Welcoming Erie

Erie is proud to be a member of Welcoming America, a network organization that helps Erie unleash the power of New Americans, create a stronger community, and gain economic advantage. Erie is a Certified Welcoming city – the highest designation reserved for cities and counties that meet rigorous requirements defining what it means to be a welcoming community.

Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, and New Americans

Contact

City of Erie Immigrant and Refugee Liaison Saeed Taraky at 814-870-1345 or email: staraky@erie.pa.us

City of Erie Director of Communications Rob Lee at 814-870-1285 or email: rlee@erie.pa.us

US Citizen and Immigration Services

Apply and renew Green Card: https://www.uscis.gov/greencard
Apply for US Citizenship: https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship
Need help to prepare applying for US Citizenship: http://www.mcrcerie.org
Civil Surgeon: Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System, Inc (MHEDS): http://www.mheds.org
Immigration Legal Issue, call: Erie County Bar Association: 814-459-3111 or visit their website: https://www.eriebar.com

Know Your Rights

Download Know Your Rights Card: KYR Brochure 11-21-18
ACLU Pennsylvania: https://www.aclupa.org/chapters/northwestpa
Welcome Table: eriewelcometable@gmail.com

New American Council

Members

Michelle (Mimi) Fiorelli • Supervisor of Early Learning and English Language Learners, City of Erie School District

She has worked for The City of Erie School District for almost 30 years as a teacher, and building principal at Irving Elementary School and Grover Cleveland Elementary School before Working as a district supervisor. She serves as a board member for Erie’s Head Start Program, Child Development Centers, The Afghan Community Center, and is an Erie County PreK Counts Committee member.

Nadezhda (Nadia) Pribyshchuk • Immigration Specialist at the Multicultural Community Resource Center

Nadia serves new immigrants and their families in their needs regarding immigration matters. She joined MCRC in 2020 as a Case Manager for refugees from the former Soviet Union countries. She then extended her services to all immigrants in the Erie area as an Immigration Specialist. She continues serving the Ukrainian/Russian-speaking community at the Grace Slavic Pentecostal Church as a Refugee Social Services Coordinator and Educational Coordinator. As a volunteer, she helps new arrivals adapt to life in the United States so they can find success in a new country. Nadia also helps families build bridges of communication between generations. She does this by helping refugees from Ukraine learn English and helping the children of those refugees remember and improve their native language. She got her master’s degree in accounting and auditing in Ukraine and worked as an educational coordinator at Kherson State University as well as a tax inspector of the State Tax Administration in Ukraine. She also has more than 15 years of small family business experience. Nadia moved to the US in 2012 as a refugee. Since then, it has been her passion to help those forced to leave everything behind to start life all over again. She encourages refugees to stay strong, improve their best skills, learn English, and to help others with their needs. Nadia can be reached at npribyshchuk@mcrcerie.org

Ammarah Asad

Ammarah is a physician from Pakistan. After coming to the U.S., Ammarah worked as an ultrasound instructor for 7 years in New Jersey. She moved to Erie in 2010. She is a member of AAUW and Erie APAA.

Sharmin Khundker • President-Elect, American Association of University Women (AAUW) Erie Branch

Previously, Sharmin was President of the Erie Asian Pacific American Association (Erie APAA) as well as a member of the mayor’s New American Council. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Chemistry and a doctoral degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Northumbria, UK. In 1996, she came from Bangladesh to the United States when she married her husband, who was at the time a graduate student. Sharmin also worked for a year as an analytical chemist in a contract pharmaceutical company. Ten years later, in 2006, Sharmin received her green card, and received her US citizenship in 2011. Sharmin’s roles in Erie APAA and the New American Council have allowed new Americans to both showcase their cultures through various avenues in the city, and also to network among themselves to form close, cultural communities that support the values of diversity and inclusion alike. Her work has allowed us to integrate new Americans into the greater Erie community, and expand the roles they play in it. While there are some bridges/organizations currently being put in place for new Americans (such as the New American Council), Sharmin would like to see more done to assure that new Americans have an opportunity to utilize their varied and valuable skills in our community. In addition, Sharmin would like to further discuss more effective ways that new Americans can gain the representation they deserve. One of Sharmin’s biggest focuses is the reduction of the language barrier and the creation of wider access to transparent, clear communication between the New American communities and Erie’s other stakeholders.

Asla Alkhafaji • Tap Program Coordinator, AHN Saint Vincent Hospital

Asla Alkhafaji was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. She arrived in the United States as a refugee with her family in September 2014, and her journey to live the American dream has been ongoing since then. Asla’s social and leadership skills, in addition to her fluency in two languages, helped her in becoming a member of the Erie community. Asla earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gannon University. Asla currently works as a Tap program coordinator at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital one of her main goals in this role is to increase diversity in healthcare workers in her facility. She has also interned with the governor’s office of Pennsylvania, worked in the Erie courthouse, and volunteered in our community. Her contact information is asla.alkhafaji@ahn.org or aalkhafaj004@gannon.edu

Alexandria Iwanenko Alexandria focuses her practice on immigration law. She is admitted to practice before the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Alexandria has experience drafting naturalization, green card, and asylum applications. Throughout law school she worked as a law clerk at an immigration law firm in Pittsburgh and as a legal intern at Jewish Family and Community Services in the Immigration Legal Services Department. Originally from Buffalo, Alexandria graduated from Canisius College with a triple major BA in International Relations, Spanish, and Latin American Studies, and earned her JD from Duquesne University School of Law. At both schools, she earned Distinguished Student Awards and graduated with summa cum laude honors. Alexandria has traveled to over a dozen countries, learning about different cultures, languages, and foreign affairs. Her unique experience as the daughter of a first-generation American and granddaughter of immigrants allows her to empathize with a variety of her client’s immigration matters.

Anjali Sahay, Ph.D. is an educator, author, leader, researcher, mentor, and a performing artist who works at Gannon University since 2008 as a Professor of International Relations and Political Science and currently serves as the Director of the School of Public Service and Global Affairs. Originally from India, Anjali moved to the United States to pursue her doctoral degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University. She has various publications including her book titled: Indian Diaspora in the United States: Brain Drain or Gain? And other interviews on current affairs and Asian Americans in TIME, CNBC, Financial Times, ABC News, and Erie Times-News. Anjali was also featured by Erie Times-News during Women’s History Month in 2021. Passionate about serving AAPI communities in northwest Pennsylvania, she has served two terms on Pennsylvania Governor Wolf’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs where she collaborated with the other Commissioner in organizing the first ever Townhall for AAPI communities in the city of Erie, mobilizing for census and voting, and showcasing AAPI artists during the APA Heritage Month. Additionally, she serves as Secretary on the Executive Board for Indian Association of Greater Erie to advance Indian culture and heritage to the local community since 2014. Currently, Anjali also serves on the boards of Erie Art Museum and the Western New York/Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter of the Fulbright Association. As an artist she has actively promoted Indian classical dance Kathak to the local community through performances in TEDxPSUBehrend, CelebrateErie, Asian Festivals, and the Erie Dance Festival and is a recipient of the PA Council on the Arts grant in 2021.She can be reached at sahay001@gannon.edu

Driver’s License & ID, Learn to Drive and Bus Route & Schedule

Getting a Pennsylvania Driver’s License and ID: dmv.org/drivers-license.php
Learn to drive: drivingneeds.com
Bus Route & Schedule: ride-the-e.com/routes-2
Pennsylvania Real ID: dmv.pa.gov/REALID/Pages/default.aspx

Citizenship and PA Refugee Resettlement Data

From June 2013 to March 2023, the City of Erie has welcomed 3337 newly sworn United States Citizens from 110 countries of origin.

Countries	06/2013 to 03/2023
A	Afghanistan
	Algeria
	Argentina
	Armenia
	Australia
	Austria
	Azerbaijan

B	Bahamas, The
	Bangladesh
	Belarus
	Belize
	Bhutan
	Bosnia-Herzegovina
	Brazil
	Burma
	Bulgaria
	Burkina Faso
	Burundi

C	Cameroon
	Canada
	Central Africa
	China
	Columbia
	Congo (Kinshasa)
	Costa Rica
	Croatia
	Cuba
	Czech Republic

D	Dominican Republic

E	Ecuador
	Egypt
	El Salvador
	Eritrea
	Ethiopia

F	Finland
	France

G	Germany
	Ghana
	Greece
	Grenada
	Guatemala
	Guyana

H	Haiti
	Honduras
	Hungary

I	India
	Indonesia
	Iran
	Iraq
	Ireland
	Israel
	Italy

J	Jamaica
	Japan
	Jordan

K	Kazakhstan
	Kenya
	Kuwait
	Kyrgyzstan

L	Liberia
	Libya

M	Malaysia
	Mexico
	Moldova
	Mongolia
	Morroco
	Myanmar

N	Nepal
	Netherlands
	Nicaragua
	Nigeria
	Norway

O

P	Pakistan
	Panama
	Paraguay
	Peru
	Philippines
	Poland

Q

R	Romania
	Russia

S	Saint Lucia
	Senegal
	Sierra Leone
	Somalia
	South Africa
	South Korea
	South Sudan
	Soviet Union
	Spain
	Sri Lanka
	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
	Sudan
	Sweden
	Switzerland
	Syria

T	Taiwan
	Tanzania
	Thailand
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Turkey

U	Uganda
	Ukraine
	United Kingdom
	Uruguay
	Uzbekistan

V	Venezuela
	Vietnam

W

X

Y	Yemen

Z	Zambia
	Zimbabwe

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Refugees Resettlement Data

https://www.dhs.pa.gov/refugeesinpa/Pages/Facts.aspx

Language Services

International Institute of Erie (IIE): refugees.org/field-office/erie
Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC): mcrcerie.org

Both International Institute of Erie (IIE) and Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC) are not only providing language services such as translation and interpretation, they also offer English as a Second Language Program. Another place to learn English would be:

Erie County Public Library: erielibrary.org
American Association of University Women (AAUW), Erie Branch: aauwerie.org
The Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit 5 (IU5): iu5.org
Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System, Inc (MHEDS): mheds.org

Health Services

Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System, Inc (MHEDS): http://www.mheds.org/
Erie County Health Department: https://eriecountypa.gov/departments/health/
Community Health Net: http://www.community-healthnet.com/
Wayne Primary Care: https://primary-health.net/
Mental Health Counseling and Drug & Alcohol: Catholic Charities:https://www.cccas.org/

Starting a new business, looking for a job, investment, etc.

City of Erie, Department of Economic and Community Development
Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership: https://www.eriepa.com/
NWPA CareerLink: https://www.nwpajobconnect.org/careerlink
International Institute of Erie (IIE): https://refugees.org/field-office/erie/
Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC): http://www.mcrcerie.org/

Filing Tax Returns

Need help to prepare tax, contact United Way, Erie Free Taxes: https://www.unitedwayerie.org/ErieFreeTaxes

Emergency Services

Fire, Police or Medical Emergency, call: 911

Public Safety

Erie Police Department, Non-emergency, call: 814-870-1125
Erie Police Department, Officer in Charge, call: 814-870-1120
Emergycare, general questions call: 814-870-1010

Non-emergency transportation, call: 814-870-1020 or visit https://www.emergycare.org

How to get help with utility hookups

Welcome to Erie, Pennsylvania. We know that moving can be a difficult transition. Below, you will find a list of resources you may need to have prior or during the move into your new residence.

For Electric, please visit: https://www.firstenergycorp.com/content/customer/penelec.html
For Natural Gas, please visit: https://www.nationalfuelgas.com/utility/forHome/pa/pares.aspx
For Water, please visit: https://www.eriewater.org/
For Sewer issues, please visit: https://cityof.erie.pa.us/government/department-of-public-works/bureau-of-sewers/

Low income housing energy assistance program (LIHEAP) brochures (PDF):
English
Spanish

For general questions and information, whether it is finding childcare, food assistance, care for an aging parent, or utility assistance, dial 211 on your telephone. The United Way of Erie County’s trained resource navigators specialize in assisting you with the help you need. You can also visit https://www.unitedwayerie.org/our-impact/family-stability/2-1-1/ to learn more about their program.

Multilingual How-to Videos

Multilingual videos on services and important dates for the City of Erie, PA