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 June 2007 Newsletter
In This Issue


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 Letter from the Executive Director
 

Anne Headshot Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We at the Welcoming Center believe that access to information is power. And we have been working hard to increase the access that immigrants in the Delaware Valley have to the information that will make their transition into American life smooth and successful.

This spring, we have collaborated with the ethnic media to disseminate information about immigration fraud. We are actively pursuing various routes to increase English literacy among immigrants. And we have been participating in and reading about research initiatives throughout the immigration field.

This kind of information will enable immigrants to participate more fully in American life. When the immigration experience is smooth, families benefit, as do neighborhoods, businesses, the economy, and society as a whole.

We're especially gratified to see how access to information can pay off over the longterm. Dr. Clonis Lans came to the Welcoming Center after immigrating from Haiti. As an OB-GYN, he was eager to begin work in the medical profession, but frustrated by the complex and confusing process of becoming certified in the U.S.
Our senior employment specialist, Yana Chernov, served as his step-by-step guide, helping him obtain progressively more responsible jobs in the healthcare field while also completing the many requirements. Their efforts paid off: Dr. Lans will begin a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at a New York hospital next month. Congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Lans and his family!

Anne O'Callaghan

 



 Helping Immigrants Avoid Scams
 

USCIS Round Table

With headlines screaming and rumors flying about immigration reform, this summer is the perfect time for scam artists to prey on immigrant clients. To help alert the public to these frauds, the Welcoming Center hosted a roundtable discussion with members of the ethnic media and representatives from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

Many participants shared examples of fraudulent activities they have observed. For example, unscrupulous people are exploiting the confusion over a difference of wording between Latin America and the U.S. The Latin American term notario publico signifies a licensed lawyer with specialized training in certain immigration issues. In the U.S., by contrast, a notary is not a lawyer and is not qualified to give advice on the legalities of immigration procedures. It can be natural to confuse the two roles, and immigrants often end up victims of scam artists who pretend that a notary is the same as a notario.

Another roundtable participant described a scam that included a vendor in New York rumored to be able to expedite the immigration process at an exorbitant price. Scammers like this claim that they can guarantee an immigration benefit. Sometimes they require clients to submit the original immigration documents and then withhold them until a fee is paid. They charge high prices and are unable to deliver the promised benefits, thus leaving many immigrants worse off then when they started. Not only are the immigration benefits unavailable, but now the immigrant has jeopardized his/her status in the US.

Raising awareness about immigration fraud is vital. We thank USCIS, and we especially thank the members of the media for relaying the information about immigration fraud to their communities. Please stay posted for future events about this important topic. And please share this information with your contacts -- fraud warnings in several languages are posted on our website.

 


 New Opportunities for English Learning
 

Free Library Logo Speaking English is crucial for immigrant success. The Welcoming Center is working on several fronts to promote literacy among immigrants in the Delaware Valley:

  • June 19 Public Event. Want to know about new developments in English as a Second Language? The Welcoming Center and the Free Library of Philadelphia are joining forces to reveal recent research about the current state of ESL education in Pennsylvania and find ways of bridging the gap between the thousands of people who want to learn English and the limited number of classes available. This FREE event will be held on June 19th at 5:30pm at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Skyline Room. To attend, contact Rosara Castillo-Beshore at 215-557-2626 or e-mail: rosara@ welcomingcenter.org.
  • Project Bridging Cultures mentoring program. Encouraging teenagers to talk? It may sound unnecessary, but helping students in our Bridging Cultures program improve their conversational or "expressive" English is crucial in helping them prepare for college admissions interviews and the job market. Staff at our high-school based program work hard to create fun activities. Recently an impromptu "Opposites Memory" game engaged over 15 students. Students overturned a card with an English word and were challenged to overturn the card with its opposite. Groans of disappointment rang through the room when the bell rang indicating lunchtime was over.
  • Finding ESL Classes. We have received a lot of feedback about the recent launch of our online ESL class list. Nonprofits, community colleges and public officials have all been able to refer eager English learners to nearby classes. If you haven't done so already, please check it out: www.welcomingcenter.org/immigrants/esl
These are just a few of the ways that the Welcoming Center is working to encourage literacy among immigrant community members. We are attacking the issue from all angles: providing creative literacy methods for youth, informing the public about the current issues and trends, and using technology to increase accessibility to ESL resources. If you have an idea or suggestion, please let us know!

 


 African Family Health Organization
 

African Family Health We are happy to inform you about a new organization serving immigrants in the Philadelphia region. The African Family Health Organization (AFAHO) was founded to assist, serve and empower African and Caribbean immigrants in order to improve their access to healthcare and social services. AFAHO also serves the health and educational needs of other disadvantaged people in various parts of Africa.

AFAHO was created to respond to the health and social service needs of the growing number of hard-to-reach and often underserved immigrant families in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. Many immigrants hesitate to seek health and social services due to language and cultural barriers, lack of information and knowledge about available resources, and fear of deportation. Intervention services targeting this population are minimal. AFAHO aims to eliminate this disparity by assisting its target population to access and receive health and social services.

Please contact AFAHO for more information.

African Family Health Organization
260 S. Broad Street, 10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: 215-546-1232


 


 Research Corner
 

Research Each month, Welcoming Center staff review new studies and reports about immigrant issues. Below are a few highlights from our recent explorations:

Two Drexel public health researchers are filling in key information about African immigrants' health needs in Philadelphia. Asad Moten and Afi Semenya have both written theses about Philadelphia-area African immigrants and health issues. It's fascinating and important reading. For more information, contact the Welcoming Center and we will connect you to the researchers.

One out of every 5 Welcoming Center employment clients works in the healthcare field. And if you have an elderly parent or disabled relative, you know just how important those home health aides, nursing assistants, and other professionals are. A new study from the University of New Hampshire shows the effect of low wages on these vital workers. See the press release and fact sheet.

Children can learn English rapidly, but schools must be able to properly assess their needs and provide bridges from ESL programs to mainstream classes. As schools scramble to keep up with the federal No Child Left Behind requirements, it's crucial to understand how immigrant students are affected. New research from the Pew Hispanic Center uses data from the so-called "Nation's Report Card" to show the dynamic picture as elementary school students move in and out of English Language Learning programs. Interesting note: Almost 70% of English Language Learners are concentrated in just 10% of all elementary schools nationwide.

 


 Support Our Work!
 

United Way The Welcoming Center is able to provide services through the generous financial support of foundations, corporations, public agencies, and individuals.

We are a 501(c)3 organization, and are registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Charitable Organizations. We are also a member of United Way. Our United Way donor option number is 14726.

We appreciate donations at all levels. You can also make a donation via credit card through our website.

 




phone: 215-557-2626