Queens, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) is announcing the completion of the Women for Afghan Women (WAW) New York City Community Center Youth Leadership Program, funded by a $10,000 state grant she allocated to the community-based organization. The Youth Leadership Program included a three-part workshop series designed to empower young women from immigrant communities. The grant also supported the provision of various social services, including temporary cash assistance, legal services, interpretation services, food security, and job search assistance. These programs created a welcoming and supportive environment for young people aged 10-24, helping them connect and build community. In total, WAW’s Youth Leadership Programs and social services served over 70 individuals and their families, providing more than 200 distinctive services.

“Women for Afghan Women has been a lifeline for local immigrant and refugee families here in Queens.” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “By investing in their mission, we are helping to ensure that local kids and teens can access the support and resources during a time of profound need. That’s why I was thrilled to have secured a $10,000 state grant to fund their youth leadership programming and support their social service caseworkers.”

“Thanks to Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s support of Women for Afghan Women’s Youth Program, we were able to offer dynamic learning opportunities to immigrant youth through our Youth Leadership Sessions while simultaneously reaching out to support local kids, many who arrived alone into the United States after the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan.

Assemblywoman Rozic's support was vital in empowering the next generation of leaders in our community,” said Women for Afghan Women Director Naheed Samadi Bahram.

Women for Afghan Women is a grassroots organization committed to advancing the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls in both Afghanistan and the United States. Their headquarters in Queens provides in-person services to newly arrived immigrants and refugees in New York, as well as remote support for those outside of the state. With approximately 90% of NYC’s Afghan community residing in Queens, WAW offers comprehensive language access services, including support in English, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Hindi, and Spanish. Each year, they assist over 1,000 clients each year from their community center in Fresh Meadows.

Rozic also recently announced several additional community investments, including a $175,000 grant to P4Q@179 in Fresh Meadows for the renovation of the school’s auditorium, $320,000 to M.S.74 in Oakland Gardens to upgrade the school’s public announcement system, and $250,000 to P.S. 213 in Bayside for a new student library. Additionally, she announced a $50,000 community program grant to Asian Americans for Equality in Flushing and a $15,000 adult education programming grant for Young Israel of Hillcrest.