“Growing up in Chechnya, I was constantly persecuted for being gay. As a new New Yorker, I came to ROCC NYC first, where they connected me to a partner organization that reviewed my legal options and helped me secure a pro bono attorney to obtain legal protection. ROCC NYC gave me the space to be myself as I start a new life in New York.”
Stories from OUR PARTNERS
As the site host and partner with ROCC NYC, we see first hand the immense impact of their work and dedication. The staff, volunteers and partners that make up ROCC NYC provide vital support to thousands of the most vulnerable individuals in our city, and they do so with the deepest level of compassion and devotion. The ROCC NYC approach to support is holistic, addressing the emotional, social and physical needs of everyone who walks through the doors. What a gift ROCC NYC is to our city and our neighbors!
Pastor & Executive Director, ROCC NYC host church & ministry
Since 2023, volunteer lawyers affiliated with The Legal Aid Society have served walk-in clients at the ROCC NYC. Their collaboration with the multi-lingual ROCC NYC leadership team, social service providers, and volunteers who assist with health referrals, benefits applications, English classes, and childcare has been invaluable in helping to meet the complex needs of our clients.
Attorney-in-Charge, Immigration Law Unit, The Legal Aid Society
Since its inception, the Coalition for the Homeless Expediting New Arrivals’ Community Transition (ENACT) Team has been a proud partner of ROCC NYC. ROCC NYC leadership has truly developed a safe, supportive community space that listens to the needs of our newest New Yorkers and has done heroic work to meet those needs through a spectrum of on-site holistic support services. Although ENACT has mainly focused on meeting the shelter needs of new arrivals that come to ROCC NYC, it has been truly awe-inspiring to get to witness and work in collaboration with the ROCC NYC team and other CBO’s on site.
Senior Manager, Systems Access & Shelter Compliance (SAS-C) Team Coalition for the Homeless
The partnership between ROCC NYC and NYLAG has been incredibly important to help bridge new immigrants access to legal services! Working together, ROCC NYC and NYLAG have been able to help hundreds of people obtain and remain stably in shelter and help them access and maintain cash assistance and medical insurance. The environment that ROCC has created is the perfect way for clients to meet legal services providers for the first time. New immigrants are met with a warm welcome to a place where they can rest, access culturally appropriate food, meet other community members, laugh, and be connected with the services they need. We so value our partnership with ROCC NYC!
Project Director Shelter and Economic Stability Project NYLAG
"After coming to New York from Guinea, ROCC NYC became not only my refuge but my closest friends. I began volunteering at ROCC NYC in my spare time, and once I received my work permit via my asylum application, I was able to secure a full-time job with one of our partner non-profit organizations. Now I get to spend every day working in our ROCC NYC space as an employee of that organization, helping new New Yorkers the way ROCC NYC helped me."