Queens Non-Profit To Help Resettle Refugees Across New York City

QUEENS, NY — A Queens-based non-profit will soon help refugees find new homes across New York City.

Starting this fall, Commonpoint Queens, a social services non-profit with offices in central and northeast Queens, will partner with HIAS in its century-long effort to help refugees find safe homes and necessary social services.

HIAS, which has been helping resettle refugees of all races and religions for 141 years, works with a nationwide network of human services agency partners, but Commonpoint Queens will be its first New York City-based partner in nearly a decade.

Mark Hetfield, HIAS president and CEO, said in a statement that working with the Queens-based non-profit will "strengthen our resettlement program."

Together, the two non-profits will provide refugees and asylum seekers with safe places to stay, career services and case management — services similar to those Commonpoint Queens already provides throughout The World's Borough.

"Commonpoint Queens strives and excels in helping community members return from crisis to stability, we are so excited to partner with HIAS and intentionally extend our resources and connections to refugees," said Danielle Ellman, CEO of Commonpoint Queens, in a statement.

In addition to being an extension of Commonpoint Queens' work, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards sees the partnership as quintessential to the borough itself.

"Queens is ‘The World’s Borough,’ and we wear that moniker with pride — but if we are to truly live up to it, we must be a safe haven for all those who yearn to breathe free," he said, noting that he is "thrilled" by the partnership.

"To those families who need a home, we welcome you with open arms and hearts."

Commonpoint Queens will take over HIAS' pipeline of New York-based refugee cases as of Oct. 1.

In doing so, the non-profit will become the sole Jewish organization providing refugee resettlement services under the U.S. State Department's Refugee Admissions Program, organization leaders said.