YMCA looks to welcome immigrants through new centers

Prior Lake American

For immigrants in the United States, settling into a new community can be difficult.

The YMCA is working to make that process easier through the New American Welcome Centers.

"The New American Welcome Centers is an effort in a center designed to help support immigrants, also referred to as newcomers, fully integrate into our American society and kind of help prepare longstanding and receiving communities to be welcoming and inclusive of them," YMCA Director of Social Responsibility Bruce Yang said.

The New American Welcome Centers are in YMCAs across the country, including the River Valley YMCA in Prior Lake and other Twin Cities locations. The centers feature programs designed specifically for immigrants.

"Some of the programs vary from center to center and that's based on community relevance," Yang said.

At the Prior Lake YMCA, activities generally focus on Somali and Latino immigrants including group exercise classes, internship programs, safety around water programs, youth basketball, swim lessons, youth summer camps and more.

"We've established a great sense of trust between the YMCA and the communities we serve," River Valley YMCA Executive Director Mary Erickson said. "It provides, overall, a sense of community and a place where they feel welcomed and included."

The centers focus on five ways to help integrate immigrants — language and education, economic integration and employment, health and well-being, citizenship and civic engagement, and community development.

Partnerships in the community and spaces where immigrants can share their stories help create understanding in a climate that's ripe with immigration misrepresentation, Yang said.

"That helps to debunk and demystify some of those myths around immigrant communities," Yang said. "That brings about questions and conversations that lead to understanding different communities."

Working with all communities is what the YMCA tries to do, YMCA Director of Communications and Marketing Joan Schimml said.

"At the Y, we believe it's really important to not work for the community but with the community," Schimml said.

The New American Welcome Centers in the Twin Cities served over 2,000 immigrants last year and expect to serve 4,500 with similar programs.