Directory of African-Led Community Organizations
This is an ongoing Listserv and is therefore not an exhaustive list of all African-led community and ethnic-based organizations in the US. Please contact us if you are connected to any African-led organization and we will be happy to update the list.
African Advocacy Network (AAN)
The AAN is a San Francisco-based nonprofit founded in 2009 to serve the growing Diaspora of African and Afro-Caribbean immigrants. AAN provides immigration legal services, case management, and social integration services based on a unique Cultural Brokering model.
AAN couples these programs with experienced and trained linguistic capacity in more than ten languages that span the African continent including Amharic, Arabic, Berber, Dioula, Effutu, French, Haitian Creole, Kru, Senya, Sonufu, Spanish, Tigrinya, Wolof, and more. They act in collaboration with community partners, individuals, faith-based groups, and advocates to amplify their impact to ensure the equity of all voices and sustain their mission. https://www.aansf.org/
African Alliance of Rhode-Island (AARI)
AARI promotes unity within the African Communities in Rhode Island, advocates for the rights of Africans in Rhode Island, and educates the American public about Africa. In addition, AARI supports and benefits agricultural producers while evaluating the continent’s profile and facilitating linkages between Americans and Africans. Service provided includes farming and farmers markets, health conversation series, health research for African immigrants, information sessions, stories, fresh food drop-offs, etc. http://africanallianceri.org/
African Collaborative Network (ACN)
Located in West Michigan, we leverage trusted networks within the African immigrant community, to dialogue and advocate for access to resources and opportunities, and improve outcomes for these African communities. ACN hopes to address access inequities in: Information, places/environments of influence within the city, adult education and child education, and access to Legal counsel. http://www.africancollaborativenetwork.com/
African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE)
ACEDONE partners with families to help African refugees and immigrants in Boston develop a self-sufficient and vital community by providing community youths with the education and life experience to thrive socially, professionally, and economically. They accomplish their mission through programs such as: leadership development, academic success, small business development, housing, job training, and career counseling. https://www.acedone.org/
African Community Health Initiatives (ACHI)
ACHI is a non-profit committed to improving the health of the African community in Massachusetts. They Identify providers and organizations serving African immigrants and establish relationships with them to ease the referral of African immigrants for services, including immigration advice and education services. They also collaborate with health services providers to provide education and screening for health problems, including cholesterol, anemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, vision problems, dental problems, hearing problems, immunization services through health fairs, and HIV/AIDS education and prevention services in collaboration with other organizations. https://africancommunityhealthinitiatives.com/
African Communities Public Health Coalition (ACPHC)
ACPHC partners with communities and other public service agencies, to anticipate the community’s problems, with the goal, of preventing or promoting safety, stability, health, and well-being. These initiatives focus on a number of groups including newly arrived refugees, the elderly, youth in the risk situations, and children. Through the village healing ways (VHW) program community members become ‘lay-experts’ on mental health issues and immigration. The agency also helps with linkage to care and other social service provisions. https://africancoalition.org/
African Communities Together (ACT)
Located in New York, African Communities Together is an organization of African immigrants fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for our families here in the U.S. and worldwide. ACT empowers African immigrants to integrate socially, advance economically, and engage civically. They connect African immigrants to critical services, help Africans develop as leaders, and organize our communities on the issues that matter. https://africans.us/
African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS)
Located in Minnesota, Twin Cities, AEDS is a lending organization that serves African immigrants. We believe that access to key resources, supportive institutional frameworks, and nourishing environments are necessary for creating financial success within marginalized communities. https://aeds-mn.org/
African Family Health Organization (AFAHO)
AFAHO provides health, human and educational services to African and Caribbean immigrants and refugees in the greater Philadelphia area. Learn more at www.afaho.org
African For Improved Access (AFIA)
AFIA is a program under the broad umbrella of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition (MAC). Africans for Improved Access (AFIA) provides HIV/STI prevention, education, and support services to the African immigrant and refugee community in Massachusetts. They also facilitate cultural competency training for providers who serve African immigrants and refugees. AFIA offers group-level and individual-level services tailored for individuals from the Sub-Saharan African community. https://www.mac-boston.org/programs
African Health Coalition (AHC)
A vibrant non-profit organization in Chicago made up of researchers, volunteers, philanthropists, advocates, healthcare professionals, and nonprofit leaders committed to increasing the life expectancy and overall quality of life of African communities across the country. They believe our individual backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experiences are the greatest sources of creativity and innovation in creating a healthy and vibrant community. https://www.africanhealthcoalition.com/
African International Collaborative Center (AICC)
This non-profit organization based in New York provides services for African immigrants which covers Civic Engagement, Grassroot Mobilization, Leadership Development, and Empowerment. Their services include community health promotion & education, training, and technical assistance, program design development and evaluation, language, culture and history classes, leadership development forums, resources, information and referral hub, advocacy, job shadowing, and food pantry. www.africanicc.com
Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV)
A non-profit organization located in Burlington, Vermont. AALV helps new Americans from all parts of the world gain independence in their new communities through a range of integration services, including bridging case management, workforce development, behavioral health awareness, and interpreter services programming. With support from their multicultural, multilingual staff, clients are able to smoothly transition to living and working in Vermont. https://www.aalv-vt.org/
African Services Committee (ASC)
A non-profit organization, whose programs address the needs of newcomers affected by war, persecution, poverty, and global health inequalities. They provide health, housing, legal, educational, and social services to more than 6,500 people each year. Staff representing more than 20 countries and speaking over 25 languages provide culturally and linguistically relevant support to this diverse and growing community. Expanding HIV prevention and access to AIDS treatment and care is central to their mission. www.africanservices.org
Black Immigrant Collective (BIC)
The BIC is a Minnesota Black-led immigrant organization that works at the intersection of Blackness and migration. Their work includes mutual aid support, deportation & detention defense, local, state & federal policy, and resource sharing. http://www.blackimmigrantcollective.org/
Center for Multicultural Health (CMH)
A social service agency in Seattle, dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities, including individuals from communities of color, individuals with limited English proficiency, immigrants, and refugees. They provide innovative health advocacy, health promotion, disease prevention, and immigrant and refugee service programs in partnership with community individuals, groups, and organizations. https://www.centerformulticulturalhealth.org/
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)
ETSS is a community-based organization that helps new arrivals from over 50 countries establish roots and gain self-sufficiency in Central Ohio through programs and services that encourage community integration, sustained employment, education, health, and strong families. Members of their staff speak over 30 languages to provide individuals and families the services they need. https://ethiotss.org/
Multicultural Community Family Services (MCFS)
MCFS is an African-led ethnic-based community organization in Upper Darby Pennsylvania whose mission is to empower individuals, children, youths, and families to gain a greater capacity to succeed in their communities. MCFS accomplishes its mission through the delivery of culturally targeted social services.
MCFS provides home care services that serve private customers and predominantly low-income state eligible consumers in need of home care and other community-based habilitation services; provide full and part-time employment, job-readiness services for older youths and adults through its “preparing older youth for success (POYS)” job readiness program, providing weekly literacy classes for immigrant adults, weekly classes that help immigrants study and prepare to sit for USA examinations, regular workshop series that address an array of issues related to health and wellness, economic empowerment, prevention, immigration, and citizenship, and community soccer (multicultural united soccer club) for children and youth between the ages of 4 and 15.
https://www.facebook.com/multiculturalcommunityfamilyservices/
Overcomers Refugee Services
Overcomers Refugee Services provides New Hampshire refugees, especially the greater Concord area, with continuing broad array of basic support services through advocacy, access and linkage to resources and care. Such services include housing, heating, and electricity assistance; childcare, healthcare, welfare programs, employment, driver’s license, ESOL classes, SSN, and USCIS interactions. https://overcomersnh.org/home
Safari Youth Club
The Safari Youth Club is a club founded by refugees in 2014 in Manchester, New Hampshire to support refugee youths and their families as they settle into their homes as new Americans. They provide this support through academic, sports, art, and families assistance programs.
https://www.safariyouthclub.com/
San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC)
The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium brings together more than 50 diverse organizations across San Diego County that advocate for policies that advance the civil and human rights of immigrants and refugees. SDIRC has six African immigrant-led member organizations committed to providing access and equity to African immigrant communities in the San Diego region. Our African-led organizations are Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), Muslim American Society – Policy Advocacy & Civic Engagement (MAS-PACE), Somali Bantu Association of America (SBAOA), United Taxi Workers of San Diego (UTWSD), Alliance for African Assistance, and Cameroon American Council. https://www.immigrantsandiego.org/
Somali American Parent Association (SAPA)
SAPA Non-profit organization in Saint Paul, Minnesota which promotes the empowerment of Somali youth, parents, and African communities in Minnesota through a holistic approach to services that include education, community engagement, and advocacy. They provide support to East African children and families in Minnesota to navigate the various barriers they face to achieve a successful academic experience. They provide services for parent engagement, culture training, consulting, community health, and youth development programs. https://www.mnsapa.org/
Somali Family Services (SFS)
Somali Family Service, guided by its community champions, empowers immigrants, refugees, and other underserved communities in San Diego through its programs that promote health, educational and economic success, and leadership development. https://www.somalifamilyservice.org/
South Sudanese Enrichment for Families (SSEF)
SSEF is a whole-family resource dedicated to South Sudanese who have resettled in Massachusetts. They are committed to enhancing strengths, building self-sufficiency, and promoting community, SSEF assists with navigating systems, accessing resources, building skills, and creating opportunities to share South Sudan’s history and distinct cultural heritage. They do this through accessible preschool and summer camp opportunities for kids, community-based enrichment, assistance with finding affordable housing, outreach programs- cross-cultural events and exhibitions, financial literacy for women program, and the getting ahead program. https://www.ssefboston.org/
United African Organization (UAO)
UAO is a dynamic coalition of African community-based organizations that promotes social and economic justice, civic participation, and empowerment of African immigrants and refugees in Illinois. Their work includes public policy advocacy, leadership development workshops, community research, public education, organizing & building bridges program, citizenship & civic engagement application assistance, immigration legal services, health education, family support services, African language bank, and ESL/civic classes. https://uniteafricans.org/
Vitendo4Africa
Vitendo4Africa is an African-led non-profit organization registered in Missouri whose activities are directed towards empowering communities through education and outreach programs in Missouri and in Africa. They aim to welcome, connect and empower healthier immigrant individuals and families through the provision of support and services, and by coordinating resources. https://vitendo4africa.org/