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BRIDGES FROM BORDERS INC

EAST AMHERST, NY · EIN 852121098 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE P84 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · bridgesfromborders.org
revenue
$198K
expenses
$218K
net assets
$118K
employees
mission · from form 990

TO DEVELOP HEALTHY IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY

profile · synthesized from sources

Bridges from Borders Inc. is a Western New York-based nonprofit supporting immigrant and refugee communities through youth and family mental health programs. The organization runs the YouthVoice Mental Health Ambassador program for youth in grades 6–12 and the Together We Heal initiative for caregivers and community advocates. These programs focus on leadership development, mental health advocacy, and cross-cultural healing through workshops, storytelling, and community events.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

BFB #OneWorld Singing, Dancing, & Healing
Youth and family empowerment program using music and performance to promote inclusion, cultural exchange, and support for individuals with disabilities from diverse communities.
BFB #OneWorld Soccer
Soccer-based youth program uniting immigrant and refugee communities while providing mental health support to participants and their families.
Together We Heal
Community-based mental health program for parents, guardians, teachers, and advocates that offers culturally grounded training in emotional well-being and resilience.
YouthVoice: Mental Health Ambassadors
Youth-led program for students in grades 6–12 that provides training in mental health awareness, leadership, and advocacy, with a focus on immigrant and refugee communities in Western New York.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
    • Deliver parenting and wellness education workshops for immigrant parents
      Provides education workshops on parenting across cultures, mental health awareness, wellness, mindfulness, and coping skills tailored to immigrant communities.
  • Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
    • Empower immigrant youth through storytelling and narrative projects
      Recruits young volunteers and provides professional skills training to support immigrant storytellers in sharing their experiences and cultural heritage through photography, writing, and podcasts via the #MyStory program.
  • Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
    • Lead youth-driven marketing and cultural awareness initiatives
      Engages teen Mental Health Ambassadors in leading the #Hidden716 marketing initiative and other student-led projects that highlight small business owners to promote cultural awareness and inclusion in the Greater Buffalo area.
  • Mental Health Education and Awareness 1 activity
    • Operate Mental Health Ambassador Program for youth and caregivers
      Runs a youth- and community-led Mental Health Ambassador program that delivers 10 hours of training through five 2-hour sessions, requires 20 hours of volunteer service, and certifies participants to support emotional well-being in immigrant and refugee communities.
  • Culturally Specific Support Services 1 activity
    • Provide mental health support to immigrants
      Offers culturally tailored mental health services and counseling to immigrants adapting to a new cultural environment, including subsidized care for low-income families.
  • Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
    • Run #OneWorld arts, sports, and community-building programs
      Operates the #OneWorld Singing, Dancing, & Healing program with weekly Friday rehearsals, a chess program, and co-hosted soccer tournaments to promote inclusive participation, cross-cultural friendships, and community cohesion among diverse groups in Buffalo.
  • Autism and Neurodiversity Family Support Services 1 activity
    • Support immigrant parents of children with autism or developmental delays
      Operates Starry Bridge, a program that provides culturally sensitive resources, advocacy, community-building, and an online platform with tools, workshops, and self-care resources for immigrant parents raising children with autism or developmental delays.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Launch and sustain the #OneWorld Coalition
      Launched the #OneWorld Coalition in 2026 as a multilateral community partnership framework to sustain and expand #OneWorld programs and events promoting inclusion and cross-cultural engagement.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$198K
Contributions & grants$198K100%
Program service revenue
Investment income$1930%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$218K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$112K
Grants paid out$6K
balance sheet
Total assets$118K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$118K
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +3.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
YAN LIU EXECUTIVE DI 40 $80K
SAMANTHA DALKA PROGRAM COOR 20 $23K
relationships · 13

Who they work with

  • #Hidden716 Partner — Student-run marketing project led by BFB Mental Health Ambassadors to promote cultural awareness and inclusion.
  • #OneWorld Coalition Coalition — Multi-lateral partnership framework co-led by Bridges from Borders and leaders from its partnered communities to sustain #OneWorld programs.
  • Buffalo Maendeleo Soccer Club Partner — Co-hosted the 2nd Annual #OneWorld Soccer Tournament of WNY.
  • CACF Partner — Collaborates on the Healing Yourself, Healing the Community youth workshop series.
  • Fredonia State University of New York Partner — Collaborates with Bridges from Borders Inc. in the development and support of the Mental Health Ambassador program.
  • Imran Fazal Partner — Storyteller participant in the 2024-2025 #MyStory program.
  • Our partners Partner — Collaborates with partner organizations to support programming, though specific partners are not named on the website.
  • Starry Bridge Partner — Program partner providing culturally sensitive support and resources to immigrant families of children on the autism spectrum or with developmental delays.
  • Tower Foundation Funder — Provided funding to launch the #OneWorld Choir during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.
  • University at Buffalo Partner — Collaborates with Bridges from Borders Inc. in the development and support of the Mental Health Ambassador program.
  • business partners Partner — Works with business partners to foster equity and mutual support.
  • community organizations Partner — Collaborates with community organizations to strengthen collective impact.
  • public and private partners Partner — Collaborates with public and private partners to strengthen collective impact.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Arts, Sports, and Shared Experience for Inclusion
    methodology: shared_experience_inclusion
    By using universal activities like chess, soccer, singing, and cultural expression, the organization builds cross-cultural connections and psychological safety because shared experiences create non-verbal, low-barrier spaces for belonging and inclusion.
  • Community Co-Creation and Peer Leadership
    methodology: community_co_creation
    By training community-embedded individuals as mental health ambassadors and co-creating programs with community leaders, the organization strengthens collective ownership and wellness because trusted peers increase access and reduce stigma in culturally specific ways.
  • Culturally Grounded Healing and Integration
    methodology: culturally_grounding
    By using culturally grounded practices such as narrative therapy, oral history, and contemplative wellness, the organization promotes mental health and integration because these approaches honor immigrant identities and address trauma holistically across mind, body, and spirit.
  • Youth-Led, Mentor-Supported Community Change
    methodology: youth_led_change
    By empowering immigrant and refugee youth to identify community issues and develop their own solutions with mentor support, the organization fosters civic engagement and mental health advocacy because youth ownership increases relevance, trust, and sustainability of initiatives.