Arab American Association of New York (AAANY)
Basemah Atweh, Dr. Ahmed Jaber, Hicham El-Anmati & Suhad Kazma, Co-Fouding Members
The Arab American Association of New York (AAANY) is a social services organization located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn – heart of the newest and largest Arab immigrant community in the City. It provides culturally sensitive services that help low-income families adjust to their new homeland, achieve family stability, encourage active membership in society, and strengthen the community as a whole.
AAANY services include access to health care for documented and undocumented individuals, bilingual health education workshops, and cultural events throughout the year. It runs after-school, summer and arts programs for children English-as-a-Second language classes for adults, women’s literacy and domestic violence prevention programs. Legal and immigration assistance prepare participants for citizenship, translation assistance eases the language barrier that immigrants face when emerging with government agencies. AAANY also offers programs to facilitate mutual understanding and cooperation between the Arab and broader community.