History
The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians began in 1998 as the Philadelphia Area Immigration Resource Center (PAIRC), which initially focused on providing services and support to Philadelphia's Irish immigrant community.
The Center's accomplishments include:
- Securing start-up funding from a variety of sources to launch and sustain a well-functioning resource center;
- Gaining regional support from political groups, other non-profit organizations, and the business community;
- Partnering with a number of organizations such as the Enterprise Center and the PA Economy League to raise the awareness in the region of the importance of immigration as it relates to economic development;
- Publication of the The Immigrant's Resource Manual: What Every Immigrant Needs to Know in English and Spanish;
- Publication of Immigrant Philadelphia: From Cobblestone Streets to Korean Soap Operas;
- Offering a series of seminars that feature nationally recognized demographers and experts on immigration;
- Publication of a "How to" guide on "Starting a Grocery or Deli in Philadelphia" which provides key information on the basic procedures for opening a business in Philadelphia;
- Attracting the attention of the media for the work being done; and
- Creating a job placement service in mid-2004 which has placed more than 800 immigrants in a variety of jobs.
- Project Bridging Cultures: In partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, we work with more than 200 immigrant students enrolled at South Philadelphia High School. We mentor them and make them aware of the services they are entitled to as New Americans.
And, of course, the accomplishments of which we are most proud: Providing information, referral and private-consultation services to more than 1500 individuals from 54 nations around the world.
Our Story
In fall 2001, PAIRC conducted a comprehensive study to assess the landscape of the Philadelphia area's immigrant service providers. This study found that the services offered to immigrants were extensive and filled a significant need. At the same time, however, these services were fragmented and hard to access. In fact, in an informal survey of these organizations, all discussed the need for a centralized information source.
Executive Director Anne O'Callaghan, herself an Irish immigrant who has been in the Philadelphia area for three decades, observed that the situation had not changed much since her arrival. Change was the challenge.
Since opening in March 2003, the Welcoming Center has worked tirelessly to help new Americans in this region. Not only has the Welcoming Center directly worked with immigrants, it has also worked hard to raise awareness among the business and political communities about the importance of immigrants. One of the Welcoming Center's key roles has been to help create strategic relationships across a broad-based coalition of ethnic community-based organizations, immigrant service providers, and corporate, government, union, and foundation leaders in the greater Philadelphia region; and the promotion of immigrants and immigration as assets to regional economic development.
Did You Know...
The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians serves immigrants of all legal status, not just refugees and asylees.
