Here are 10 organizations serving immigrants and refugees in Columbus
Earlier this year, Columbus’ two resettlement agencies received the news that they will welcome about 350 Afghan evacuees and 1,600 refugees from other countries this fiscal year. This marks a significant increase from the number of new arrivals during the past fiscal year, which was less than 200.
The federal government recently announced that it will halt most of its resettlement program to focus its resources on the Afghans, which might affect the arrival timeline of families set to come to Columbus. But the number of incoming refugees will still be much higher than that in the previous year.
Both Afghan evacuees and other refugees are entitled to federally funded resettlement services during the first three months of their time in the United States. Having just escaped wars and conflicts, however, they likely will have greater needs that cannot be fully addressed in just a few months.
Here is a list of 10 nonprofit organizations –– besides the two resettlement agencies US Together and Community Refugee and Immigration Services –– that provide services to immigrants and refugees in Columbus.
Muslim Family Services of Ohio
Based in the Northwest Side, Muslim Family Services of Ohio carries out case management work for Muslim and other residents. Its programs range from assisting clients with basic life necessities to helping them arrange Muslim funeral services. The group also works closely with local resettlement agencies to support new Americans after the end of their three-month resettlement period.
Email: help@mfsohio.org
Phone: (614) 470-2848
Address: 4900 Reed Road, Suite 100, Columbus
Legal Aid Society of Columbus
The Columbus branch of the nationwide nonprofit provides pro bono legal assistance to economically disadvantaged people in Greater Columbus. Immigrants who cannot afford to hire a lawyer can reach out to Legal Aid attorneys to seek help with housing problems, wage thefts, public benefits, family law issues, among others. The branch also has an office in Marion County.
Phone: (614) 224-8374
Address: 1108 City Park Ave., Columbus
Ohio Hispanic Coalition
With offices on the city’s North, East and West sides, the Ohio Hispanic Coalition has been assisting Columbus’ growing Latino population for the past three decades. The organization offers clients culturally appropriate healthcare services, interpretation and translation support, after-school programs for children, and case management for survivors of family violence and sexual assault.
Email: ohiohispaniccoalition@gmail.com
Phone: (614) 840-9934
Address (main office): 1535 Bethel Road, Floor 1, Columbus
Somali Community Association of Ohio
There are about 45,000 to 50,000 Somalis living in Columbus. The Somali Community Association of Ohio is a grassroots organization that works closely with local community members, offering services from English classes and employment assistance to afterschool programs and housing advocacy. Its office is in Northland, where many Somali residents live.
Email: info@somaliohio.org
Phone: (614) 262-4068
Address: 3422 Cleveland Ave., Columbus
Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio
Bhutanese Nepalis make up one of the biggest immigrant groups in the Columbus area. The Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, a group based in Northland, estimates that there are more than 27,000 Bhutanese-Nepalis living here. The team works with clients on a case-by-case basis and meets a whole range of their social, health, educational and economic needs.
Email: bhutaneseorganization@gmail.com
Phone: (614) 396-8965
Address: 4646 Tamarack Blvd. Columbus
Read more: 37 families displaced by fire at Northland apartments with 160 code violations since 2016
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
Located on Columbus’ Northeast Side, the organization has a staff that speaks more than 30 languages and provides direct services to immigrants and refugees from all around the world. Its adult programs help foreign-born residents develop English skills, get better jobs and navigate through the city life here. The group also has a variety of youth enrichment programs for children between 5 and 18. In addition, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking can reach out to the organization’s family care team for culturally sensitive assistance.
Email: camille.thompson@ethiotss.org
Phone: (614) 252-5362
Address: 1060 Mt. Vernon Ave., Columbus
Central Ohio Worker Center
Founded in 2014, the Central Ohio Worker Center, based in South Columbus, focuses on advocating for fair wages and workplace protections for low-wage workers including immigrants. The nonprofit organizes “know your rights” workshops, offers training on immigration and labor law, and helps residents with wage theft and workplace discrimination cases. The group also works with partner organizations to support immigrant families at risk of deportation.
Email: centralohioworkercenter@gmail.com
Address: 2800 S. High St., Columbus
Our Lady of Guadalupe Center
As part of Catholic Social Services, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Center sits in the heart of Columbus’ West Side and works to reduce poverty among members of the Latino community. First established in 1999, the center started out as a food pantry. Right now, however, it offers a variety of resources including English-as-a-second-language classes, nutrition workshops, preventative health screenings and immigration consultations.
Email: olgc@colscss.org
Phone: (614) 340-7061
Address: 409 Industry Drive, Columbus
Read more: Young Columbus residents see their DACA applications derailed following Texas ruling
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality
The nonprofit law firm has a program that focuses on addressing discriminatory employment practices and civil rights violations facing migrant agricultural workers. There are more than 200 licensed farm camps in Ohio, and most workers are either undocumented or brought to the United States on guest-worker visas. Advocates at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality assist these workers with problems ranging from unpaid wages to human trafficking. The law firm serves residents across the state with offices located in Toledo, Defiance and Dayton.
Phone: (419) 255-0814
Address: 525 Jefferson Ave., Suite. 300, Toledo
North Community Counseling Center
The North Community Counseling Center, a mental health agency, established the Center of New Americans three years ago to cater to the specific mental health needs of central Ohio’s Bhutanese-Nepali residents. The center is located on the city’s East Side. Most of its counselors speak Nepali and are former refugees themselves. Besides case management work, the program also organizes medication classes, psychoeducation groups and other events.
Email: faxcna@northcommunity.com
Phone: (614) 582-2368
Address: 1299 McNaughten Road, Columbus
Read more: Community therapists help Nepali refugees from Bhutan peel back layers of trauma
Yilun Cheng is a Report for America corps member and covers immigration issues for the Dispatch. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.
ycheng@dispatch.com
@ChengYilun
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Resources for Columbus' immigrant residents
