History
Nationalities Service Center (NSC) was founded in 1921 under the aegis of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) as the International Institute. Its mission was to assist newly arrived immigrant women with immigration and naturalization issues, and to help them learn English. Service programs evolved and expanded to respond to the changing needs of all immigrants, including men and families. The Institute’s staff during these early years was composed of interpreters, immigration casework counselors and volunteer English teachers. In 1934 the Institute became an independent agency and the following year was incorporated as a nonprofit charitable organization. Core funding came from the Community Chest, now known as the United Way.
The social, political and economic upheavals of the 1920s and 1930s, along with restrictive immigration legislation, made the work of the agency especially vital. Although economic conditions during the Depression threatened the agency’s viability, basic services continued and innovative intergroup programs were initiated that focused on bringing together the diverse ethnic, racial and cultural groups in the city. During this period, the Institute’s staff increased alongside demand for its services.
In the years immediately following World War II, the Institute helped resettle people displaced as a result of the war, primarily Hungarian refugees. The agency also helped resettle Japanese Americans returning to the East Coast after being interned during the war. Housing, jobs, immigration counseling and English language services were provided with funding from public and private sources.
To reinforce its commitment to cultural pluralism and its work toward the elimination of barriers caused by linguistic and cultural differences, the Institute sponsored the first Philadelphia Folk Fair at the old High School for Girls in 1955. The Folk Fair proved very popular, and in 1962 it expanded from a one-day to a three-day event at the Civic Center where 50–60 different ethnic groups came together to celebrate “who they are, and who they are becoming” through the performing, visual and culinary arts.
In 1961 the Institute purchased a group of buildings at 1300 Spruce Street to accommodate increased staff and activities. They met the challenge of resettling Cuban refugees arriving in the early 1960s by networking with other social service providers, churches and the International Rescue Committee. Housing, furniture, clothing and household goods were provided for every family. In addition, financial assistance for rent and food for each refugee family was provided until employment was procured or public assistance became available.
The Institute officially changed its name to the Nationalities Service Center (NSC) in 1963, in part to reinforce its affiliation with the American Council for Nationalities Service (ACNS), the national consortium of resettlement agencies.
NSC celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1971. In subsequent years, thousands of refugees from war-torn countries such as Uganda, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Angola and Haiti began arriving in unprecedented numbers. From 1978–82 and again from 1985–90, NSC was contracted by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to provide counseling and English as a Second Language services to all eligible refugees in the southeast Pennsylvania region. During these years the agency sponsored and provided resettlement, counseling, job development/placement and English language training to an estimated 200–300 refugees a year.
The post-9/11 era brought new challenges, as the social and political climate toward immigrants and refugees became much more hostile. In recent years the U.S. has admitted far fewer refugees than in previous years, and the number of refugees resettled by NSC has dropped sharply. Policies and attitudes toward immigrants have become much harsher and more punitive, as reflected by restrictions on access to asylum and a large increase in the deportation and detention of immigrants.
Our work with immigrants and refugees is as critical now as it has ever been. In 2006 NSC moved to its current location at 1216 Arch Street. Today the staff of about 30 and the board of trustees maintain our commitment to NSC’s original mission of helping immigrants and refugees participate fully in American society, focusing on four main objectives: protecting legal rights, strengthening families and promoting self-sufficiency, eliminating barriers created by language and cultural differences, and promoting public awareness of the benefits of diversity in U.S. society.
