New Life Family Alliance

NLFA seeks to help all refugees, but is especially focused on South Sudanese and Sudanese refugees in Greater Omaha whose families are living in poverty.  Its goal is to help them move out of poverty into middle-income lives, with adequate income and community support for parenting children.  NLFA helps refugees integrate into “new lives” in their new society; by connecting families with community resources for adult and youth growth and productive development. 

 Particularly important are making effective linkages—which often means advocating for reforms of usual agency practices. These practices do not currently serve non-English speakers when the languages are not present in the agencies.  Adults and older youth need: (1) employment systems that result in solid jobs that provide living wage incomes and reasonable work hours; (2) legal systems that respond effectively to police and courts for juvenile and adult matters; and (3) the full range of financial, health, dental, and educational resources.  Youth need active involvement in youth-serving agencies that will help them successfully develop and take advantage of broad opportunities in the community.

NLFA provides (1) general human services to families, including referrals to health, mental health, dental, substance abuse, domestic violence, youth development, legal services, etc.; (2) youth services to at-risk youth, including youth assigned to Nebraska Juvenile Services or working with Douglas County Assessment/Diversion Center; (3) assistance with applications for employment, including persons referred to NLFA by Nebraska Department of Labor (which uses NLFA to assist who have inadequate computer skills to reapply for unemployment compensation; (4) assistance with a wide range of immigration issues, including need for referrals to dependable legal resources; and (5) helping high school graduates who are interested in attending college gain knowledge about career options and connect with universities and colleges.