About Us

International Community Alliance

International Community Alliance (ICA) works to
bring access to resources and create opportunities for our immigrant and Latino communities. Our object is provide assistance, activities and programs that benefit low-income persons and their families and create the means of improving the quality of life in these immigrant and Latino communities.

The ICA is incorporated in the State of Indiana as a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit corporation. It is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Its staff and volunteers work toward the improvement of the quality of life in the immigrant and Latinos communities.

Our History

The International Institute was founded in 1919 by a group of civic minded women who were in the process of establishing a YWCA in Gary, Indiana. The International Institute was a department of the YWCA, with offices in the Bailey Library.
The purpose of the International Institute was to help immigrant women to adjust to American life and culture. The organization provided social services with an emphasis on immigration and citizenship issues.

In 1934 the International Institute became an independent agency. In 1937 was incorporated and went with eleven other agencies to form the Community Chest in Gary. It established the first citizenship and adult English classes in 1932. In late 2001, discussions began between International Institute and the Latin American Community Alliance for Support and Assistance (LACASA) to merge the two organizations based on their similar program objectives and commonality of services offered.