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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Bay Area Resource for Newcomers

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Oakland, CA
Bay Area Resource for Newcomers

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Bay Area Resource for Newcomers (BRFN) supports newcomers of all backgrounds in the East Bay.

We work to foster self-sufficiency, belonging, and community power for newcomers through culturally-responsive case management, workshops, and systems advocacy.

10/13/2026

🌟 Partner Spotlight! 🌟Today, we’d like to recognize one of our top partners, Hayward Unified! BRFN partners with HUSD to help organize HUSD’s tutoring program for Afghan students and families in the district. The program provides academic tutoring, case management, school supplies, interpretation, liaison support with school staff, field trips, educational workshops for parents, and community and cultural events. We’re incredibly grateful for their collaboration and commitment to making Afghan immigrant families feel supported and welcome in the district. Thank you, HUSD, for being a wonderful partner and for all you do to support and welcome immigrant families in your community! 💗

10/10/2026

Success Story Saturday! 🎉

The “A” family—a couple with four children from Afghanistan—recently moved from Seattle to California. After waiting for their green cards and experiencing significant delays, they reached out to our team for help.

Our case manager followed up with USCIS multiple times, spending hours on hold and coordinating with different representatives to track down the status of their applications.

We’re happy to share that the entire family has now received their green cards! 🌟😃

10/06/2026

🗯️ Did you know? BRFN partners with local Afghan senior organizations to reach an important but often underserved community. Through these partnerships, we provide workshops, groceries, and other essential resources.

Most recently, we partnered with Afghan Elderly Association to bring in a Dari-speaking doctor to lead a workshop for Afghan senior women on podiatry and maintaining good foot health.

We’re planning a similar workshop for Afghan senior men soon, in partnership with Senior Association!

We’re grateful for our partnerships with local Afghan senior organizations and appreciate the opportunity to connect seniors with culturally and linguistically accessible resources. ❤️

10/03/2026

Success Story Saturday! 🎉

An Eritrean senior and a Haitian community member were both struggling to afford rent. Our case management team connected them as roommates, and they’re now sharing housing—with each of them paying just $300/month in rent!

We also covered the cost of the Eritrean senior's security guard card, helping him take the next step toward finding work and covering his living expenses.

Sometimes, case management is about making the right connections. 💛

09/29/2026

Health Care in the U.S. & Medi-Cal Updates 🩺

BRFN recently hosted a virtual workshop for our Afghan clients, presented in Dari, focused on navigating health care in the U.S. and understanding recent Medi-Cal changes.

The workshop covered how to access health care, recent updates to Medi-Cal, and where clients can find support and additional resources. This information is especially important as Medi-Cal policies and eligibility rules continue to change for immigrants and refugees.

We were grateful to have 24 clients attend. The session included a presentation with updated information, followed by a Q&A where participants could ask questions and get clarification on issues affecting them and their families.

Our clients expressed their appreciation for the workshop and the opportunity to receive this important information in Dari. Thank you to everyone who participated!

09/26/2026

Success Story Saturday! 🎉

We recently received a referral from a local school district for an Afghan family whose son has a significant disability and requires substantial care from his parents. The family was struggling to keep up with their household expenses.

Our team introduced the family to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), a program they weren’t previously aware of, and helped them through the application process. This included a lengthy process of completing online forms, coordinating with doctors to obtain letters of support, and following up with the IHSS office about the status of their application.

We’re happy to share that their IHSS application has been approved! 🥳

The approval means the parents can now receive compensation for providing care for their son, providing an important new source of income for the family. 💛

09/24/2026

Back to School to Support Afghan Students and Families 📚

As fall begins, BRFN is excited to continue our school partnerships with local school districts. Through these partnerships, we provide academic tutoring, case management, school supplies, interpretation, liaison support with school staff, field trips, educational workshops for parents, and community and cultural events—all designed to help Afghan students and families thrive and feel connected and welcomed in their new schools. To date, 170 Afghan families have received support through our school-based partnerships.

We look forward to continuing to partner with and support families throughout the school year ahead! 💛

09/21/2026

🌟 Partner Spotlight! 🌟Today, we’d like to recognize one of our valued community partners, Refugee & Immigrant Transitions! In addition to sharing an office in Oakland, we work closely together to refer clients between our organizations, exchange resources, and share ideas and expertise. RIT’s mission is to welcome and partner with people who have sought refuge, employing strengths-based educational approaches and community supports so they may thrive in our shared communities. We’re grateful for RIT’s collaboration and commitment to supporting our community. Please join us in giving a big thank you to RIT for being such a wonderful partner and community organization! 💗

09/18/2026

📚 The HUSD Tutoring Program is Back! 🎒

As school gets back into session, BRFN and Hayward Unified were excited to welcome our Afghan students and families from HUSD to our first tutoring program session of the school year last Friday!

We had around 40 students and 10 mothers join us. To kick off the new school year, we invited Eden Youth to share information with mothers about their youth programs and services, including after-school programs, bike distribution and repair, wellness programs, and transportation support. Families learned about valuable resources available to them and how they can benefit from these programs.

Meanwhile, our school-aged students reflected on their summer—sharing what they enjoyed, learned, and explored—and talked about what they hope to improve, learn, and achieve in the new school year. Our preschoolers also got involved with a fun introduction activity, where they shared their names and decorated them.

We wrapped up the afternoon with pizza, and HUSD distributed food boxes to families. It was wonderful to see everyone back together, reconnecting and creating opportunities to learn and grow as a community. ❤️ Thank you to Eden Youth for your partnership! Here’s to a great school year ahead! 📖✨

09/15/2026

Every month, BRFN distributes diapers and wipes to newcomer families with young children. So far this year, more than 100 clients have received one-month supplies!

These essential supplies provide meaningful support to families with babies and young children living on limited incomes. By helping meet everyday needs, donations like these ease financial stress and help families care for their little ones with dignity.

A huge thank you to SupplyBank.org, First 5 Alameda County and the Alameda County Social Services Agency for these generous diaper donations! 💛

Address

1811 11th Avenue
Oakland, CA
94606

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.BRFN.org/

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