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Moving to a new country is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Scroll to learn more about who we help, and how.
Who we are.
We are NicerFL, a community-based organization that provides a welcoming place for refugees and new immigrant families to help them integrate and feel they belong in the community.
Providing hope and support for our newest neighbors.
Florida is home to one of the largest imigrant populations in the U.S., with over 4.5 million foreign-born residents as of 2019 (Migration Policy Institute, 2021). Between 2020 and 2022, the state resettled over 15,000 refugees, primarily from Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria. More recently, the number of regugees and individuals with Temporary Protected Status in Florida’s Suncoast region alone has surged to over 18,000, highlighting a growing need for support and resources.
Our History
NicerFL began with a vision: to offer friendship, hope, and support to immigrants, transforming uncertainty into belonging through the power of community.
It started with a bold idea: to ensure that every newcomer seeking a brighter future would be welcomed not just with guidance, but with true friendship: someone to walk alongside them, offering encouragement, advice, and support as they navigate the complexities of starting a new life.
In 2021, this idea became a reality. We changed the lives of 17 immigrants through tutoring, mentoring, and citizenship preparation. Then, as the Ukrainian refugee crisis unfolded in 2022, our mission became even more urgent. Families arrived in North Port and Sarasota, facing daunting challenges: children struggling in school, parents in need of English lessons, and entire households seraching for jobs, housing, and a sense of belonging.
Dr. Lane, our founder, rose to the challenge. Under her leadership, NicerFL’s services expanded to more than 60 refugees and new immigrants in the first half of 2022. Word of NicerFL’s efforts spread, sparking a wace of community action.
As Ukrainian refugees began arriving in Tampa and Pinellas, a new chapter for NicerFL unfolded. Calls for help poured in, and with the generosity of Dr. Lane’s former colleagues at USF Tampa, we launched our first sessions on July 17, 2022. The response was overwhelming: over 80 adults and 23 children joined the program, with USF students, professors, and local residents stepping up to volunteer. Our efforts caught the attention of ABC Action News, highlighting the stories of hope and resilience from those we’ve helped.
Social media became a lifeline, rallying volunteers to support our mission. Since May 2022, Dr. Lane has trained oer 200 volunteers, empowering them to mentor and tutor with compassion and skiill. Despite limited funding, these volunteers went above and beyond – offering online support, printing their own materials, and giving generously of their time. Dr. Lane herself led daily English classes, creating a space where everyone felt welcomed and connected. This selfless spirit reflects the true strength and commitment of our community.
The impact has been life-changing. Ukrainian families found not only practical help bu t also a sanctuary where they could share their experiences and begin to rebuild. NicerFL be came more than a service: it became a home for those starting over. Dr. Lane’s unwavering dedication ensured that no one felt alone, and the joy of helping these families became the heartbeat of our work.
Today, NicerFL operates across four locations in Florida’s Suncoast, welcoming immigrants from all over the world. The heart of our program lies in the deep, personal connections between clients and volunteers. At each of our centers, families find more than services, they find a vibrant community. S ocial gatherings bring together immigrants and volunteers, fostering a spirit of unity where stores are shared, cultures are celebrated, and kindness is abundant. What began as a simple idea has grown into a vital and unique program, built on the experiences of the people it serves. NicerFL stands as a testament to the strength of compassion, resilience, and the enduring power of community.
And while there are plenty of organizations that teach English, there are no organizations in our region that also help with career, personal finance coaching, while providing moral and other support in integrating with local communities.
Nick Popandopulo
NicerFL Career Mentor
NICERFL
So what does NicerFL do?
Our participants have often fled their home countries due to political instability, economic hardship, or personal safety concerns, leaving behind established lives and support systems.
Upon arrival, many face significant challenges to integration and self-sufficiency. Language barriers are a major barrier. Without the ability to communicate effectively, newcomers struggle to navigate daily life, acces essential services, and find employment.
NicerFL Welcome Centers provide newcomers with a sense of place and belonging through free personalized educational programs and resources and the help of local resident volunteers and community partners.
We give newcomers a network of people and friends so that they can quickly feel at home in our communities.
As a nonprofit organization supporting the integration of refugees and new immigrants, NicerFL makes diversity and inclusion possible for every resident in the Suncoast region of Florida.
Check out our newsletters for a sneak peek into what goes on at our centers!
Advancing the well-being of refugees.
NicerFL aims to provide newcomers with mentorship, family education and resources, and social support networks so they can overcome challenges and social integration, acheive self-sufficiency, and find a sense of place in their new communities.
By connecting refugees and new immigrants to caring mentors and tutors from the community, we strive to uplift their social, emotional, and economic well-being.
Fostering a true sense of belonging.
NicerFL envisions a Suncoast region of Florida where newcomers can feel truly supported. We aspire to empower them to integrate fully, contribute meaningfully, and forge lasting cross-cultural connections that enrich our community as a whole.
NicerFL, by the numbers.
With limited resources but an abundance of passion and community support from volunteers and partners, NicerFL has achieved remarkable growth and impact since opening its first locations in North Port and Sarasota in June 2022. Driven initially by the immense need of Ukrainian refugees and new immigrants from all around the world.
In 2022 alone, NicerFL tutored 69 refugee children in person and online, while providing services to 205 newcomers.
In 2023, the organization’s reach expanded even further, with 49 newcomer youth receiving tutoring and art classes, and 215 adults benefitting from in-person services and 165 from online programs supported by 138 volunteers.
NICERFL
What we stand for.
Connections.
NicerFL Integration Centers are warm and welcoming places that give newcomers the space to develop themselves. We want to help and support immigrants in their own way. We do this through a personal, tailor-made approach, bringing new immigrants and volunteers together.
Shared experiences.
Integration is a two-way street. That’s why promoting diversity is at the heart of what we do. We encourage both immigrants and Florida residents to embrace new experiences and build a more inclusive community. Together, we can make the Suncoast a place where diversity thrives.
Community
We’ve created a space where people can experience diversity in a natural and engaging way – because real connections matter more than big slogans. When diverse groups come together, cultural exchange flourishes, prejudices fade, and meaningful bonds are formed.
A Florida Suncoast Story
We live and work in Florida and at the same time write our own warm and positively unique Suncoast story. Here in Sarasota, Tampa, and Pinellas, NicerFL Integration Centers have a special meaning for both the newcomers who live here and for the local residents who help them.
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