Nebraska Afghan Community Center(NACC) was recently established to help and support the Afghan families with post 90 days services where resettlement agencies are not doing much of the support with new resettled families. With the government's fall in Afghanistan in August 2021, Afghans who worked with U.S. Government in Afghanistan were forced to leave Afghanistan for various security reasons. NACC was established on March 17th, 2022

History

Nebraska received a significant number of Afghan families and individuals to Omaha and Lincoln. After the arrival of the new Afghan families, the current Afghan community leaders in Omaha and Lincoln organized a grassroot level support network that provided initial basic support to needy new Afghan families. All of the support was on volunteer basis without any proper organization of an established and dedicated entity. Although this timely assistance proved to be very important, the unstructured nature of the steps undermines the long term effectiveness and sustainability of our community efforts. Thus it was deemed necessary to established this new nonprofit organization and provide the Afghan community with better, organized and sustainable support and services.

As part of our efforts to assist the newly arrived Afghans

the Afghan Community in Omaha set up a taskforce of 14 key community leaders. The taskforce would met regularly to brainstorm and plan donation drives, volunteer groups and other activities to support the newly arrived Afghans.

This influx of Afghan refugees in Omaha and Lincoln was overwhelming for the local resettlement agencies, and Afghan community members especially when the first 6 months support provided by local agencies ends. This grant will support our organization enrich and better organized our efforts in a more formal structure. This grant is vital for plans to offer the newly Afghan refugees with more supportive services especially the followings:

1. Read mails to families in Dari or Pashto

2. Language support(Interpretation/Translation)

3. Apply for public benefits

4. Cultural Competencies/Navigation

5. Offer onsite or offsite ESL class or classes.

6. Transportation (Driving Classes) or how to use public transportation in NE.

7. Youth Mentoring (Educational Support)

8. Help with Medical Appointments

9. Organize Community events

10. Donation collection and distribution to families

The Nebraska Afghan Community Center (NACC) will be open to all volunteers from the larger Omaha and Lincoln communities. NACC space will be used for community meetings and one stop shop for Afghans to come and seek assistance whenever needed.