Supporting Our New Neighbors on Giving Tuesday — and Beyond

How to care for asylum seekers and other communities in need this holiday season. 

Giving Tuesday, which falls on December 3, is a wonderful opportunity to consider the many ways we can give back to our community, including the more than 180,000 asylum seekers currently in our city. Here at Trinity, we serve our neighbors by making strategic grants to organizations supporting asylum seekers and by offering free meals and groceries, clothing, legal counseling, and pastoral care.

But we can’t do this work alone.

In the spirit of Advent, we’re highlighting 10 partner nonprofits caring for migrant communities in New York City and beyond. Whether you’d like to give your time, talent, or treasure, we hope you’ll consider contributing to these incredible organizations working hard to welcome and uplift our new neighbors.

Looking to make an impact in Trinity’s neighborhood?

Sanctuary for Families advocates for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and related forms of gender violence. In response to the influx of migrants into NYC, the organization has expanded its asylum legal services. Through these programs, survivors receive trauma-informed and culturally competent pro se legal assistance, as well as full representation.

The Center for Wellbeing & Happiness (CWBH) at the Lower Eastside Girls Club (LESGC) offers People Bonding & Justice for Asylum Seekers (PB&J), an initiative to provide a comfortable and clean space for migrants to find nourishment. Initially launched as a three-week pilot program, PB&J has expanded to include temporary shelter as well as access to restrooms, outlets to charge personal devices, Wi-Fi, prayer space, and hot meals.

Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) provides pro bono civil legal services to low-income and under-resourced New Yorkers. Working within Trinity and beyond its doors, VOLS has positioned itself as a pivotal advocate for families in Lower Manhattan seeking legal immigration representation.

St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery is an East Village Episcopal parish that provides direct services for newly arrived New Yorkers. Specifically, the church’s Migrant Welcome Center offers a safe and welcoming space that offers food, charging stations, English as a Second Language classes, case management and referrals, haircuts, and financial support.

Want to support organizations working throughout New York City?

Hot Bread Kitchen creates economic opportunity for immigrants, women, gender-expansive people, and people of color through culinary training and food entrepreneurship programs. Their newest program, Culinary Career Pathways for New New Yorkers, focuses specifically on migrants with work authorization, providing access to over 100 hours of culinary instruction, ESOL classes, referrals to wraparound services, and job placement.

Girl Scouts of Greater New York Troop 6000 creates scouting experiences for children in the New York City shelter system. With many migrant families living in shelters, Troop 6000 has adapted their programming to provide mental health supports and engaging community activities.

African Communities Together assists recent arrivals, especially African asylum seekers, in their New York City transition. As an increasing number of migrants travel from West Africa to New York City, this organization provides services with a culturally relevant lens, such as health insurance enrollment support, temporary housing solutions, and appointments for IDNYC, New York City’s identification card program.

Interested in efforts statewide and beyond?

Rural and Migrant Ministry centers its mission around the creation of a just, rural New York state by nurturing leadership, changing unjust systems and structures, and standing with the disenfranchised, especially farmworkers and rural workers. In Western New York, Long Island, the Catskills, and the Hudson Valley, this organization educates farmworkers, trains youth leaders, and builds coalitions that catalyze equitable change.

New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) advocates for the rights of all immigrants in New York State. Their recent collaboration with Trinity and F.Y. Eye on the “New York Proud” campaign is just one example of NYIC’s work to help New Yorkers recognize the essential role immigrant workers play in our economy.

Episcopal Relief and Development works across the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion to support emergency response, climate resilience, early childhood development, and gender-based equity. As climate change disaster increasingly affects communities across the globe, this organization ensures that displaced communities in crisis are met with direct aid.

Curious to learn about other organizations that promote youth well-being, housing, mental health, and justice?

Find them on our grantee database. And if you’re looking for volunteer opportunities to serve our neighbors at Trinity Church this Christmas season, sign up to help with our Christmas Food Pantry, Christmas Dinner, or Giving Tree campaign.

Image: Troop 6000 of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York creates scouting experiences for children in the NYC shelter system. Here, Supervising Social Worker Marissa Stranieri greets Trinity staff on a recent visit.