Kim Peasley

Do you speak Russian or Ukrainian? If so, you can help local refugee families. Newcomers Access Center is helping recently arrived Ukrainian refugees living in the Inland Valley. While they do speak English, at times a translator who speaks Russian or Ukrainian would be helpful. If you would like to be on our list of translators, please contact office@newcomersaccesscenter.org.

If you cannot help translate, there are other ways you can help. For example, one of our families that arrived last week is a mom with her two daughters. The mom would like to learn to drive. We are looking for donations to help pay for driving school.  If you can help, please make a donation. Thank you!

August 1 is coming soon. Two NAC families need at least $800 rental supplements.  One couple are Afghan professionals working low wage jobs that barely support family basic necessities. The second family arrived in the U.S. one month ago, and dad is waiting for his work permit. Other NAC clients paid his security deposit and July rent. Now NAC wants to send at least $800 to each of their landlords. Another family needs a $1,000 security deposit for permanent housing. Will you help them? Thank you. The first of next month is almost here!

Any help you provide will be most appreciated! You can donate on the Donate Page on our Website. Your support keeps NAC clients in their homes.

President Anne Thorward spoke to members of the Claremont United Church of Christ (CUCC) via Zoom in June. She shared stories about how Newcomers Access Center (NAC) started and described its mission of helping refugees and immigrants in the Inland Valley. She talked about how volunteers from the community help refugees with learning English, transportation, signing kids up for school, shopping and so much more.  She explained how donations are used to provide things like rent subsidies, furniture, driving lessons, household items, new shoes, baby items, diapers, car seats, college tuition and textbooks, gift cards, down payment for a car or van  . . .  some of the things refugees and immigrants need to get settled and become independent. Anne thanked CUCC for its support as one of NAC’s partners. To view the talk visit the CUCC YouTube link.

Newcomers Access Center hosted a booth at the City of Claremont’s 4th of July festival in Memorial Park.  Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters who helped out and to the refugee families who attended. We received many visitors at the event and some signed up to donate or volunteer. Support from the local community is vital to our success, and we appreciate all who want to lend a hand in welcoming refugees to the Inland Valley.

A year ago, MP and his wife, NP, were a successful career couple in Afghanistan raising three lovely daughters, now 5, 2, and 1 year old. All that changed in August, when the Taliban took over the country, forcing the young couple to flee as refugees. We left everything in Afghanistan,” Mrs. P said. “We took only some of our documents and some diapers and formula for our kids… we left our house, our car, and our money in the bank, and we weren’t able to bring anything with us.” Also fleeing with them were Mrs. P’s older brother, his wife, three children, and their parents. Now the three families are starting from scratch, living in temporary housing in Claremont. The local mosque has organized a Go Fund Me to raise money toward the purchase of a car. We invite Newcomers Access Center supporters to contribute. Read more about this family on the Go Fund Me link.

Refugees are some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Faced with war, persecution or terror, they leave everything behind to rebuild lives in a new country. NAC’s goal is to welcome refugees, connect them with services and resources, and enable them to become self-sufficient and integrate into the larger society. June 20 is World Refugee Day, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank those who support us in our mission

Thank you to our volunteers. We could not fulfill our mission without you! You assist with shopping, transportation, tutoring ESL, school enrollments, job sources and much more. You also inspire those you help, nourishing their resilience and determination. Each of you deserves an award! We have dozens of volunteers, but we can always use more. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please complete our Volunteer Application on our website.

We would also like to thank our partners, a wide assortment of community and faith-based groups that work with us to help refugee families. If you are a member of an organization that might want to partner with NAC, please complete our Partner Application on our website.

Donors are the lifeline of our work, giving us the resources we need to provide rent subsidies, furniture, driving lessons, household items, new shoes, baby items, diapers, car seats, college tuition and textbooks, gift cards, down payment for a car or van  . . .  some of the things refugees and immigrants need to get settled and become independent. Thank you donors for your generous support. To learn more about the many ways to make a contribution, please go to our Donate Page on our website.

The Rotary Club of Claremont recently awarded NAC a grant to help with transportation. The money will be used to purchase bikes and bike locks and to help pay for driving lessons. Thank you to Claremont Rotary for your generous donation! Your grant will help our refugee families get to jobs, school, ESL classes, medical appointments, grocery store and more.

They are here!  Refugees from several countries have joined English Classes at NAC.  Come meet newcomers from Afghanistan, Egypt, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico, China, Brazil and Ukraine. In addition to NAC clients from Syria, Iraq and Jordan, new families living on the Claremont School of Theology (CST) campus are part of United Methodist Disaster Response Mission.

NAC needs you!  Become a tutor.  It’s fun and heartwarming. Other volunteer opportunities abound:  help with shopping, transportation, office support, school enrollments, employment team, and much more. Sign up here.

Thank you for sharing your time, talent and treasure with NAC families. You will be glad you did.

One of our Afghan refugee families is expecting a new baby on May 22. He will brother to another boy, almost 2. Newcomers Access Center (NAC) is asking supporters to help us to provide the family with needed items. We have put together an Amazon Wish List. You may shop off the list and the items will be sent to NAC. We can also accept items that are dropped off at the NAC office.  Thank you for your support.

Would you like to help refugee family pre-schoolers? Newcomers Access Center (NAC) has a need for volunteers to play with pre-school children in our children’s room while their parents learn English. Come one or more days each week from 1:30 – 2:30. If you are interested, please email our volunteer organizer, Janet Lin or call (909) 455-3248.

Our office is located at 1401 North College Ave, Building F.  Go halfway up the driveway toward the Botanic Garden and we are on the left.

NAC volunteers who work with refugees must complete a background check ($20). NAC Covid Policy: Everyone who works, visits or volunteers at NAC or attends any in-person function or drives clients must be fully vaccinated, wear a mask indoors, and wear a mask when inside any car driven by a NAC volunteer. Children under 4 excepted.

Come help Newcomers Access Center with Spring Clean Up on Wednesday April 27  from 2:30 to 3:30 in the afternoon. We need volunteers to help with weeding, dusting and vacuuming. Help us keep the NAC office area nice and tidy for our refugee families and volunteers. Bring your garden gloves and wear comfortable clothes.

Our office is located on the School of Theology campus. The address is 1401 North College Ave, Building F.  Go halfway up the driveway toward the Botanic Garden and we are on the left. 

NAC COVID POLICY: Everyone who works, visits or volunteers at NAC or attends any in-person function or drives clients must be fully vaccinated, wear a mask indoors, and wear a mask when inside any car driven by a NAC volunteer.  Children under 4 excepted.

Do you have an hour or two to spare each week to volunteer?  Newcomers Access Center (NAC) in Claremont has volunteer opportunities for English tutors and drivers to help local refugee families.  You can apply to be a volunteer on our website or call us at 909-455-3248 for more information.

Tutoring English takes place at our office on the campus of the Claremont School of Theology (CST) 1:30-2:30 every weekday afternoon. You do not need experience in teaching English as a Second language (ESL) as we will provide guidance and materials.  We tutor refugee family members of all ages and levels of English. This is a great opportunity to help refugees assimilate into society and empower them to become independent.

NAC also needs drivers who can help with transportation to and from adult school at 8:30 am and again at 12 noon or who can be on call to help take refugees to medical appointments.

All our volunteers undergo a simple background check ($20).

NAC COVID POLICY: Everyone who works, visits or volunteers at NAC or attends any in-person function or drives clients must be fully vaccinated, wear a mask indoors, and wear a mask when inside any car driven by a NAC volunteer.  Children under 4 excepted.   (Revised February 2022)

Did you know that if you are age 72 or older and have an IRA account, you can donate to Newcomers Access Center directly from your IRA account and save on taxable income? If you already filed for 2021, do this now for 2022. Check with the firm that has your IRA. Or, call Anne Thorward,  who has done this several times at (909) 455-3248.

Two of NAC’s Afghan families transitioned from temporary housing to regular apartments in March. The families had been living in temporary apartments on the campus of the Claremont School of Theology. With NAC’s help, family members were able to obtain employment and find housing, a big step on the road to becoming self-sufficient and integrating meaningfully into the larger society.

The Claremont Rotary Club learned about NAC’s work with refugee and immigrant families from NAC Board President Anne Thorward when she spoke at the club on March 18. Anne brought with a long list of ways to assist refugee and immigrant families. Thank you Claremont Rotary.

We are pleased to announce that Rehana Mowjood has joined our board. Rehana is an American Muslim who is active in various service religious, educational and interfaith organizations throughout California. Rehana was instrumental in setting up the college-counseling program at the City of Knowledge School in Pomona, and she served as that school’s College Guidance Counselor till she retired. She is a long-time member of the Upland Interfaith Council and the Claremont Interfaith Council for Peace in the Middle East. In these organizations she has helped organize various interfaith activities throughout the Inland Empire including the annual Walk for Peace, Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, Interfaith Seder and Walk for the Hungry to name a few. She has served two terms on the board of the Islamic Center of the Inland Empire. She is also on the Advisory Council of the Umma Free Clinic in South Central Los Angeles and a founding member of IMPACT So Cal, an organization that provides housing and rental assistance to the needy. Rehana received her BA in Finance from Cal State San Bernardino and College Guidance Counseling Certification from the University of California, Riverside. She currently lives in Upland California.

Newcomers Access Center invited local elected officials and community members to meet with refugee families and NAC volunteers and board members on March 22 at the NAC office in Claremont. Family members told their stories of coming to the U.S. as refugees, and officials welcomed them. Pictured from left: Alexander Novikov, owner of Edelweiss Premier Ballroom in San Dimas; Rehana Mowjood, NAC Board Member; Anne Thorward, NAC Board President; Andy Winnick, NAC Board Treasurer; Jed Leano, Mayor of Claremont; Tom Thorward, NAC Chief Financial Officer; Janice Elliott, Upland City Council Member.  Read More

NAC‘s first Afghan American baby born in 2022.  Welcome this 6.3 pound
healthy boy to the world. Congratulations to his parents.

Temple Beth Israel (TBI) has invited NAC Board President Anne Thorward to speak at the temple for Refugee Shabbat March 4, 2022, at 7:30 pm. You may attend in person or by Facebook Live or YouTube.  Anne will talk about how NAC helps refugees in the community. TBI is located at 3033 N. Town Ave in Pomona.  The talk is part of Refugee Shabbat, determined by the international refugee nonprofit HIAS (www.hias.org)

Newcomers Access Center was featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show on Wed, February 23, 2022 on NBC and Peacock Television. You can view the segment on Youtube.

Newcomers Access Center welcomed Danny Hsu as a new board member in January. Danny and his family immigrated from Asia to Los Angeles when he was 7 years old. After trying out many majors as an undergraduate at UC San Diego, Danny decided to focus on history and eventually took a PhD in history from UCLA. He has conducted research in China as a Fulbright scholar and has published on various topics related to China. He recently finished editing a four-volume anthology of classical Chinese prose that will be published in 2022. Danny loves working with first-generation college students to help them reach their full potential. Danny enjoys good hikes, the challenge of rock climbing, and working on his jazz guitar chops.

The University Club of Claremont learned about Newcomers Access Center‘s work helping refugees and immigrants in the community at its January meeting. Anne Thorward, NAC‘s VP of the Board, spoke to the group via Zoom. She shared information about the families NAC serves in the Inland Valley and how the local community can help.

Over Winter Break when schools were closed, Newcomers Access Center took recently arrived Afghan refugee families on a couple of trips to the Claremont Helen Renwick Public Library.  With the help of volunteers, the NAC families learned how to fill out a library card application. A librarian gave them a tour to learn about all the resources the library offers including books, music, multimedia materials, computer and internet access, and educational and recreational services. The families can now use their new library cards to check out items from the library or to access resources online.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu

These words of wisdom from the late human rights activist Desmond Tutu inspire us to come together when faced with adversity.

As we start 2022, Newcomers Access Center thanks our supporters who contributed “little bits of good” in 2021, a most challenging year. Your small acts of kindness added up, enabling us to serve more than 50 extended families. We are proud of their accomplishments.

Many refugees have:

• found jobs
• started a business
• continue to master English
• enrolled in top universities
• opened bank accounts
• become library members
• learned the bus system
• passed the citizenship test and became citizens.

Read More

Anne Thorward, one of the key driving forces behind the Newcomers Access Center (NAC), joins Claremont Speaks to help the community understand the nonprofit’s history, functions, accomplishments and goals for the future. In this engaging interview, Anne discusses how NAC and her involvement in it came about, the progress and path from the group’s founding, their growth path and some of their top achievements, including being approved as a 501c3 non-profit corporation.  Claremont’s many businesses, donors and volunteers increasingly provide the essentials to those arriving from Afghanistan, Syria and other war-torn countries. Anne illustrates how the community assists with gift cards, transportation, furniture, bicycles/transportation, teaching English and computer use, and much more.

You can make the New Year HAPPY for an Afghan family who has been in California for a month, crowded into a small apartment with relatives. Today they found an apartment for their family of two parents who were lawyers and judges in Kabul and three young children ages 7, 3, and 1. They are excited to have their own place. We have an urgent need to help set up their apartment. NAC will purchase items that cannot be donated, such as new rugs, mattresses, cleaning supplies, brooms, mops, diapers and other household items. You are needed for everything else: bed frames, bunk beds, full set of dishware, pots and pans, highchair, and full kitchen set up. If you have items to to donate, please contact us as soon as possible by email to coordinate. We also are asking for donations to help with rent supplements and other needs for this Afghan family and others. Your donations may be tax deductible. Thank you for responding to this urgent need. And Happy New Year!

Did you get an upgraded computer, laptop, tablet or phone for the holidays? Want to donate your old tech to someone in need? Consider donating to Newcomers Access Center (NAC), a nonprofit that serves refugee and immigrant families in the Inland Valley in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. We have several families who could put your old tech to good use. Because we are nonprofit, you may be able to get a tax benefit for your donation. If you have tech to donate, please email us or call us at (909) 455-3248.  Thank you.

Transportation is a challenge for refugees as they don’t have cars. To help, NAC put out a call for donations of bikes, helmets and bike locks. The community responded donating many bikes. Volunteers make sure the bikes are working and safe to ride, then fit bikes and helmets to the rider. A teen learned to ride in one day. Three men use bikes for transportation to/from their new jobs. The riders named themselves the “Kabul – Claremont Bike Club.” If you have a bike, lock, or helmet to donate, please email NAC.

Local refugee and immigrants applied for citizenship at naturalization clinics held at the NAC office within days of it opening. NAC’s partner, the International Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley (IRCSVG), provided one-on-one consultations for 26 clients since we moved to CST. Applying for citizenship can be confusing, so we are pleased to partner with IRCSVG to help applicants get the form filled out correctly with all the proper documentation. We are proud to announce that recently, several people among our NAC families passed their citizenship tests and become citizens. Congratulations!

Becoming fluent in English is vital for refugees to successfully integrate into society. Newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan vary widely in English proficiency. NAC volunteers tutor family members at our office five days a week working in groups ranging from levels from preschool to professional. We are lucky that some of our volunteers are experts in English as a Second Language (ESL) education. On Saturday, December 11, NAC hosted a tutor appreciation event where tutors could meet to share ideas. Volunteer Kitty Purgason, who has extensive background in ESL, shared many tips with fellow volunteers.  Thank you to Kitty and to all our volunteers who help with tutoring. If you are interested in volunteering to tutor, please fill out our volunteer form.

With 20 pages of questions (and another 18 pages of instructions), filling out the application for U.S. citizenship can be intimidating. Many people trying to fill the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, are not sure what to put for answers on some sections. That’s why Newcomers Access Center (NAC) is connecting our client families with one-on-one help in completing the application. NAC partnered with the Immigration Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley (IRSGV) to offer workshops. Certified experts from IRSVG came out to our office in Pomona and then again to our new office in Claremont to meet with clients applying for citizenship. Each appointment lasts about 45 minutes and gives the expert time to review paperwork and make sure the application is filled out completely and accurately. Thank you to IRSVG for coming out to help our families! We appreciate your help in making the dream of US citizenship come true.

We will be holding additional Citizenship Application Workshops in the future. To make an appointment, please email us and let us know you are interested. We will contact you with possible appointment times.