The New American Welcome Center (NAWC) helps immigrants fully integrate into American society and prepares receiving communities around the First Coast to be welcoming and inclusive.
Located at the duPont Family YMCA Youth Development Campus, we are actively engaging local institutions and mobilizing community resources to help make our community a place where newcomers and immigrants can thrive and flourish.
The Y has a long history of welcoming and engaging immigrants – from launching the nation’s first English as a Second Language class in 1856 to providing aid to thousands of new arrivals at Ellis and Angel Islands in the early 1900s.
We believed then as we do now, that offering our newest neighbors the support and care to thrive creates stronger, more connected communities for all.
What We Do
Services and resources offered by the NAWC for newcomers and immigrants include:
- Support and referral services
- Conversational English and citizenship classes
- One Heart Jax (a women’s artisan cooperative) – Handmade products sold at Cultivate in Riverside
- Oates Community Food Pantry (Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:00am-12:00pm)
- Case Management for financial, medical and educational assistance
- Community events
To schedule an appointment, email our center director, Andrew Stack at astack@fcymca.org.
Welcoming Week
September 13-22, 2024
Annually, along with YMCAs across the U.S., the NAWC participates in Welcoming Week which celebrates and embraces new Americans through community activities and education. This week-long event strives to bring awareness and understanding of long-term residents’ and newcomer families.
Click here to view photos from the past event.
Donations
If you would like to help support our efforts at the New American Welcome Center, we are always looking for donations to help families in need. Below is a list of what we are currently accepting.
- Bottled water
- Canned foods
- Household items and small applicances in good, working condition
- Hygiene products
- New/gently used clothing
- Toys
- Arts and crafts materials
- Monetary donations always welcome!
Donate to the New American Welcome Center
Select “New American Welcome Center” from the designation dropdown menu.
We are located at:
7373 Old Kings Road
Jacksonville, FL 32217
