The Arab-American Family Support Center

Excited to be part of the Nonprofit Conference on June 16! AAFSC CEO Randy Ali will be on the opening panel, "Communicating Through Uncertainty," talking about how nonprofits can lead with clarity and trust during challenging times. 🗣️

Follow to learn more about our work, and Get tickets at brooklyn.org/conference

Join us for our Summer Health Resource Fair on June 18 from 10am-4pm! ☀️

Come out for a day filled with FREE health screenings, exciting giveaways, community resources, family-friendly activities, and so much more!

Save the date and bring your friends and family! 😎

Eid al-Adha celebrations done right! 🌙⭐

As part of our Young Adult & Youth program, we were invited to attend the Teen Eid Picnic at Gracie Mansion. It was full community, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Our youth even got the chance to meet !

Our youth program gives young people the opportunity to explore topics that shape their daily lives, from healthy relationships and mental wellbeing to leadership and cultural identity. Sessions are hands-on and driven by participants, who often help lead workshops themselves, share their talents with peers, and speak about milestones such as landing their first job or preparing for an interview.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. New research from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding highlights a growing crisis facing Muslim communities in the US: higher rates of poor mental health, rising barriers to care, and the lasting impact of anti-Muslim hate, discrimination, economic stress, and displacement. Read more here: bit.ly/ispu-article

Did you know that AAFSC is one of the only clinics in NYC that offers free counseling in Arabic, as well as Bangla, Hindu, Urdu, and other languages? Our team specializes in culturally responsive mental health support - and provided more than 4,000 individual counseling sessions in NYC last year. Please reach out if you or someone you know needs support: aafscny.org/referrals

A huge shout out to Maia Dillane, Senior Director of Strategy & Implementation, and Dipika Shrestha, Director of Evaluation, who co-authored this study examining access to halal food aid across New York City.

The study found that halal and culturally relevant food options are limited across NYC’s emergency food system and highlights the importance of culturally responsive food access, language accessibility, and stronger partnerships to ensure families can access food that aligns with their dietary and cultural needs with dignity and trust.

Access the study here: doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.12.007

Eid Mubarak to all of who are celebrating Eid Al-Adha. AAFSC wishes you and your loved ones peace, joy, and togetherness during this special time.

AAFSC celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month and the communities that make New York stronger.

Language access is care. Our multilingual staff help families access services with dignity, confidence, and trust by speaking the languages of the communities we serve, including Bangla (Bengali), Hindi, Malayalam, Mandarin, Melanesian Tok Pisin, Nepali, Newari, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tibetan, and Urdu. At AAFSC, we are committed to improving access to care and connecting families to the support they need.

Refer someone or sign up for support: aafscny.org/referrals

Last week our youth had the privilege of speaking with Assemblymember . They had a dynamic conversation on civic engagement and advocacy, raising key issues such as mental health support, safe and reliable transportation, biking and pedestrian safety, culturally responsive school meals, and hate crime awareness and protections, particularly for Muslim youth experiencing Islamophobia.

AAFSC’s 2025 Annual Report is now live: bit.ly/aafsc-2025-report

For more than 30 years, we have walked alongside immigrant, refugee, and other marginalized communities across New York City during moments of both stability and crisis. While our name reflects our founding community, AAFSC’s doors are open to all.

In a year marked by growing insecurity, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and rising mental health needs, AAFSC provided New Yorkers with culturally responsive support. Together, we reached nearly 22,000 community members through multilingual, multigenerational services that helped families to stabilize and support families, and prepare them to thrive.

Read the full report to learn about AAFSC's plans to make an even greater impact.

At a time when communities are experiencing fear, discrimination, and division, it's critical that we continue building partnerships with community organizations, elected officials, and city agencies. Thank you to everyone who continues to advocate for dignity, safety, representation, and opportunity for all New Yorkers," Hizam Wahib, AAFSC's Assistant Executive Director joined partners across the Muslim Civic Table for Muslim Day at City Hall to advocate for policies that protect and support Muslim New Yorkers. Huge thanks to Speaker Julie Menin; Assembly Member Harvey Epstein; Council Member Shahana Hanif, Council Member Salaam, Council Member Avilés, Council Member Krishnan, Council Member Lee, and Council Member Restler for their support.