries, soup kitchens, and community fridges.
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Clothing
Thanks to the generosity of community members and supporters, we are able to offer asylum seekers of all ages and sizes donated clothes from our Clothes Closet, such as jackets, sweaters, socks, and shoes, as well as baby clothes, sleepwear, and blankets.
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If you would like to donate new or gently-used clothing items to CIANA, please contact us.
Resources for Asylum Seekers
Title | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
Asylum Interview | How to prepare for an asylum interview, tips for the days leading up to an interview, and recent changes to the interview. | https://www.rifnyc.org/resource-preparing-for-an-asylum-interview |
Community Fridges | Interactive map of Community Fridges in New York City. | https://www.onelovecommunityfridge.org/fridges |
Food Pantries | Food Help NYC interactive map for food pantries, soup kitchens, and locations that offer free groceries and meals. | https://finder.nyc.gov/foodhelp/ |
LGBTQ Support | Immigration Equality, an organization that provides legal assistance for LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive immigrants and asylum seekers in New York City. | https://immigrationequality.org/ |
School Enrollment | New York City families can get help with public school enrollment and admissions at Department of Education (DOE) Family Welcome Centers in each of the five boroughs. | https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-03128 |
Groceries to Go | Free/affordable groceries for NYC Care recipients, undocumented NYC residents who cannot apply for SNAP. | https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/groceries-to-go.page |
Fair Fares | We help our clients apply for Fair Fares, a program that offers discounted MetroCards (half-priced, NOT free) for low-income New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status. | https://www.nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page |
IDNYC | All New York City residents, no matter their immigration status, can get a free ID card thanks to IDNYC. Appointments can be made at select libraries across the five boroughs. There is currently a waitlist of IDNYC appointments. As appointments open up, we can help schedule them for our clients. | https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/index.page |
WIC | Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) helps low-income women and their children buy food, as well as access nutrition counseling and health education. | https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic/ |
Emergency Medicaid | Free health coverage for medical emergencies only, regardless of immigration status. | https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/emergency_medical_condition_faq.htm |
NYC Care | Free and low-cost healthcare for New York City residents regardless of immigration status or income. | https://www.cianainc.org/nyc-care |
Contact Us
Reach out to us if you need assistance or would like to refer someone. We kindly ask that those in need of assistance contact us in advance to make an appointment before coming to our office. Find more resources for asylum seekers here.
If you would like to volunteer, donate clothes, or support us in another way, don't hesitate to reach out. There are multiple ways to reach us:
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Call (718) 545-4040
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Email info@cianainc.org
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Message us on our website
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Follow us on social media @cianainc: X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram
