ACCESS of WNY, Inc.’s vision is to empower families and youth to lead informed, productive, and fulfilling lives by providing vital tools and services. The organization assists the Arab immigrant population in adapting to life in America, while preserving their heritage and sharing it with community members in hopes of creating flourishing bonds and bridges.
Work Highlights
- In a partnership with the Fellow from the John R. Oishei Foundation, focused on the organization's strategic plan: specifically, policy development, board governance, and capacity building planning.
- Met with consultants and professionals with expertise in organizational development to gather their input on work products and processes.
- This collaboration resulted in the creation of three manuals for ACCESS’s capacity building: Financial Manual, Employee Handbook, and a Board Governance Manual.
- Presented work to both the Oishei Foundation and ACCESS of WNY’s boards.
- Assisted with outreach in the Arab-American community in WNY.
In their own words
“I think my interaction with the other fellows was one of the most important facets of my experience this summer. We constantly questioned each other, held each other accountable to what we were learning, and pushed each other to think deeper. Through these discussions, we brought up issues that broadened my horizons, and we had conversations that weren’t just pertinent to Buffalo, but to Ithaca, and the world beyond.”
Impact
"Samir was a perfect match for our organization. He impacted the entire organization by helping strengthen our board through technical assistance and creating foundational documents. He added immense capacity to our organization."
Gamileh Jamil, Executive Director
Access of WNY
