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BROOKLYN ARAB AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP CENTER

Brooklyn, NY · EIN 412126507 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE P84 · Human Services · Micro (<$100K) · baafc.org
revenue
$41K
expenses
$39K
net assets
$2K
employees
mission · from form 990

Foster Cross cultural relations and meet educational needs.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Brooklyn Arab American Friendship Center (BAAFC) is a volunteer-run nonprofit based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, serving Arab immigrants since 2004. It provides English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. citizenship preparation, and computer literacy classes to help newcomers adjust to American life. The organization fosters cross-cultural relationships between Arab immigrants and American volunteers through educational and social engagement.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Citizenship Classes
Prepares Arab immigrants for the U.S. Naturalization Test; helped 12 students in 2011 and 20 in 2012 become U.S. citizens
Computer Classes
Provides computer literacy training, with women-only sessions on Wednesdays and mixed-gender sessions on Saturdays
English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
Offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced ESL instruction with morning and evening sessions Monday through Thursday; serves approximately 135 students annually
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • ESL and Citizenship Instruction 2 activities
    • Provides English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction
      Offers volunteer-led English as a Second Language classes to Arab newcomers, serving approximately 135 students annually across three proficiency levels, with weekday morning and evening sessions available.
    • Provides U.S. citizenship preparation classes
      Offers citizenship preparation classes to support Arab newcomers in naturalization, with documented outcomes including 12 individuals becoming citizens in 2011 and 20 in 2012.
  • Digital Literacy Training and Technology Access 1 activity
    • Provides computer literacy classes
      Offers computer classes to the community, including women-only sessions on Wednesdays and mixed-gender sessions on Saturday mornings.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$41K
Contributions & grants$41K100%
Program service revenue
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$39K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$8K
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$2K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$2K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -32.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Carmen Paredes Director, Secretary & Treasurer 10 $5K
board members · 3
  • Debbie Moore — Board Member
  • Pastor Safwat Atia — Board Member
  • Pastor William Redekop — Board Member
relationships · 2

Who they work with

  • American volunteers Partner — Volunteers from the American community who provide ESL instruction, citizenship preparation, and personal support to Arab newcomers.
  • Churches Partner — Collaborates with churches by hosting groups for cultural exchange experiences.
strategies · 5

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.

  • Citizenship Education for Social Integration
    methodology: citizenship-education-for-social-integration
    By preparing immigrants for citizenship, the organization unlocks access to employment, higher education, and full civic participation, because legal and political belonging is a critical pathway to long-term cultural integration.
  • Cultural Exchange for Cross-Community Friendship
    methodology: cultural_exchange
    By inviting external groups (e.g., church communities) to engage directly with Arabic culture, the organization fosters mutual understanding and builds cross-community friendships, because structured cultural exposure reduces prejudice and creates durable social bonds.
  • Culturally Appropriate Programming
    methodology: culturally_appropriate_programming
    By designing programs that align with cultural norms—such as women-only computer classes—the organization increases participation and learning outcomes among Arab-American women, because safety and cultural respect are prerequisites for engagement.
  • Language Access for Family Engagement
    methodology: language-access-for-family-engagement
    By teaching English as a second language, the organization enables immigrant parents to function independently in daily life and actively participate in their children’s education, because language proficiency is a foundational lever for family stability and intergenerational integration.
  • Relationship-Based Integration
    methodology: relationship-based_integration
    By combining practical services with sustained personal relationships between Arab newcomers and American volunteers, the organization builds trust and bridges cultural gaps, because meaningful integration is driven by human connection rather than programmatic exposure alone.