Albanian & American Open Hand Association (AAOHA / Dora e Hapur)

The Albanian & American Open Hand Association (AAOHA), also called Dora e Hapur or simply Open Hand Association, is a 501(c)(3) charity headquartered at 2141 Holland Avenue, Suite ML in the Bronx, with EIN 46-4607518. It was founded in 2012 by Aleksander Nilaj and reported $162,522 in revenue on its most recent Form 990.

The core program is the Open Hand Food Pantry, which operates out of 821 Lydig Avenue in the East Bronx. Under normal conditions it is open Thursdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., first come first served until food runs out, and distributes free groceries along with diapers and pet food when available. Visitors bring their own bags or carts and register on site.

Scale shifts with demand. News 12 Bronx has reported the pantry serving more than 1,000 people a week in a typical stretch, and during recent SNAP uncertainty the figure climbed to roughly 2,000 people a week, drawing coverage from NY1, PIX11, and CBS New York. The organization has publicly appealed for help covering its electricity bill and for storage space to hold community food donations.

Beyond the pantry, AAOHA's stated mission extends to aid for people affected by natural disasters, people experiencing homelessness, and people who need wheelchairs or power chairs, with distributions of food, clothing, and other items. Norwood News has covered a Bronx ceremony where the group recognized more than 20 of its volunteers.

The organization carries an Albanian-American identity in its name and leadership while serving the wider Bronx public, and it is one of the more visible Albanian-led charitable operations in New York City.