Programs at
Building One Community
Programs at Building One Community
In more than 15 years, B1C has served over 22,500 immigrants from 133 countries, teaching English, training workers, supporting families, and welcoming volunteers from across Fairfield County. Every program at B1C is free, and no one is turned away from a B1C program for inability to pay.
We organize our work around four E's: Educate, Employ, Empower, and Engage, each one addressing a different part of what it takes to build a life in a new country. We partner with school districts, local employers, and a wide network of community organizations so no family falls through the cracks.
Educate
English Language Learning & Citizenship • Academic Enrichment
English Language Learning
Volunteer-led English classes at four levels, from first words to conversational fluency, plus English and Spanish literacy for adults learning to read and write, and Saturday citizenship prep for the naturalization test.
Academic Enrichment
Free after-school homework help and STEAM enrichment for elementary schoolers (B.F.F.L.), a five-week summer reading and math program run with Springboard, and walk-in help with school registration and special-education advocacy.
Employ
Workforce Development • Skill Building
Workforce Development Program
Classes and leadership that pair every participant with employability coaching, resume building, interview preparation, financial literacy, and workplace culture, so training turns into a hire. The Immigrant Entrepreneurship Initiative (IEI) extends that support to aspiring business owners with entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and resources to help them succeed.
Skills Development Program
Certificate-based training in tracks chosen for local demand: Culinary & Safety, Healthcare, Technology Literacy, and Construction + Landscaping. Each course pairs hands-on instruction with the specialty skills employers want.
Empower
Family Services • Immigration Legal Services
Family Services
Case managers connect families to healthcare, mental health care, housing assistance, food assistance, and SNAP or HUSKY applications, plus driver's license support, with services in English and Spanish (Haitian Creole available only with a translator).
Immigration Legal Services
DOJ-recognized, low-cost legal help with green cards, humanitarian protections, TPS, DACA, work permits, citizenship, and more, plus free monthly legal Q&A clinics. No one is turned away for inability to pay.
Engage
Volunteering • Giving Back
Volunteering
Every other program at B1C runs on volunteer hours: teaching or tutoring English, mentoring kids after school, staffing the food pantry, leading IT workshops, or sorting donated clothing. Volunteers can start at 14, and most roles ask for patience and consistency rather than a special background.
Find Your Need, Today.
Whether you're looking for a class, a case manager, a job track, legal assistance, or a way to give your time, B1C can be there for you.
