About

The Office of New Americans is co-located at the ACE (African Community Education) building in Worcester. Stop by and say hello!

The Community Resource board outside the office serves as a hub of information for providers and families.

Worcester has historically been a welcoming city that works together to respond when faced with new challenges, especially humanitarian crises. In 2017 following Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact on Puerto Rico, Worcester leaders and community organizations worked together to create a seamless system to support those fleeing the island. When faced with the sudden influx of families from Afghanistan in 2021 following the rise of the Taliban and the subsequent fall of Kabul, Worcester Together worked jointly with numerous community services agencies, faith based groups, and individuals to make sure that all families arriving had the resources and supports they needed.

A group of city leaders discussed that when each new challenge arose related to new arrivals to the city from other countries, some systems must “start from scratch” due to new leadership, staff turnover, and changing resources. They were commited to working to create a permanent position where one individual would be focused on coordinating these various needs for the city. A “hub” of information, someone anyone in the city could call with questions related to challenges facing new arrivals and be connected with resources, information, essential supplies, training opportunities, and more. In the summer of 2023, that dream finally became a reality thanks to generous grant funders and a state earmark for the role, and in the fall of 2024 Jillian Phillips was hired into the position.

Jillian, a licensed independent clinical social worker, has worked in the city of Worcester for over two decades. Starting first as an outpatient mental health therapist, she then transitioned into the role of a clinical supervisor at an early intervention program for almost a decade. There, she connected with newly arrived families struggling to adjust and adapt to the new world they found themselves in while trying to parent and help their children adjust. This became a real passion and when the call came in July of 2023 to respond to the unexpected influx of Haitian migrants suddenly placed in the city, she responded quickly and made sure each family at a local hotel was connected to resources, supports, and early childhood programming.

The Office for New Americans has, indeed, become a hub, a central resource center, a connection to resources, and a support to the refugee community and the providers supporting them. The office responds quickly to needs, addresses gaps that are identified in the systems, and supports providers and new arrivals with the skills and resources they need to thrive.