What is the Baltimore New American Access Coalition (BNAAC)?

A 6-month program to help Baltimore City's immigrants and refugees. 

The program will help families with: 

  • applying to benefits like WIC, SNAP, and more 
  • legal counsel to answer questions 
  • a one-time financial gift 

Need assistance applying with the following public benefits? 

  • Health care coverage  
  • Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) 
  • WIC
  • Cash assistance (TCA)
  • Childcare 
  • Home energy assistance  
  • Affordable Connectivity Program/internet resources 
  • And more! 
Baltimore New American Access Coalition English Flyer

Flyers in additional languages:

To qualify for the program individuals and households must: 

  • Be a Baltimore City Resident  
  • Be an Immigrant or Refugee Family with limited English 
  • Have at least 1 child under the age of 18 that is a US citizen 
  • Or a child that has an eligible immigrant status 
  • You must agree to benefit navigation help for 6 months with in-person meetings 

Language Support Available 

You must be a Baltimore City resident to participate in BNAAC. Fill out the referral form below to be connected with one of the non-profit organizations based on their capacity. 

Refer someone else to BNAAC using this Referral Form.

More Information

Mayor Brandon Scott and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs announced "The Baltimore New American Access Coalition" (BNAAC) in October 2022. The program helps reduce the economic and social hardships of immigrant and refugee families in Baltimore City. The program connects people to health and social resources. This program is to help people hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has $4 million of funding from the City's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  

For immigrants and refugees, access to health and social services has many barriers. Barriers like language, fear of government, and difficulty navigating already complex government systems. BNAAC wants to increase equity in access to health and human services through its benefit navigation program.   

The benefit navigation program partners with 6 community-based organizations. These partners are CASA, Southeast CDC, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS), and Esperanza Center. The partners help immigrant and refugee populations in the city. Working with trusted partners builds trust in the benefit navigation program. The program offers short term financial help and long-term bilingual case management. This is to help immigrant and refugee residents’ access federal, state, and local aid. BNAAC will also work with immigration legal services to teach families about their rights.  

The program hosted at CASA, Southeast CDC, LIRS, and Esperanza Center will serve 1,000 families and 110 individuals. This will take place from the present to October 2024. The program will offer short term financial help and 6 months of case management. Over 6 months, benefit navigators assist with applying to services like SNAP, WIC, and healthcare coverage.   

For more information contact Mariela Rodriguez mariela.rodriguez@baltimorecity.gov 

The Baltimore New American Access Coalition (BNAAC) is an ARPA-funded project. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided $641 million to the City of Baltimore in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. Mayor Brandon M. Scott has established the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs to transparently and effectively administer this funding on behalf of the City. For additional information, visit the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs website.

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