BUFFALO IMMIGRANT LEADERSHIP TEAM

BUILDING A STRONG, HEALTHY REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN AND AROUND BUFFALO, NY

Current Work

BILT currently has task forces addressing Public Education and Parental Involvement, as well as Health Care and Behavioral Health. There are standing committees on Membership and Financial Development.

The Public Education Task Force recently conducted a meeting with 20 parents from Lafayette International High School. Lafayette International High School has 500 students who are English Language Learners, and 35 different languages are spoken. Our goal is to develop leadership among immigrant and refugee parents and students to be able to address the issues that they face in this new educational system. Additionally, BILT is collaborating with other organizations to address issues regarding language access, suspension, access to rigorous curriculum, and busing.

Our Health Care Task Force is comprised of community members who are in the health care field. We are working to identify the gaps within immigrant/refugee health services.

Join us!

Become a member of BILT as an individual member or a member organization.

The Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team – BILT

Mission

BILT builds a strong, healthy refugee and immigrant community in and around Buffalo, NY by developing powerful leaders of faith and moral courage to address the educational, social, economic and political needs of the community.

The Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team (BILT) began as a task force of VOICE-Buffalo in 2015. Its constituents are the more than 15,000 immigrants and refugees who have come to Western NY since 2000. BILT’s mission is to develop leaders within this immigrant and refugee community and equip them to address issues that are impacting their lives, thereby creating thriving communities where everyone can reach their full potential.

BILT is now a separate non-profit corporation that has focused on improving advancement and graduation rates for the 6,200 immigrant and refugee students in the Buffalo Public Schools.

BILT is a federation of Faith in Action – the largest faith-based community organizing network in the nation.