June is Immigrant Heritage Month. The YMCA of Greater Kansas City is celebrating the YMCA’s long history of helping immigrants integrate into new communities and preparing receiving communities to be inclusive.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

The Y was the first organization in the U.S. to offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to immigrants. We believe that communities are strongest when everyone has an opportunity to contribute and work together on a shared vision for the future. The North Kansas City YMCA offers ESL courses frequently. Find a course.

Ellis Island and Angel Island

Did you know that in the late 1800s, Y immigration secretaries greeted hundreds of thousands of new arrivals at Ellis Island (New York) and Angel Island (San Francisco), helping them locate family members, housing and employment? During Immigrant Heritage Month, we celebrate the Y’s history of helping immigrants and their receiving communities join together to create inclusive environments where all can thrive.

Adult Night Classes

In the early 1900s, the YMCA of Greater New York introduced adult night classes to new immigrants. Today, Ys across the country continue to offer adult education programs and have responded to changing demographics by providing refugee services, New American Welcome Centers and more.

How the YMCA of Greater Kansas City Helps Newcomers

The North Kansas City YMCA is proud to offer a New American Welcome Center (NAWCs ). NAWCs at Ys across the country help immigrants — also referred to as newcomers — integrate into American society and help communities be welcoming and inclusive. This is achieved through a combination of integration services, collaborations with community leaders and businesses, and strategies to connect and build cross-cultural understanding between immigrants and U.S.-born residents.

Through the NAWC and other efforts, the North Kansas City YMCA has:

• Organized more than 20 regional bridge-building and welcoming week events
• Helped more than 150 people graduate from the English as a Second Language program
• Helped immigrants pursue their dreams of becoming American citizens including hosting a naturalization ceremonies
• Supported new Americans and others in our community through food distribution programs, helping to prevent hunger for those unsure of where their next meal will come from. So far, the North Kansas City YMCA has distributed 257,707 pounds of food to a total of 29,679 individuals to help fight hunger.
• Promoted inclusion, dignity and equality throughout all of our programs

For more information, visit the North Kansas City YMCA or call 816.300.0531.