Haitian Americans United for Progress

What Haitian Americans United for Progress does

Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP) is a New York-based nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that delivers a comprehensive suite of free social services to immigrants and refugees across New York City and the Greater Tri-State Area. Originally established to serve the Haitian community, HAUP has expanded its constituency to all immigrant populations while retaining specialized capacity in Haitian Creole. The organization operates three physical locations: its Hollis, Queens headquarters at 197-17 Hillside Avenue, a Queens Village office at 209-05 Jamaica Avenue, and a Brooklyn office at 1760 Nostrand Avenue in the Little Haiti neighborhood.

The organization's service portfolio spans immigration legal and resettlement services (including the Migrant Enrichment Support Initiative, or MESI, for newly arrived Haitians), adult education (ESL and U.S. citizenship preparation classes delivered in Brooklyn and Queens), maternal and infant health programs (including NYC Cares health insurance enrollment and breastfeeding/safe sleep education), family assistance (domestic violence counseling and NYC benefits navigation), youth enrichment (including a MathBEATS math/music partnership for 4th-6th graders), document translation from Creole and French to English, and the Creole Language Initiative, a worker cooperative that trains and certifies Creole interpreters as part of New York City's language justice project. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is entirely human-mediated through direct community outreach, walk-in visits, phone inquiries, and community partner referrals.

HAUP's revenue is derived from individual and corporate donations collected via the Zeffy donation platform, merchandise sales, and government grants and resettlement contracts obtained through its membership in the Welcoming New York Resettlement Campaign. The organization is currently running the Legacy50 Campaign, a $5 million endowment initiative launched to mark its 50th anniversary in 2025, with notable corporate chairs and ambassadors including Meta's Sandra Altiné, NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem CEO Georges H. Leconte, Webster Bank's Claude Rousseau, and Haitian Bridge Alliance's Guerline Jozef. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Chairperson Vanessa Jean Paul, with operational leadership under CEO/Executive Director Elsie Saint Louis and a staff of approximately 10-15 plus board members.

Name

Haitian Americans United for Progress

Legal name

Haitian Americans United for Progress

Website

https://haupinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HAUP is a New York City nonprofit founded in 1975 that delivers free immigration legal services, ESL and citizenship classes, maternal and infant health programs, family assistance, youth enrichment, and translation services to immigrants and refugees across NYC and the Greater Tri-State Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hollis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: HAUP raises funds from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and community supporters. The organization runs periodic donation campaigns including the Legacy50 $5 million endowment campaign and merchandise sales (t-shirts, scarves, pocket squares). Donations are accepted via the Zeffy platform.
2. Government Grants and Resettlement Contracts: As a member of the Welcoming New York Resettlement Campaign and provider of services to immigrants and refugees, HAUP receives government funding to support resettlement, immigration navigation, health outreach, and other social services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HAUP is a community-based nonprofit that delivers free, in-person social services to immigrants and refugees across New York City and the Greater Tri-State Area. Its core offerings include immigration legal counsel and resettlement navigation, ESL and U.S. citizenship classes, maternal and infant health outreach, health insurance enrollment, domestic violence counseling, family assistance, youth academic and cultural enrichment, and Creole/French-to-English document translation. Programs are delivered by staff and volunteers at offices in Hollis (Queens), Queens Village, and Brooklyn.

Product overview

HAUP offers a comprehensive suite of social services organized as distinct programs rather than a unified software product. The core service portfolio includes Health Services (Maternal Infant Health, NYC Cares, Access to Health), Family Assistance (Domestic Violence Counseling, NYC Benefit), Youth Programs (including the MathBEATS partnership), Adult Education (ESL and Civics/Citizenship classes), Immigration Legal and Resettlement Services (Immigration Counseling, MESI, Resettlement Program), Translation Services, Community Services, and the Creole Language Initiative. Additionally, HAUP runs the Legacy50 Campaign, a $5 million endowment initiative. These services function as community support programs delivered by staff, not as technology products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Migrant Enrichment Support Initiative (MESI): Initiative providing intensive and personalized case management to newly arrived Haitians from the borders, including assistance accessing legal services, mental health services, and navigating housing.
• Creole Language Initiative (CLI)
• Legacy50 Campaign

Products and services

• Immigration Counseling Legal counsel and consultation with immigrants and their families throughout New York City and beyond, providing guidance and support through the complexities of the immigration process.
• Migrant Enrichment Support Initiative (MESI) Intensive and personalized case management for newly arrived Haitians from the borders, including assistance accessing legal services, mental health services, housing navigation, cash assistance, and other social services.
• Resettlement Program As a member of the Welcoming New York Resettlement Campaign, HAUP offers legal assistance and Welcoming Navigator services to immigrants throughout New York State.
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Free ESL classes offered in Brooklyn and Queens to immigrants and speakers of other languages to develop listening, speaking, reading, writing, and numeracy skills in English. Classes held weekday evenings.
• Civics/Citizenship Classes Prepares students for the U.S. Citizenship Test, covering all three essential parts: writing, reading, and the civics oral test.
• Maternal Infant Health Outreach services to pregnant women and children promoting healthier pregnancies and healthy starts for babies, including breastfeeding support, safe sleep education, nutrition workshops, chronic disease workshops, family planning referrals, and case management.
• NYC Cares Enrolls eligible New Yorkers in high-quality, compassionate health services, ensuring everyone receives dignified care regardless of circumstances.
• Access to Health Partners with public and free health insurance plans to ensure community members are enrolled and have access to quality care through a collaborative approach.
• Domestic Violence Counseling Confidential counseling and assistance for individuals facing domestic violence, prioritizing safety and well-being with compassionate guidance.
• NYC Benefit Connects clients with essential support services including food assistance, financial aid, housing solutions, and employment resources through a comprehensive local network.
• Youth Programs Afterschool and summer initiatives for students from kindergarten to high school, fostering leadership, academic enrichment, and career readiness through engaging STEM activities, recreation, and college preparation.
• MathBEATS Partnership Partnership with MathBEATS providing free math and music enrichment to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, exploring connections between math and music through interactive learning about beats, rhythms, and melodies.
• Translation Services Translates documents such as birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and school transcripts from Creole and French to English, available at Brooklyn and Queens Jamaica locations.
• Community Services Cultural events, information and referral services, breast cancer awareness, healthcare awareness, and health fairs delivered to the community.
• Creole Language Initiative (CLI) Establishes and nurtures a Haitian language services worker cooperative as part of New York City's language justice project, training and certifying Creole interpreters to contribute to a newly established Language Bank while supporting individuals in forming their own cooperatives.
• Legacy50 Campaign Fundraising campaign celebrating 50 years of impact and building a $5 million endowment to ensure HAUP's long-term sustainability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of Haitian refugees assisted with shelter, food, clothing, employment, and support services during the 1980s refugee crisis
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and significant.

• MathBEATS (mathbeats4kids)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025HAUP partners with MathBEATS to deliver FREE math and music enrichment programs for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders during summer sessions. Youth explore connections between math and music in an interactive environment learning about beats, rhythms, and melodies. Sessions are held at HAUP Jamaica (Queens) on Saturdays. The partnership represents a cultural and educational enrichment collaboration serving youth in the community.
• Little Haiti BKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025HAUP collaborates with Little Haiti BK, a community organization representing the Little Haiti neighborhood of Brooklyn. Stephanie Delia, Esq., Executive Director of Little Haiti BK, partnered with HAUP to facilitate Governor Hochul's visit to HAUP Brooklyn during her walk through Little Haiti. The partnership strengthens advocacy and visibility for the Haitian community in Brooklyn.
• Kompa GuidemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Kompa Guide (Executive Director/CEO: Gina Faustin) partners with HAUP on the annual Creole American Family Night event, providing event production and promotional support. Gina Faustin is also listed as a Legacy50 Ambassador. The partnership combines HAUP's community programming with Kompa Guide's entertainment and media platform to reach a broad audience.
• Welcoming New York Resettlement CampaigncoreOthersHAUP is a member of the Welcoming New York Resettlement Campaign and offers legal assistance and Welcoming Navigator services to immigrants throughout New York State. This partnership positions HAUP as a key service provider within New York's official refugee and immigrant resettlement infrastructure.
• NYC Health + Hospitals HarlemmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorges H. Leconte, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem, serves as a Legacy50 Co-Chair and Advisory Board member. NYC Health + Hospitals is New York City's public health system, aligning with HAUP's health services mission.
• Haitian Bridge AlliancesignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuerline Jozef, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, serves as a Legacy50 Ambassador. The Haitian Bridge Alliance advocates for Haitian and Black immigrants, aligning with HAUP's mission and potentially collaborating on advocacy efforts.
• Haitian American AlliancesignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerYolette Williams, Executive Director of Haitian American Alliance, serves as a Legacy50 Ambassador. The Haitian American Alliance works to empower Haitian Americans, aligning with HAUP's community-building mission.
• The Haitian TimessignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerGary Pierre-Pierre, Founder and Publisher of The Haitian Times, serves as a Legacy50 Ambassador. The Haitian Times is a key media outlet for the Haitian American community, potentially providing media coverage and awareness for HAUP's programs and campaigns.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Haitian Bridge Alliance: Haitian Bridge Alliance advocates for Haitian and Black immigrants, providing legal services, case management, and advocacy. It directly overlaps HAUP on Haitian immigrant services, legal aid, and advocacy, and the two organizations share Legacy50 ambassadors.
• Make the Road New York: Make the Road New York is a large immigrant- and worker-services nonprofit serving NYC, offering legal services, adult education, youth programs, and healthcare navigation. Same target population and service mix as HAUP, but at much larger scale and broader immigrant base.
• Haitian American Alliance: Haitian American Alliance works to empower Haitian Americans through civic engagement, community organizing, and programs. Shares the Haitian-American community-empowerment mission with HAUP and overlaps on advocacy and event programming.
• Arab American Family Support Center: AAFSC is a NYC-based immigrant-services nonprofit providing case management, ESOL, youth programs, mental health, and translation to Arab and immigrant communities. Directly comparable service portfolio and immigrant-community model to HAUP.
• Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC): NMIC serves Upper Manhattan and the Bronx with immigration legal services, adult education, youth programs, and housing services. Directly comparable multi-service, immigrant-focused community-based nonprofit operating in NYC.
• Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC): CPC is one of the largest Asian-American community-based nonprofits in NYC, delivering immigration, education, youth, workforce, and family services. Same immigrant-community service model as HAUP, but targeting a different ethnic community at significantly larger scale.
• Little Haiti BK: Little Haiti BK is a Brooklyn-based organization representing the Little Haiti neighborhood, partnering with HAUP on Governor Hochul's visit and broader community advocacy. Comparable Haitian-community geographic focus and service mandate.
• Catholic Migration Services: Catholic Migration Services provides free immigration legal services, including naturalization, family petitions, asylum, and DACA, to NYC immigrants. Directly overlaps HAUP's immigration counseling and resettlement service lines.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of New York: Catholic Charities of NY is a large, established multi-service nonprofit providing immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, housing assistance, and family services across NYC. HAUP is a much smaller, Haitian-focused peer in the same service ecosystem.

Regional players

• New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC): NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization for 200+ immigrant-serving groups in NY. HAUP is a member of the broader NYIC-adjacent ecosystem and shares the immigrant-rights mission, though NYIC focuses on advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HAUPINC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Haitian Americans United for Progress