Cultural services
Minnesota provides many resources to help newcomers
to America adjust to life in Minnesota.
Below is a list of services that encourage immigrant and refugee participation. Many of these organizations provide translation and interpreter services.
African
African American Family Services (AAFS)
Assisting the African American individual, family, and community to reach a greater state of well-being through the delivery of community-based, culturally-specific chemical health, mental health, and family preservation services.
African Community Services (ASC)
Provides employment opportunities to newly arrived refuges by linking them to appropriate job banks that are available in the Metro area and further assisting them acquire the appropriate occupational skills that are necessary to obtain employment.
African Development Center (ADC)
Mission is to work within the African communities in Minnesota to start and sustain successful businesses, build assets, and promote community reinvestment. ADC provides support to African-owned businesses, offers financial literacy education to Africans living in Minnesota, and seeks out and creates new opportunities in home ownership for African immigrants. ADC offers programs in business development, home ownership & training, and financial literacy.
Somali Culture and Customs
Details about Somali culture and customs regarding dress, gestures, greetings, and other courtesies can be found on this Minnesota Department of Human Rights website. Information on the Islamic point of view as well as Somalia history, facts and figures are provided.
Somali Education Center
The Somali Education Center provides bilingual instruction and tutoring in math, science, English, and other subjects for children in kindergarten through the first year of college, their parents, and other members of the Somali community.
Somali Mai Community of Minnesota, INC (SOMCOM)
The mission of SOMCOM is to suppor and empower refugees and immigrants in the Somali Mai community of Minnesota, and integrate their lives into the Unites States. SOMCOM was founded to be the missing link for Mai speaking Somali families struggling to secure decent housing, employment, health care, and other vital services. Since most institutions social service agencies assume all Somali clients speak Maha, the dominant language of Somali, Mai speakers often face intense language and cultural barriers when attempting to work with service organizations. Volunteers act as advocates, liaisons, and translators for Mai speaking people in need.
Top of page
Asian
Hmong American Mutual Assistance Association (HAMMA)
HAMMA promotes leadership, educational advancement for youth and teens, encourages self-sufficiency and community involvement and assists in maintaining Hmong cultural heritage. HAMAA has developed and sponsors several primary programs, including: Council of Hmong Elders, Family Empowerment Network, Academic Barriers Challenges, Youth Empowerment Partners, Center for Hmong Adolescent, Minneapolis Community Patrol, Neighborhood Home Buyers Club, and Hmong Economic Development Program.
Hmong American Partnership (HAP)
HAP's goals are to: assist Hmong adults in gaining English language and job skills,
find and retain employment; prevent Hmong youth involvement in drugs and crime, while helping to improve their academic achievement; help Hmong parents increase their confidence and ability to communicate with their children; educate health professionals, community leaders, and the broader Hmong community on disparities of access and understanding mental health; and, play a leadership role in community and economic development, which will be furthered by the new facility (Hmong American Center) on St. Paul's East Side neighborhood. Link to “What is Hmong?” to learn about the history of Hmong in Minnesota .
Hmong Cultural and Resource Center
Promotes the personal development of children, youth, and adults through Hmong cultural education while providing resources that enhance cross-cultural understanding between Hmong and non-Hmong people. This Hmong and Asian American organization provides community outreach activities related to multicultural education for the purpose of promoting positive race relations in the Twin Cities community.
Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND)
A non-profit organization, HND works with local and national organizations, public and private entities, and individuals to promote educational opportunities, increase community capacity, and develop resources for the well-being, growth, and full participation of Hmong in society. A regional listing of Minnesota based Hmong organizations is provided.
Hmong Nationality Archives
Over 5,000 years ago the Hmong, once highly developed with a rich culture in northeast China were invaded, conquered, and suppressed by the expansionist Chinese. Their civilization was taken away. The Hmong have lost much of their history over the years because historical records and artifacts have been neglected, thrown away, lost, or destroyed. The Hmong Nationality Archives mission is to research, collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate materials in all formats about or by Hmong. Their goal in becoming the world's biggest Hmong repository is to serve the Hmong community and anyone interested in Hmong history and culture.
Lao Family Community of Minnesota
This website offers employment information for Hmong families. Successful programs address language barriers, cultural beliefs and practices, poverty, and other barriers to self-sufficiency. The goals of Lao Family's employment program are to help Hmong families overcome barriers to employment, to help primary wage earners obtain and retain gainful employment, and to help Hmong families become self-sufficient.
Southeast Asian Refugee Community Home (SEARCH)
Assists southeast Asian refugees and former refugees to become economically self sufficient, integrate into American society, and contribute to the community. SEARCH focuses on the needs of Southeast Asian youth to enable them to fully participate in American life while retaining important cultural values and traditions.
United Cambodian Association of Minnesota
Supports the adjustment of Cambodians to American society by providing opportunities for Cambodian youth to reach their full potential; preserving their ethnic heritage; and promoting access to the social, economic and educational opportunities available to all Americans.
Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota
Dedicated to maintaining the identity of the Minnesota Vietnamese community while addressing the basic
economic, educational, and health needs of refugees and immigrants statewide.
Top of page
Latino
CLUES - Latino Resource Center
The Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) Resource Center has been
recognized as leading source of culturally specific materials for the Spanish speaking community. It is
known as a leader representing prevention needs of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs for the Hispanic community.
The center is located in Minneapolis and St. Paul and houses competent and certified staff in the drug prevention field.
It also offers culturally specific pamphlets, brochures, and videos in both Spanish and English that address
a broad array of chemical dependency prevention topics.
Top of page
Multi-cultural
Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services
Services include outreach to Spanish-speaking individuals and families in the Latino community, employment services for refugees and asylees through Project RISE ( Refugees in Search of Employment ), case management and refugee resettlement services, and information concerning myths surrounding immigration and Hmong refugees from Thailand.
Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)
The healing services staff at CVT help torture survivors regain control over their lives and help them heal from symptoms of torture. This may include mild to severe physical, mental, and spiritual suffering. Each survivor works with a team of care providers including doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, massage therapists, and physical therapists.
Centre for Asians and Pacific Islanders (CAPI)
CAPI assists Southeast Asian and East African immigrants and refugees to become increasingly self-sufficient and contributing members of our community. CAPI has two integrated departments: Employment and Training and Social Services and Cultural Education. The agency's diverse employees collectively speak 10 languages, and offer valuable services from several Minneapolis locations.
Hennepin County Office of Multi-Cultural Services
Hennepin County is determined to meet the challenge of delivering accessible, efficient and cost-effective services to their community's multicultural residents. The Hennepin County Office of Multi-Cultural Services was implemented to provide a gateway for coordinated multicultural service delivery across county departments and in collaboration with community partners. This channel is devoted to information about and health, housing, and social services for immigrants and others who are recent arrivals to this county.
International Institute of Minnesota
This inter-racial, non-political, non-sectarian social service agency was founded in 1919 to serve both foreign and native-born. It is affiliated with the Immigration and Refugee Services of America (IRSA) and the United Way. The Institute provides a center for information; develops fellowship; promotes the welfare of foreign-born populations and their families; and preserves and stimulates intercultural values.
Jewish Family Service of St. Paul
Primary target groups for services include unemployed and underemployed persons; adults, families, and children needing better coping skills; frail elders; and refugees. Major programs include counseling, vocational improvement program (VIP), senior services, resettlement, and bilingual information and referral. The agency is affiliated with United Way and United Jewish Fund and Council.
Lutheran Social Services
The mission of the Refugee and Employment Services division of Lutheran Social Service is to help refugees and Minnesota residents become self sufficient. The refugee programs assists federally approved refugees from various countries to be reunited with family members. Refugee and Employment Services ensures that the basic needs of refugees are met (food, shelter, clothing) and provides initial services that will help them become self-sufficient in their new country.
New Americans Community Service (NACS)
Responds to the overwhelming need for education, employment, crime prevention, and social services for the growing refugee and immigrant population in the Twin Cities. NACS provides support services and works as a bridge between refugees and necessary U.S. resources. Their goal is to ensure access to needed services and relevant programs designed to achieve resettlement and long-term individual, family, and community self-sufficiency.
Youth Intervention Project
As part of a preventative program targeting immigrant youth, the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota established the Youth Intervention Project to prevent at-risk behavior by immigrant youth and to encourage these youth and their parents to become U.S. citizens.
Page last updated in June 2008.
New to America
