Our Mission
SayDaNar Community Development Center provides advocacy, education and services promoting self-help and growth of new immigrants and refugees in order to enhance their economic, health, educational and employment status in the United States, and to become active citizens contributing positively to their local communities.
Our Partnerships
University of Massachusetts Lowell
UMass Lowell is SayDaNar’s key partner. Every year, UMass Lowell sends tens of students who volunteer at SayDaNar’s homework help program and other case managements under the university’s internship, experiential learning, honors, and work study programs. The Dean office of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and political science department also funds student leaders who have interned as volunteers’ coordinators for the afterschool program. The Dean office of the FAHSS, Center for Asian American Studies, Career office have co-sponsored a community volleyball tournament to raise fund for SayDaNar’s Afterschool Program.
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Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership
The mission of the Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership is to promote affordable home ownership opportunities for low and moderate income earners by producing comprehensive training and counseling as well as promoting the use of special mortgage products and down payment assistance programs. With offices in Lowell, Massachusetts, MVHP focuses its services in the Greater Lowell community.
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Mill City Grows
Mill City Grows fosters food justice by increasing community access to healthy, fresh food through the development of urban food production and distribution networks
Mill City Grows works in the Lowell area to create and manage community gardens, create urban farms, organizational gardens, as well as train urban gardeners and hold other programs to increase access to local food. MCG programs engage residents in growing, distributing, accessing and consuming health, organic and affordable food that reflects the diverse cultures of our community
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International Institute of New England (Lowell)
The International Institute of New England is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, with site offices located in Boston, Lowell, and Manchester, New Hampshire. The Institute also supports programming in Rhode Island. The Institute’s mission is to help refugees and immigrants become active participants in the social, political, and economic richness of American life. The Institute is staffed by nearly 75 full and part-time employees, who speak more than a dozen languages. The organization is headed by its President & CEO, Carolyn Benedict-Drew and overseen by a Board of Directors.