Access of WNY

What Access of WNY does

Access of WNY (legally Arab-American Community Center for Economic and Social Services, ACCESS of WNY, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in May 2005 and headquartered at 609 Ridge Rd in Lackawanna, New York. The organization emerged from post-September 11, 2001 volunteer efforts to support Arab, Muslim, and other immigrant communities facing heightened discrimination, and serves families of any faith or ethnicity across the Greater Buffalo Region. Its core focus is the Yemeni-American community in Lackawanna (the largest population of Yemeni descent in Western New York, numbering 6,000+), though services are available to immigrant and non-immigrant low-income families alike.

The organization operates an integrated service platform spanning thirteen program areas: Case Management and Advocacy (Medicaid, SNAP, HEAP, housing, WIC form assistance); Refugee Services (ESL, employment workshops, family mentoring); Financial Assistance via the Helping Needy Families Fund; Healthcare Access navigation (with on-site representatives from six regional payers); Employment and Tax Preparation; Mentoring and Support (including two $500 annual scholarships); Citizenship and Immigration services (with three DOJ-accredited representatives); Youth Programs (tutoring, summer enrichment, GLOW, after-school programs serving 150+ students); Professional Development (2,000+ services provided in 2014); Domestic Violence Resources; High Fidelity Wraparound Services under contract with Erie County DSS; and Education Classes (ESL, literacy, citizenship preparation, wellness).

The revenue model is that of a community-based non-profit: foundation grants (John R. Oishei Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo, Peter & Elizabeth Tower Foundation, CAAP), government contracts (Erie County DSS wraparound services, Erie County Youth Bureau), annual gala sponsorships (Gold $10K, Silver $7.5K, Bronze $5K tiers), program advertising, individual donations, and channel partnerships with healthcare payers. Leadership is community-based, with Executive Director Talib Z. Abdullah, MSW (22+ years of social work experience) and Chairman Mohamed Albanna (co-founder and WNY Wholesale owner) overseeing a small team of 11-50 staff including operations, case management, DOJ-accredited immigration representatives, tutors, and an ESL instructor.

Name

Access of WNY

Legal name

Arab-American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) of WNY

Website

https://accesswny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Access of WNY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2005 in Lackawanna, NY, delivering integrated case management, refugee resettlement, immigration, healthcare navigation, youth programs, and wraparound services to low-income families, immigrants, and at-risk youth across the Greater Buffalo Region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Immigration assistance programs
• Refugee resettlement support
• Youth educational programs
• Case management advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Access of WNY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social services organization providing case management, refugee resettlement, immigration/citizenship assistance, healthcare navigation, employment support, financial emergency assistance, youth educational programs, and wraparound services to immigrant and low-income families in the Greater Buffalo Region. The organization delivers services through in-person multilingual staff at its Lackawanna office, supplemented by partner healthcare representatives on-site and contracted wraparound services with Erie County Department of Social Services.

Product overview

ACCESS of WNY is a non-profit social services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of community support programs. The organization operates as a single integrated service platform rather than separate modular products, providing case management, refugee services, healthcare navigation, employment assistance, youth programs, immigration services, and financial assistance. Key programs include High Fidelity Wraparound Services for at-risk youth and families, Youth Programs featuring tutoring and summer enrichment, Citizenship and Immigration services, and Healthcare Access navigation. The organization serves the Greater Buffalo Region with a focus on Arab-American and immigrant communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Case Management and Advocacy Social service case management providing assistance with government benefit forms (DSS, HEAP, Social Security Disability, WIC), housing, healthcare navigation, and referrals to community resources for low-income families and individuals.
• Refugee Services Comprehensive refugee support including ESL training, employment workshops, job counseling, case management, family mentoring, and elderly refugee services for newly arrived refugees in Western New York.
• Financial Assistance (Helping Needy Families Fund) Temporary emergency financial assistance for eligible individuals and families in Western New York, including rental, utility, and food assistance through the Helping Needy Families Fund.
• Healthcare Access Health insurance navigation services helping community members find insurance and healthcare services, with representatives fluent in multiple languages assisting with plan reviews and applications.
• Employment and Tax Preparation Employment services including job readiness training, ESL instruction, resume writing, interview preparation, and self-assisted tax preparation during tax season for refugees, immigrants, and community members.
• Citizenship and Immigration Immigration assistance including family-based petitions, fiance(e) visas, naturalization preparation, citizenship classes, work permits, and Yemen passport renewal services delivered through DOJ-accredited representatives.
• Youth Programs Youth programming including after-school tutoring (3:00pm-5:30pm Monday-Thursday), summer enrichment, Girls Leading Our World (GLOW), and ACCESS after-school program serving over 150 students annually.
• Professional Development Job skill training and placement assistance, including employment applications, job training referrals, and the International Institute job readiness program with over 2,000 services provided in 2014.
• Mentoring and Support Career and education mentoring for youth, particularly immigrant youth, including a high school scholarship program providing $500 scholarships to two local students annually.
• Domestic Violence Resources Resources and support for individuals experiencing domestic violence, including referrals and connections to emergency services.
• High Fidelity Wraparound Services Individualized and group support services for at-risk youth and families including Youth Peer Advocates, Family Peer Advocates, respite, therapy, skill building, and parenting skills training delivered through Erie County DSS Care Coordination.
• Community Services and Civic Engagement Community service events and civic engagement activities reaching thousands of community members annually across the Greater Buffalo Region.
• Education Classes English Language Learners (ESL) classes, literacy classes, citizenship preparation classes, and Girls Growing in Health & Wellness yoga and life skills series.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 students attend youth programs annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Explore & More Children's MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023
• Neighborhood Legal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Blue Cross Blue Shield WNYcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• Fidelis CarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• Univera HealthcarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• United HealthcarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• Your CarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• Erie County Senior ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor
• National Network of Arab American Communities (NNAAC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• International Institute of BuffalocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Journey's EndcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Global Concepts Charter SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Lackawanna School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Canisius CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• University at BuffalominorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Trocaire CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Erie County Youth BureaucoreOthers
• Erie County Department of Social ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner
• CCNY-Community Connections of New York, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Assistance Coalition (MIRA): Coalition of immigrant-serving organizations across Massachusetts offering case management, ESOL, citizenship, and youth services — operates the same integrated-services model as ACCESS of WNY but in a different region.
• Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York: Regional nonprofit delivering cultural, civic engagement, and family support services to Hispanic immigrants in the same Western New York geography as ACCESS — analogous model serving a parallel immigrant community.

Direct peers

• ACCESS (Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services, Dearborn MI): The flagship/national ACCESS organization from which ACCESS of WNY takes its name; offers virtually the identical mix of social services, immigration assistance, youth programs, and case management to Arab-American communities in metro Detroit.
• Jericho Road Community Health Center: Buffalo-area federally qualified health center serving refugee and immigrant populations with multilingual, culturally competent primary care; overlaps with ACCESS's healthcare navigation and case management work for the same community.
• Journey's End Refugee Services: Buffalo-based refugee resettlement and resettlement-services agency; ACCESS lists Journey's End as a core strategic partner and both compete for the same refugee populations and government contracts in the Buffalo metro.
• International Institute of Buffalo: Buffalo-based nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, ESL, employment services, and case management — directly overlapping with ACCESS's service portfolio and explicitly named as a referral partner in ACCESS's professional development work.
• Arab American Family Services: Chicago-based nonprofit delivering case management, immigration assistance, youth programs, and domestic violence support to Arab-American immigrant families — a near-twin operating model to ACCESS of WNY in a different market.
• Neighborhood Legal Services (Buffalo): WNY legal aid and immigration legal services provider that co-locates staff in ACCESS's office for healthcare exchange navigation and supports immigrant legal needs — a partner and adjacent service provider for the same constituents.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Buffalo: Large regional social services organization delivering case management, refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and emergency assistance across Western New York — overlapping with ACCESS's services but serving a broader, faith-affiliated client base.

Others

• National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC): National intermediary/network organization explicitly partnered with ACCESS of WNY, supporting capacity building, advocacy, and funding for Arab-American community-based organizations like ACCESS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/accessofwny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/access-wny

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Access of WNY