For many newly arrived Chinese immigrants, one of their primary concerns is to quickly adapt to the new environment in the U.S., learn how to obtain important information related to daily necessities, and utilize local resources to thrive. In a survey conducted last year, we asked over 900 Chinese immigrants where they would suggest a new Chinese immigrant seek help or participate in local activities to get involved in the community quickly. 75% of respondents mentioned community organizations or social services as the top category of answers. As a news organization that serves the immigrant community, Documented has compiled a comprehensive guide for Chinese immigrants. This article features organizations that serve Chinese immigrants and is part of our Guide to Resources for Chinese Immigrants in NYC.
If you are a Chinese immigrant in New York City and want to obtain Chinese resources and services that are close to your cultural background, you can seek help from the following organizations (in alphabetical order). If you know of any organizations serving Chinese immigrants in New York that are not listed here, please contact april.xu@documentedny.com and we will add them to this article.
- Asian American Community Empowerment ( formerly known as “BRACE”) is a non-profit organization founded in 2013 that provides cultural events and community service. It empowers people to help themselves through civic engagement and promotes cultural understanding through collaboration and events. Today, the organization has more than 80 member organizations with a total of more than 10,000 members, providing assistance to thousands of residents in need.
Address:
Brooklyn Center: 620 62nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220
Queens Center: 133-30 32nd Ave, Flushing, NY 11354; Tel: 917-409-8690
- Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in New York City. Founded in 1974 in Manhattan’s Chinatown to advocate for equal rights, AAFE has transformed in the past four decades to become one of the city’s leading housing, social service and community development organizations.
Website: https://www.aafe.org/
Manhattan Headquarters Address: 2 Allen St., Suite 7A
Tel: 212-979-8381
Email: askaafe@aafe.org
For more contact information, click here.
- Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA) was founded in 1988 as a community-based not-for-profit human service agency in response to the growing needs of the Asian-American communities in Sunset Park, Borough Park, and Bay Ridge in Brooklyn. The organization’s programs include early childhood services, youth services, head start programs, Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program, after-school program, adult English services, senior services, and social services.
Website: https://www.bca.net/eng/home.html
Address: 4204 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Tel: 718-438-0008. Check this page for details.
- Chinese American Citizens Alliance Greater New York is affiliated with the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA), one of the oldest Chinese civil rights organizations in the United States. Since its establishment more than a century ago, CACA has been committed to advocating and safeguarding the rights and well-being of Chinese Americans and has carried out a wide range of political, community, and cultural activities, such as focusing on civic responsibility and assisting youth to participate in community service.
Website: http://www.cacagny.org/home.html
Email: cacagny1895@gmail.com
Mail: P.O. Box 130024, New York, NY 10013
- Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is the largest Asian American social services organization in the United States, being the trusted partner to 60,000 individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community and career. CPC has more than 50 high-quality programs at 35 sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens to provide services to community members at every stage of life.
Website: https://www.cpc-nyc.org/
Address: 150 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
Email: info@cpc-nyc.org
Tel: 212-941-0920
For more contact information, please click here.
- Civil Aid Services is a community organization established by a group of community volunteers on October 28, 2005, to maintain the safety and stability of the community and provide related services. Its mission is to assist government agencies during natural disasters, provide emergency assistance to those in need and community safety and other community-related services, including first aid and CPR training for community members.
The organization hopes to train volunteers into an excellent, responsible, hard-working, and disciplined team through specialized training and strict technical procedures to protect the property and life safety of residents and fully support the government’s security work.
Website: https://civilaidservices.com
Address:
Headquarter: 29 Bay 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11214;
Queens Office: 40-10 Main Street, Suite #G4, Flushing NY 11354
Tel: 917-681-4489 or 646-413-9622
Email: info@civilaidservices.com
- Chinese American Social Services Center is a non-profit organization located in Brooklyn. Established in November 2015, the center provides community residents with an information platform on education, government programs and benefits, health care resources, and crime prevention. It also organizes various health workshops, helps prepare for the citizenship test, and assists in voting and other activities.
Address: 124 Avenue O, Brooklyn, NY, 11204
Tel: 718-975-0955
Email: 124cass@gmail.com
- Charles B. Wang Community Health Center is a non-profit and federally accredited community health center. On July 31, 1971, the very first Chinatown Health Fair was organized by a group of volunteers to provide health education and screenings to the medically underserved Chinese community in New York City. Following the tremendous community response, the Chinatown Health Clinic opened its doors that same year. The clinic was renamed Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in 1999. It has continuously expanded and grown to provide bilingual and bicultural healthcare services to members of medically underserved communities. It has five sites in Lower Manhattan and Queens, serving over 55,000 patients with more than 267,000 visits in 2021.
Please log on to https://www.cbwchc.org/location_ch.asp for the address and opening hours
- Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) is the oldest community organization in Chinatown, Manhattan. Since its establishment in 1883, it has represented the overseas Chinese in New York to fight for the benefits and rights they deserve. CCBA provides social services, promotions of Chinese traditions and cultural heritage, youth services, and promotes the interests of small businesses and the Chinese community. The organization also engages in charitable, educational and entertainment activities. There are 60 overseas Chinese associations under the CCBA, representing all aspects of the Chinese community in New York.
Website: https://www.ccbanyc.org/cindex.html
Address: 62 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel: 212-226-6280
Email: ccbany@yahoo.com
- Chinese Christian Herald Crusades was established in New York in 1928, and currently has branches in southern and northern California, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver, Europe, Hong Kong, and other places. It has also established villages for poor children in the city of Sanming in Fujian Province, Hechi in Guangxi Province, and Mianyang in Sichuan Province. The Chinese Christian Herald Crusades has four centers in New York, namely the Herald Mission Center in Queens, the Herald Gospel Plaza in Flushing, the Herald Gospel Center in Brooklyn, and the Herald Gospel Center in Chinatown. Its ministries include caring evangelism, family guardianship, community service, youth and children support, cancer patient support, elderly groups, English courses, free legal services, and a variety of value-added courses suitable for the community.
Herald Mission Center (New York headquarter)
Website: https://ny.cchc.org/
Address: 156-03 Horace Harding Expressway, Flushing, NY 11367
Tel: 718-359-2030
Email: help@cchc.org
For details, please visit https://ny.cchc.org/contact/
- CaringKind – The heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving aims to create, deliver, and promote comprehensive and compassionate care and support services for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research. The organization achieves its mission also by providing programs and services for individuals with dementia, their family, and professional caregivers; increasing public awareness; collaborating with research centers; and informing public policy through advocacy. The organization offers Chinese-language services.
Website: https://www.caringkindnyc.org/chinese/
Address: 60 Lexington Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10017
Helpline: 646-744-2900
Email: helpline@caringkindnyc.org
- Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP) provides vocational training, employment services, educational programs, and economic development opportunities to disadvantaged immigrants and refugees throughout New York City. With assistance from both private and public funding sources, CMP helps individuals take full advantage of all opportunities to succeed in their new environment. CMP’s services are constantly expanding. It provides career counseling, job placement, English as a second language (ESL) courses, youth programs, high-tech computer training and business development programs.
Website: https://www.cmpny.org/
Address: 55 Chrystie St., 2nd FL, New York, NY 10002
Mail: 55 Chrystie St., RM 209, New York, NY 10002
Tel:
(212) 571-1690 (General Inquiries)
(212) 571-1698 (Small Business Support)
(646) 292-9680 (English Classes for Youth and Adults, Neighborhood Development Area (NDA) Youth Internship Training Program)
(646) 292-9679 (Youth Summer Employment Program (SYEP), WLG Co-op Program, and other Youth Internship Programs)
(646) 292-9670 (Chinese school)
Email: info@cmpny.org
- Chinatown Partnership, led by Wellington Chen, was formed in 2006 as a new start-up from the ground up to bring residents, business owners, and community groups together to rebuild Chinatown after 9/11. It preserves the neighborhood’s unique culture and promotes a thriving community by hosting cultural events, marketing, and revitalizing small businesses.
Website: https://chinatown.nyc
Address: 217 Park Row, Suite #9, New York, NY 10038
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tel: 212-346-9288
Email: info@chinatownpartnership.org
- Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association (CSWA) is a workers’ organization founded in 1979 by a group of Chinese restaurant workers and a couple of supporters from other industries. Today, the CSWA has a membership of over 1,000 from various trades and ages and a leadership composed primarily of women, striving for a better working environment. The purpose of the association is to change the overall environment of the community, connect the living struggles of workers with the unjust social system, and work for more dialogue and cooperation between the Chinese community and communities of different ethnicities by developing leadership among working people in NYC’s Chinatown.
Website: https://www.cswa.org/?lang=zh
Address: 345 Grand Street, Unit 1W, New York, NY 10002
Tel: 212-334-2333
E-mail: cswa@cswa.org
- Chinatown YMCA is the branch of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) located North of Chinatown in Lower Manhattan, close to the East Village, Lower East Side, and Little Italy. The organization offers state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a pool, programs for kids and families, and immigrant services. It is committed to helping on achieving the goals and meeting the health and fitness needs of the community. The Chinatown YMCA offers programs serving children, teens and adults in four locations:
Houston Street Center
273 Bowery | 212-912-2460
Home of our 45,000 square-foot state-of-the-art fitness facility which includes a swimming pool, gymnasium, and classroom spaces
Hester Street Center
100 Hester Street | 212-219-8393
Home of our Beacon at MS 131, Family Support Program, and New Americans Welcome Center
Cornerstone Program at Two Bridges Community Center
286 South Street | 212-385-9352
Home of our after-school, teen, and adult programs at Two Bridges NYCHA Housing Development
COMPASS Program at PS 126
80 Catherine Street | 917-275-4172
Home of our after school program
For details, please log on: https://ymcanyc.org/locations/chinatown-ymca
- Chinese Progressive Association, founded in 1977, is a non-profit organization located in Chinatown, New York that is dedicated to serving the community. It works towards social and economic justice for the community, builds ties with other communities and supports justice and equality for all. It provides educational, advocacy, service, and organizing programs that raise the community’s living and working standards, involve residents in the decision-making processes that affect their lives, and brings together people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.
Website: https://www.cpanyc.info/20013-25991.html
Address: 230 Grand Street, Suite 504, New York, New York 10013
Tel: 212-274-1891
Email: cpanyc@cpanyc.org
- Chinatown Youth Initiatives was established in 1999 and registered as a formal non-profit corporation in New York State in 2003. The organization mobilizes youth to participate in community activities and services, cultivates youth leadership, and promotes community development through projects such as Chinatown Beautification Day, Chinatown Literacy Project, voter registration drives, etc.
Website: https://www.cyinyc.org/
Email: board@cyinyc.org
Twitter: @cyinyc
- Flushing Chinese Business Association (FCBA) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit organization incorporated in New York State in 1982. Its mission is to foster commercial and economic development; facilitate a profitable business environment in order to provide activities of culture, art, charity and education, and promote the welfare and local business of the community; serve the needs of members and local communities; promote harmony among ethnic groups; serve as the bridge between the local communities and government agencies; and enhance the political power of Chinese communities.
Website: https://fcbainc.org/
Address: 40-48 Main St #302, Flushing, NY 11354
Tel: 718-353-2320 or 718-661-1082
Email: info@fcbainc.com
- Fu Jian Association in USA is a nonprofit community organization that promotes education, social service, Chinese culture, and community events in the Fujianese communities in New York City.
Address: 33-70 Prince St. #CA 19, Flushing, NY 11354
Tel: 646-863-6555
Email: Chen3698913@gmail.com
- Glow Cultural Center (GCC) is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization founded in 2018. Its mission is to serve the multicultural groups in Flushing, with a vision to provide a vibrant and warm gathering and events center in the heart of Flushing. The center organizes a variety of activities to promote cultural exchange, health awareness, education enhancement, youth development, and multicultural integration. It aims to bring a positive impact on the community.
Website: https://glownyc.org/
Address: 133-29 41st Avenue, Flushing, NY 11355 (1st FL)
Tel: 718-359-1888
Email: contact@glownyc.org
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm
- Garden of Hope was established in 2004. With the fraternal spirit of Christ Jesus, it cares and helps women and children who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence in the Chinese immigrant community, helping them to rebuild physically and mentally. Services include community education and advocacy, emergency crisis management, social assistance applications, counseling and care, maternal and child safety shelters, legal aid and referrals, women’s empowerment, parenting education courses, counseling for youths who have witnessed domestic violence, etc.
Queens and Brooklyn Offices
(Address is confidential; appointment is required)
Helpline: 1-877-990-8595
Tel: 718-321-8862
Email: info@gohny.org
Mail: P.O. Box 520048, Flushing, NY 11352
New York City Family Justice Center – Queens
Address: 126-02 82nd Avenue, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
Opening hours: Tuesdays 9 am-5 pm, walk-in consultation or appointment available
New York City Family Justice Center – Brooklyn
Address: 350 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Opening Hours: Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, walk-in for consultation or appointment
- Hotel Chinese Association of USA is an organization for Chinese hotel workers. Its purpose and mission is to provide assistance for all Chinese American hotel employees to successfully strive for a working environment with equal treatment, so as to provide a platform for networking and professional training.
Website: http://www.hcausa.org/
Manhattan Office: 98 Mott Street, Suite 609, New York, NY10013
Brooklyn Office: 677 56 Street, Brooklyn NY 11220
Tel: 646-392-4009, 718-288-2312
Email: info@hcausa.org
- Homecrest Community Services, Inc. (HCS) is a non-profit community-based organization that provides various social services for older adults and immigrant families living in Southern Brooklyn. The center’s mission is to empower and succeed the Asian immigrant community and other disadvantaged groups through advocacy, civic engagement, and partnerships with other organizations.
Website: https://www.homecrest.org/
Sheepshead Bay Office
Address: 1413 Avenue T, Brooklyn, NY 11229
Tel: 718-376-4036
Email: info@homecrest.org
Opening Hours: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Bensonhurst Office
Address: 7907 New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11214
Tel: 718-627-7960 / 347-254-6941
Email: info@homecrest.org
Opening Hours: 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Health Essential Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote knowledge of health and disease prevention, help immigrants understand how to apply for healthcare resources suitable for them and strengthen the two-way interaction between healthcare institutions and Chinese Americans. It serves as a bridge between patients, physicians, and health and life insurance companies to help raise community health awareness.
Website: https://healthessential.org/home
Bensonhurst Office:
Address: 2336 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11214 Phone: 718-373-2562
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 3 pm
Sheepshead Bay Office:
Address: 2101 East 16th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11229 Tel: 718-376-1919
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 3 pm
Staten Island Office:
Address: 322 New Dorp Lane, Staten Island, New York 10306
Tel: 607-689-6618/6619
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 3 pm
- Hamilton-Madison House is a voluntary-based, non-profit community center established in 1898 dedicated to improving the quality of life of its community residents, primarily serving the Two Bridges/Chinatown area on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Its community, a federally designated area of poverty, is made up of diverse ethnic groups who often lack adequate services and resources. The agency provides multilingual services to help vulnerable groups including the disabled, immigrants, the unemployed, the elderly, etc. Its programs include behavioral health services, early education, community services, elderly services, youth development, etc.
Website: http://www.hamiltonmadisonhouse.org/
Address: 253 South Street, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10002
Tel: 212-349-3724
Please check this page for details and contact information for each project.
- Immigrant Social Services (ISS) was founded in 1972 to improve the conditions of immigrants and other underserved populations living in Manhattan’s Lower East Side/Chinatown. Over the years, the organization has hosted and provided various events and services, including English classes; assistance with housing, employment and immigration; after-school/summer programs for children and youth; substance abuse and violence prevention programs; youth employment; cultural, sports, and entertainment programs.
Website: https://issnyc.org/
PS2: 122 Henry St NY, NY 10002; Contact: Melissa Liu: 917-828-2672
PS42: 71 Hester St NY, NY 10002; Contact: Anna Feng: 917-828-2213
PS126: 80 Catherine St, NY, NY 10002; Contact: Alice Feng: 917-838-6107
PS130: 143 Baxter St, NY, NY 10013; Contact: Johnathan Wu: 212-219-1662
- Manny Cantor Center is part of the Educational Alliance, a 130-year-old nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, multigenerational programs and services for individuals and families, enhancing their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. The center, located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, provides education, health, welfare, arts and culture, and civic engagement services and programs to all New Yorkers, including Chinatown residents.
Website: https://mannycantor.org/
Address: 197 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Tel: 646-395-4280
Email: info@MannyCantor.org
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 6:30 am to 9 pm; Friday 6:30 am to 6 pm; Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm
- New York Branch of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation started its Northeast regional service in New York City in 1991. In order to serve the community more deeply, the Tzu Chi New York also established the Long Island Branch, the Boston Outreach Office, the Chinatown Service Center, the Brooklyn Service Center, and the East Long Island Office. During 9/11 in 2001, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and other disasters that shocked the world, Tzu Chi volunteers were at the forefront, giving strength and warm support to the community.
Website: https://tzuchi.us/cn/ny
Address: Tzu Chi New York has 8 offices, log on to https://tzuchi.us/cn/ny for details
Tel: 909-447-7799
Email: Please log in to https://tzuchi.us/cn/contact to send an email
- New York Residents Alliance is a non-profit organization founded in 2018 with the mission to safeguard and strive for equal opportunities for Chinese Americans in education and safety. The organization actively registers votes, promotes Chinese Americans to participate in democracy, and glues together hundreds of Chinese hometown associations and various industry associations to amplify the voices of Chinese Americans.
Website: https://nyresidentsalliance.org/
Email: info@nyresidentsalliance.org: youth4am@nyresidentsalliance.org
Twitter: @nyresalliance
- Parent-Child Relationship Association is a non-profit organization founded by a group of Chinese immigrant parents living in Sunset Park and Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. These two neighborhoods have a large percentage of immigrant residents who do not speak English. The association organizes its members to get involved in community service events, seeking to promote social and community activism among immigrant community members and help deepen the bond between parents and children by having them engage in actions together. Services provided include family support, a variety of social services, community engagement and festivals, civic engagement, youth programs, and mental health education.
Website: https://www.pcr.nyc/
Address: 909 58th St, Brooklyn, NY 11219
Tel: 718-210-3743
Email: info@pcr.nyc
- United Asian American Alliance (UA3) is a non-profit charitable organization. The organization has made strides in supporting disadvantaged students, adults, and nonprofits through digital technology, mental health advocacy services, and funding for community-based organizations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization also worked with a number of community partners to provide food and other key supplies to the community to fight against the pandemic together.
Website: https://www.ua3now.org/
Twitter: @UA3now1
Email: Log on to https://www.ua3now.org/about-us to send an email
- United Chinese Association of Brooklyn (UCAOB) was founded in 2002 to mobilize community resources to improve the quality of life for the underserved Chinese immigrant population in Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, and to develop a harmonious and civilized community.
Website: https://www.ucaob.org/
Bensonhurst Office: 1787 Stillwell Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11223
Tel: 718-232-0055
Email: Info@ucaob.org
Dyker Heights Office: 8407 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11228
Tel: 718-232-3377
Sheepshead Bay Office: 2111 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY, 11229
Tel: 716-799-1781
- University Settlement partners with 40,000 New Yorkers on the Lower East Side and in Brooklyn every year to build on their strengths as they achieve healthy, stable, and remarkable lives, since established in 1886. The organization pioneered highly effective programs that fight poverty and systemic inequality and collaborated with the communities to jointly advocate for justice and equality, helping build community strength. Its programs include early childhood education, mental health and wellness, benefits assistance and eviction prevention, adult literacy and education (in English), healthy aging, community and recreational centers, performing and visual arts, and youth development.
Website: https://www.universitysettlement.org/
Address: 184 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002
Program and service line: 212-453-4500
Email: info@universitysettlement.org
- Hometown associations and family associations. There are hundreds of hometown associations and family associations in New York based on the origin of places and family names, such as the Fukien Ameircan Association and the Lee’s Family Association. They provide Chinese immigrants with the social resources and various services they need. You can search for relevant organizations based on your place of origin or last name to connect with them.
There is a list of overseas Chinese associations under CCBA, which is only a portion of the hundreds of overseas Chinese associations in New York City.
If you are looking for other immigration resources in New York City, please view our general resource guide here.
