Gordon Donkoh-Halm, who came to the US from Ghana, dreamed of creating an organization to help immigrants make a strong and healthy start in the Greater Lowell area. Under Gordon’s leadership, the African Community Center of Lowell was founded in 2016 with Community Teamwork Inc. as its fiscal sponsor. 
CTI supported ACCL with office and meeting space in the early years, and ACCL started off strong, creating community connections, hosting gatherings, and mentoring individuals and families. In 2016 ACCL held its first summer school for immigrant children and youth, with more than 20 students participating in academic classes and celebrating their cultural heritage.  
The Covid pandemic was a challenging time for ACCL because community building is at the core of its mission; however, ACCL remained committed to its mission, continuing its work with online community gatherings and mentoring by phone, FaceTime, and Zoom.
In 2021, ACCL became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. At that time, ACCL flew from CTI's nest and moved into its own offices at 99 Church St., in Lowell, renting space from First United Baptist Church. ACCL expanded its collaborations with other organizations and schools working toward common goals.

In its eight years ACCL has assisted more than 2,000 people with educational, social, and cultural support. Perhaps our proudest achievement to date is Welcome to Lowell! published in 2024. Developed and designed by ACCL and the Harvard School of Design, this guide for immigrants is a resource used throughout the city. 
 
With continued support from the community, and individuals like you, ACCL hopes to fulfill its vision of helping new immigrants and refugees settle and be responsible community members, successful leaders and role models for future generations. 
 
A vision like ours needs all hands on deck as our success depends on everyone’s support and participation. Thank you.