Company Profile
Nationalities Service Center
Company History
Mission and History
The mission of Nationalities Service Center (NSC)
is to help immigrants and refugees participate
fully in American society. It’s vision is to
help immigrants and refugees by:
- Protecting their legal rights
- Strengthening families and promoting self-
sufficiency
- Eliminating barriers caused by language and
cultural difference
-Increasing self-sufficiency
-Promoting public awareness of the benefits of
diversity in American society.
Nationalities Service Center provides legal,
social and educational services to immigrants and
refugees. The agency was founded in 1921 under
the aegis of the Young Women’s Christian
Association (YWCA) as the International Institute
of Philadelphia (Institute). It came into being
through the efforts of a group of concerned women
at the “Y,” who had learned from a national study
that newly-arrived immigrant women needed help
and protection against “exploitation and
unfavorable conditions.” Specifically, help was
needed with immigration/naturalization and with
the English language.
During the post World War I years, service
programs at the Institute evolved and expanded to
include and respond to the changing needs of not
only immigrant women, but men and families. In
1934, the Institute became an independent agency
and the following year was incorporated as non-
profit in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The international and national social, political,
and economic issues that arose during the 1920s
and 1930s caused friction between newly arriving
immigrants and refugees and the population
already living in the Philadelphia area. Programs
that focused on bringing together the diverse
ethnic, racial, cultural, and nationality groups
in the city to share their commonalities, and
talk about their differences were regularly took
place. At these meetings it was recognized that
cultural diversity is strength, something to
build upon as a positive force for all
Americans. Linguistic and cultural differences
were identified not as inferior or superior,
simply as differences that, put to work, could
enhance the quality of life for all in the
community.
In the years immediately following WW II -- 1945-
50 -- the agency worked with persons displaced as
a result of the war and in the 1950s, with
Hungarian refugees. Housing, jobs, immigration
counseling and English language services were
provided through public and/or private funding
sources. The agency also assisted Japanese
Americans who were wrongfully interned as they
resettled on the East Coast.
The agency purchased its present building at 1300
Spruce Street in Center City, Philadelphia in
1961 to accommodate increased staff and
activities. Among activities at that time was
the resettlement of Cuban refugees in 1962, at
which time the agency networked with other social
service providers, churches, and the New York-
based International Rescue Committee. Housing,
furniture, clothing, linens, cooking
utensils/dishes were provided for every family.
Through the International Rescue Committee,
financial assistance for rent and food was
provided until employment was procured or public
assistance made available. The Institute
officially changed its name to the Nationalities
Service Center in 1963, in part to reinforce its
affiliation with its then national affiliated
organization, the American Council for
Nationalities Service (ACNS) in New York City,
and to avoid confusion with the newly opened
International House on the University of
Pennsylvania campus.
In the years that followed, thousands of refugees
from countries such as Uganda, Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia, Ethiopia, Angola, Haiti and
the “Mariel” Cubans (socially or politically
dubbed “undesirables” by the Cuban government) --
along with Eastern Europeans began arriving in
unprecedented numbers. NSC provided services to
incoming refugees from Croatia, Albania, the
Soviet Union, Eritrea and Liberia. NSC enacted
new programs including immigrant youth services
and the development of a Senior Center for
immigrant populations in the Logan section of
Philadelphia. Current clients include Africans
fleeing violence in such places as the Congos,
Sudan, Mauritania, and the Ivory Coast, Asians
from Indonesia and Malay, and Arabs from Iraq and
Iran.
In the late 1990's NSC began a long association
with the Immigrant and Refugee Services of
America (IRSA) which continues to this day. IRSA
supports NSC's activities on a national level and
acts as a conduit for information regarding
refugees overseas. IRSA is intergral in the
processing of refugees arrivng into the
Philadelphia region through the federal
Resettlement and Placement program and in
assistance to political asylees through the
federal Match Grant program.
In 2000, NSC’s long-term Executive Director (then
President) retired and NSC entered a phase of
evaluation, adjustment and goal setting. Through
retreats for both the staff and the Board, and
the assistance of a consultant provided by the
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the
mission of NSC was made clearer and more
focused. Activities that were done outside of
the core mission were phased out and new funding
strategies were developed to address the core
activities. Programmatic restructuring resulted
in the elimination of some administrative
positions so as to concentrate on client service
and in clarifying reporting roles.
In 2002 NSC hired a strong new executive, an
attorney with many years of experience in the
management and directing of non-profit social
service agencies.External evaluation of programs
and operations have ocurred along with continued
improvement in the quality of programming and the
quality of services. A stronger written
employee appraisal process has begun along with
accelerated training of staff and management.
New personnel polices were put in place.Financial
updating has included implementation of
computerized software for accounting purposes and
the use of “fund accounting” and “project
accounting” to more accurately project program
costs and revenues. NSC is also currently
marketing its interpretation and translation
services to a greater extent
In late 2002 NSC also underwent a major
restructuring of its Board of Trustees and
established an Advisory Committee consisting of
notable advocates of immigration and refugee
issues. New Board committees were formed and now
meet at least once per quarter to allow for more
specific and thoughtful review of program issues.
Additional attention is also now focused on
financial and governance issues and in
fundraising (both from within and from out side
the Board). Further revisions, in accordance
with the recently passed Sarbanes/Oakley bill
enacted by Congress in an effort to promote
transparency of the corporation and improve
accountability have been implemented. Other Board
initiatives have been focused on the provision of
quality assistance and on advocating for refugees
whose voices have gone unheard during this time
of unprecedented U. S. security issues and
increasing world violence and political and
social repression. NSC will undergo a new
strategis and business planning process in 2004.
Benefits
Comapny also has a fully employer paid defined
pension plan