Helpful Neighbors

Resources for Local Immigrants and Refugees

Wondering where to start? These local nonprofits are here to help the immigrant community in different aspects of their lives.

Three scenes of people engaging in social activities outdoors and at home: a young man waving and holding a phone, a woman giving high-five to another woman holding a tray of cupcakes, and a family with two children and a baby, greeting neighbors outside their house.

Legal Assistance

Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement (CIRA)

To empower immigrants and refugees to live confidently through high-quality legal representation, resettlement, and social work

Legal Help

Detainee Assistance

1-855-307-6730

Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA)

Providing comprehensive legal services so immigrants and refugees in Nebraska can thrive.

Legal Help

(402) 471-1777

Community Centers

Asian Community & Cultural Center

Serving all immigrants and refugees and celebrating cultural heritage.

info@lincolnasiancenter.org

402 477 3446

El Centro de Las Américas

Educating and Empowering Hispanic/Latino Families and the Community At-Large

402 474 3950

Good Neighbor Community Center

Welcoming Neighbors. Supporting Stability.

info@gncclincoln.org

402 477 4173

Consulates

If you do not see your countries Embassy or Consulate below you can search the US Department of State website

Illustration of two hands shaking, with a blue and yellow heart-shaped border surrounding them.

Feeling Safe Accessing Homeless Services

You deserve to feel safe asking for help. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, there is help available that is safe, respectful, and free of judgment. 

It’s simple. You meet with a staff member at a community access point, talk about your situation, and they help connect you to the resources that fit best.

Where You Can Go for Help

You can walk in or call ahead at any of these public access points:

  • In Lincoln, we want to make sure everyone has a fair chance to get the shelter, housing, and support they need. We do this through a community-based process called Coordinated Entry.

    Coordinated Entry is simply a way for our community to:

    • Listen and learn about each person’s situation through a shared assessment

    • Make sure people with the most urgent needs are supported first

    • Connect individuals and families to the housing or services that best fit their situation

    Lincoln’s system is called All Doors Lead Home. This means you don’t have to know the “right” place to go: any participating agency can help you get started, complete the assessment, and connect you to resources.  

  • Yes!

    • You will not be asked about your citizenship status. Local CE providers removed all immigration-related questions and do not record citizenship in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). This protects your privacy and ensures everyone can seek help safely.

    • If you don’t have certain documents, that’s okay. Staff can still complete your CE assessment, and you can continue working on gathering documents if needed. Nothing in the CE system flags non-citizens; any verification only occurs later and only for programs that require it.

    • Your information is not shared with immigration enforcement or government agencies.

    • Support is available to everyone.

Accessing services should never put you at risk. Helping Neighbors LNK, together with the Lincoln Continuum of Care, is committed to making sure every neighbor, including immigrants, mixed-status families, youth, and those without documents, can reach out for help without fear.

Childcare Services

Need Help With Childcare Costs?

The Lincoln Littles Tuition Assistance program helps local families cover the cost of high-quality early childhood care at qualified local providers.

  • Ongoing Monthly Tuition Assistance: : Consistent monthly subsidies for eligible families.

  • Emergency Tuition Assistance: Rapid assistance for those in immediate financial need.

Learn more (English, Spanish, Arabic, Karen)

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

  • DHHS may be able to help families with the cost of child care through the Child Care Subsidy Program. DHHS will review a number of factors, such as earned income (e.g. wages) and unearned income (e.g. child support, Social Security payments, and Unemployment Insurance).

Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department badge with a blue and gold color scheme.

Lincoln Police Department

The Lincoln Police Department cares about keeping all Lincoln residents safe, regardless of immigration status. Still, immigrant neighbors may have questions about LPD. The following is valuable information for the community.

  • The Lincoln Police Department does not contact individuals to determine immigration status and does not have the authority to enforce immigration laws.

    Similarly, LPD does not make inquiries regarding immigration status in the course of routine investigations, as outlined in the department’s policy on unlawful or improper bias in public safety.

    LPD Department Policy

  • No.

    Past and future LPD cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at any immigration enforcement activities is to ensure the safety of all involved and to assist with communication to affected families.

  • Lincoln Police Department wants to assure the community that filing a police report or accessing law enforcement services is not dependent on citizenship or immigration status and can be done so without fear.

    LPD services are available to all who need assistance or want to report a crime. They are dedicated to making sure everyone feels safe and treated with respect when they interact with LPD officers.

  • This is a risk. When a person is detained in jail, their record in the computer system is automatically available to Immigration Enforcement who may take action. 

  • Yes, you can record police activity. LPD requests anyone recording to do so from a safe distance and to not interfere or escalate interactions for the safety of all involved. 

Here are some of the nonprofits that help and support Lincoln’s immigrant and refugee neighbors:

Asian Community & Cultural Center: Supports and empowers all refugees and immigrants through programs and services and advances the sharing of Asian cultures and the other cultural heritages.

Career Ladder: Advocates for professional opportunities and the advancement of internationally trained professionals while fostering economic opportunity and dignity through professional development

Catholic Social Services: To perform the Works of Mercy in response to the call of God.

Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement (CIRA): Empowering immigrants and refugees to live confidently through high-quality legal representation, resettlement, and social work and to create welcoming communities through education and advocacy.

Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA): Providing comprehensive legal services so immigrants and refugees in Nebraska can thrive.

Educare: Helping young children thrive socially, emotionally and academically through high-quality early childhood education.

ECHO Collective: Connects and empowers refugee and immigrant women by providing opportunities for personal growth and building cross-cultural relationships in a nurturing environment

El Centro de las Américas: Educating and Empowering Hispanic/Latino Families and the Community At-Large

Good Neighbor Community Center: Welcoming Neighbors Supporting Stability.

Lincoln Literacy: To strengthen our community by teaching the English language and a variety of literacy skills to people of all cultures.

Lutheran Family Services: Providing high-quality direct support services for refugees, immigrants, asylees, and victims of international human trafficking

MYLINK: The MyLink app lists hundreds of services available to Lincoln residents from food to housing, childcare, medical, and more. MyLink is free and available in 10 languages

Nebraska Appleseed: Fighting for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans