Arab American Family Support Center

The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-sectarian organization. Established in 1994, AAFSC is the first and largest Arabic-speaking, trauma-informed social service agency in New York City. AAFSC is headquartered in Brooklyn, home to the 3rd largest Arab population in the entire country. As a settlement house and member of United Neighborhood Houses (UNH), AAFSC has taken the initiative in providing culturally and linguistically competent services to members of Arab, Middle-Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (AMEMSA) immigrant communities throughout the five boroughs. Our programs are designed to empower and strengthen the AMEMSA communities, while creating an environment of tolerance and understanding for all nationalities and beliefs. We serve over 6,000 low-income people each year through six main programs: the Preventive Services Program, Adult Education and Literacy Program, Youth Program, Legal Services Program, Health Program and Anti-Violence Program.

We have a full-time staff of 35 and a part-time staff of 11 that is as diverse as the communities we support. AAFSC staff are competent in Arabic, American Sign Language, Bengali, English, Farsi, French, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Tibetan, Nepali, and Spanish and understand the cultural nuances necessary to serve immigrant communities. As is traditional for settlement houses, the majority of our staff are members of the communities with whom we work. Additionally, we are assisted by an average of 50 volunteers each year.