Blog Archives

A Community of Support at Progreso Center

2/13/2017

Help and Hope for our Immigrant Neighbors
Joyce Williams, one of more than 25 volunteers at the UCM Progreso Center for Literacy and Citizenship, makes the center a caring place for immigrants. An attorney working in international trade law, she has volunteered two evenings a week since 2013 to provide assistance on immigration and citizenship issues.

Joyce was honored for her years of service at the Feb. 11 Valentine Dinner and Dance, the annual fundraiser for the Progreso Center hosted by Good Shepherd Catholic Church. She is pictured at the event with Herb Lea, acting UCM Executive Director (left), and Cristina Schoendorf, UCM Director at the Progreso Center (right).

"Our part of Fairfax County has a higher proportion of immigrants than other parts of the area," says Cristina. "As a result, the need for English literacy and citizenship services remains high." Founded by Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Progreso Center for Literacy and Citizenship has provided supportive services for almost 15 years. The Center became part of UCM in early 2014. “We have an outstanding reputation for treating Immigrants and their families fairly and compassionately," she continues.

Some Progreso clients request guidance about which immigration form to use or a review of their application paperwork. Complex questions involve the impact of a criminal charge, detention at the border, and immigration status. UCM clients are from various ethnic backgrounds and speak many languages, including Spanish, French, Arabic, and Hindi.

Sammy's Story
Cristina recalls a family who recently received political asylum for their daughter, thanks to Joyce’s efforts. Sammy had been raised by her father in El Salvador, while her mother had moved to the US in search of the American dream. Sammy was a serious student with good grades. But at age 12, Sammy’s world was turned upside down when her father was shot and killed. Because of this tragedy, Sammy was forced to flee to the US for refuge. She moved in with her mother, stepfather, and other siblings in the Hybla Valley area. She spoke little English, but because her mother had taken ESL and citizenship classes at the UCM Progreso Center, she was able to help her daughter learn English. By the end of 8th grade, Sammy's grades were all A's at her new school.

Joyce was able to provide pro bono assistance to help the family complete paperwork to file for Sammy's political asylum. Within a few months, Joyce scheduled a court date for her hearing. In November 2016, Sammy received political asylum, with both Joyce and Cristina by her side in court.

“I have a special place in my heart for children,” says Joyce. “Working with Victoria and Sammy was a no-brainer for me. I knew I had the ability to help make a difference in their lives. And given the trauma this young girl was facing, I knew I had to help.”

"I Enjoy Volunteering"
"My inspiration to volunteer comes from life experience,” says Joyce. “First is my personal experience with the process as an immigrant.” A native of Ghana, West Africa, Joyce immigrated to the US in 2003, through the Diversity Visa Program. She earned a B.A. in Economics from Campbell University in North Carolina and a Law degree from Arizona Summit Law School.

The second experience is the lessons I learned from my immigration law course,” Joyce continues. “This dual perspective provides me a unique understanding of the challenges of immigrants in our country and our government’s interest in providing both humane and sound solutions to immigration problems. “The most common aspirations I hear are ‘I just want a better life for myself and my family,’ and ‘I want my family to be here with me,’” she says. “Parents want their children to have opportunities they couldn't have in their native countries.”

“Accurate information and assistance is crucial so immigrants can access the appropriate benefits for themselves,” Joyce continues. “I thank our UCM supporters and invite others to ‘let their greatness blossom’ (as Nelson Mandela once said), by volunteering or making a donation to further our impact to help immigrant neighbors create better futures for themselves.

“I enjoy volunteering because it gives me the opportunity to be part of a generation working to help people achieve a better quality of life. I get to interact with diverse people and listen to their stories. People take solace in being able to talk to someone about their problem. Being the someone they talk to gives me great joy.”

Thank you for your service and dedication, Joyce!

The UCM Progreso Center is just one of the many programs UCM provides to equip, educate, and empower people to improve their lives. Classes are held at the Progreso Center on Mohawk Lane, and at other convenient locations including Gum Springs Community Center, Good Shepherd Catholic Church, and the Sherwood Hall Library.

(Feb. 2017 E-news)

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Heart Healthy Food Donations

2/6/2017

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February is celebrated as American Heart Month. It’s a great time to commit to a healthier lifestyle – not only for your family, but also for the hundreds of families who receive groceries at the UCM Food Pantry.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death, accounting for 1 in every 4 deaths and significantly affecting more men than women,” explains UCM Director of Case Management JaVita Banks, who oversees food pantry operations. “We aim to provide clients with a selection of pantry staples that can help them create and prepare healthy meals for their families. The focus needs to be on whole, unprocessed or at least minimally processed foods.”

Instead of donating foods that are high in salt and sugar or highly processed grains, we prefer foods that are high in protein, whole grains, and low in sugar and salt. Food Pantry Manager Wossenu Weldekeris provided a list of top “heart healthy” food pantry staples that are always needed:

Canned tuna in water, chicken or other meats
Whole wheat pasta
Low salt canned goods such as vegetables and sauces. Look for foods labeled “low sodium, “reduced sodium,” or “no added salt.”
Low sugar cereals
Canned beans or dry beans
Olive or canola oil for cooking
Unsalted nuts and seeds
Non-perishable items that are not high processed

For further information about making your food pantry donations count, read the Guidelines for Healthy Food Donations, produced by the Live Healthy Fairfax initiative.

"Food must be nourishment for the body while providing energy to improve the quality of life," continues JaVita. "Here at UCM, we are determined to support that journey!"

UCM also participates in many healthy food initiatives that promote access to healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables for low-income families. This includes a monthly "Free Veggies Distribution" in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank on the last Saturday morning of each month. Recipients do not need to be a client or show need. At a typical distribution, more than 500 households each receive about 30 pounds of in-season fresh produce.

Other sources of fresh vegetables and produce for UCM client families include:

Year-round daily pickup expiring prepared salads, salsas, hummus, etc. from area grocers, including Whole Food Market Old Town.
From May to November each year, vendors at the Sherwood Hall Farmers Market donate unsold fresh fruits and vegetables to the UCM pantry every Wednesday afternoon, thanks to volunteers coordinated by the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club.

We welcome the opportunity to speak at your school, faith community, neighborhood, or other group to share more about our Food Pantry needs and how you can help with a collection drive or to volunteer. Email April Love, UCM Volunteer and Community Relations Coordinator.

(E-news Feb. 2017)

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Day of Service for UCM - Jan. 20, 2017

2/4/2017

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“Whatever community organization, whether it’s a women’s organization, or fighting for racial justice … you will get satisfaction out of doing something to give back to the community that you never get in any other way.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

For most folks, an unexpected day off of work or school means a day of shopping or perhaps a family getaway for a long weekend of skiing. On Inauguration Day, Friday Jan. 20, a group of young families organized by volunteer Judy Conti chose to spend their day off volunteering with UCM to help neighbors in need.

Families participated in an Inauguration Day of Service at UCM’s Early Learning Center and the Cynthia Hull Food Pantry. They volunteered because they wanted to “put some good out into the world.”

Activities at the Early Learning Center included spending time with the Pre-K 2 class doing a special creative activity, reading, singing, and playing. Multiple groups worked together to clean the indoor play equipment and organize and clean storage closets. The big project was to decorate the large bulletin board with a “Four Seasons” theme.

At the UCM main office, the Cross and Boros families helped sort and organize the Food Pantry's monthly USDA commodoties delivery. The families are pictured with Pantry Manager Wossenu Weldekeris (at far left).

A group of Girl Scouts from Stratford Landing organized a collection drive that afternoon at the Giant at Beacon Hill. They collected First Aid supplies for UCM clients, especially people who are homeless.

"There was a great feeling in the air from the time that everyone arrived with such enthusiasm. Every volunteer was eager and excited to work and do service for the good of our UCM client families," says UCM Volunteer Coordinator April Love. "I enjoyed working with Judy to plan the day of service for her large group of 40 kids and adults."

Interested to plan a group volunteer activity at UCM for your family, work, or other group? We have lots of suggestions at our Volunteer webpage. Take a look and contact April to discuss your ideas at april.love@ucmagency.org.

(Feb. 2017 E-news)

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Community Partner Spotlight: Mount Vernon Masonry

2/3/2017

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Joe and Lisa Emrico, owners of Mount Vernon Masonry in Old Town Alexandria, are committed to giving back to their community. Each week, they spend an average 5 - 10 hours collecting and delivering food donations to UCM from area grocery stores. The unsold food would otherwise end up destroyed in landfills.

Chances are, if you've delivered donations to the UCM main office loading dock in recent months, you've seen the Emricos with Food Pantry manager Wossenu Weldekiros (at far right in photo). "Over the decades, my business did the masonry work for many of the buildings in southeast Fairfax County, including many of the Giant grocery stores like the big one at Kingstowne," Joe explains. "I know many of the people at the loading docks. We have the flexibility to show up in the early morning when the timing is right for them as they change out for new inventory."

As a result of Joe and Lisa's dedication, last year an amazing 21,000 pounds of food was recovered and donated by the Giant at Kingstowne to the UCM Food Pantry. That amount represents a week's worth of supplemental groceries that helped feed about 700 hungry families. When families qualify for food at UCM, it means they can use their limited income to pay rent, utilities, and other household necessities.

"We have a constant need for food donations to be able to serve the 400 - 500 families who struggle to make ends meet and depend on the UCM Food Pantry each and every week," explains Wossenu. "All of us at UCM are very grateful to Joe and Lisa for their time and commitment to help people in need."

"We have seen and know adults and children who are working hard to make ends meet, but still it's not always enough," Joe explains. "We see the need, and we have the time and a truck to help -- it's as simple as that."

Studies show that each year, the United States throws away one-third of all the food it produces -- more than 130 billion pounds of food. Grocery stores are responsible for tossing an estimated 10% of that food, much of which could otherwise be recovered and feed people. A key reason why grocery store chains are responsible for so much waste is due to consumers' preferences: most people won't purchase produce that is misshapen even though it is edible and full of the same nutrients. Learn more about grocery store waste in this article.

Thank you, Joe and Lisa for your inspiring example to be part of the solution to help neighbors in need!

(E-news Feb. 2017)

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A Community of Support at Progreso Center

Heart Healthy Food Donations

Day of Service for UCM - Jan. 20, 2017

Community Partner Spotlight: Mount Vernon Masonry

Feb. 2017UCM E-news

Feb. 2017
UCM E-news