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Smiles of Relief

3/15/2017

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​Have you suffered through a painful toothache or emergency root canal? Or have you ever had to wait a few days to get an appointment for some relief? Now imagine you were in terrible pain so you couldn't sleep or relax, had no insurance, and were worried you couldn’t afford to see a dentist. 

PictureRogelia Campos coordinates dental appointments at area clinics for UCM clients.
That's the situation facing the more than 200 people on UCM's dental waiting list. We all know dental procedures tend to be very expensive, even with dental insurance. Dental infections can often lead to more serious infections and deteriorate health overall – including kidney infections, diabetes complications, and even death.

"Some of our clients are in pain, do not have insurance, and can't afford low-cost dental clinics. Every week, our list gets longer," explains UCM Social Services Counselor Rogelia Campos. 

Every March, Rogelia coordinates appointments for UCM clients with the Northern Virginia 
Mission of Mercy mobile clinic, which is held over a weekend at the Medical Education campus of Northern Virginia Community College. 

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​Hundreds of dentists, hygienists, and related professionals volunteer their services, in collaboration with Northern Virginia Dental Society and the Virginia Dental Association Foundation, whose mission is to provide increased access to dental care to underserved Virginians. Statewide, every year Mission of Mercy serves an average 4,000 patients via local nonprofit agency referrals. This year, UCM was provided 40 appointments for clients in need.

“Most of our clients served at Mission of Mercy had been on our waiting list for many weeks,” says Rogelia. "Once they get help, they are so grateful. I remember one gentleman who had his dentures repaired. He told me he was so relieved. He was smiling the biggest I have ever seen. I could see new confidence on his happy face."

"Another patient who works in construction told me: 'At least now I can sleep at night. For months I haven't been able to stay asleep because of the pain.  I need to start my job early, so you can imagine how tired I always was. Now I feel so much better and can do my job.' "

PictureWe are grateful to the team at Mt. Vernon Center for Dentistry for the generous donation of time and talent at its annual UCM Dental Day.
Next month, the dentists and support staff at Mt. Vernon Center for Dentistry will devote a half day of pro bono work to provide emergency dental services for UCM cleints at their office. At last year's in-service day, 19 clients received much appreciated pain relief, with donated services valued at more than $10,000.

"We anticipate 25 more people with dental emergencies will be helped next month with Dr. Geren and Dr. Mady," says Rogelia. "Thanks to these medical partners, our clients receive compassionate care, at no cost to them. It is such tremendous relief for their physical pain and their emotional stress."

We appreciate Mt. Vernon Center for Dentistry for its ongoing pro bono support and its annual sponsorship of the UCM Give From The Heart Gala!

(Mar. 2017 E-news)

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Empowering Immigrant Families

3/10/2017

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A Caring Community of Support
UCM was honored to receive a competitive grant award from the Virginia Literacy Foundation to combine literacy with workforce development to increase employability for immigrants.

As part of the award, UCM's Director of Literacy Cristina Schoendorf was selected to lead a workshop at the foundation's annual conference "Pathways to Student Success 2017" in Richmond. Cristina provided practical advice on "Student Retention of Adult Learners" to a standing-room-only audience of fellow educators.


"For working immigrant and refugee populations, the challenge is finding the time and energy to commit to attending ESL classes and doing the work," Cristina explains. "Students' socioeconomic status plays a major role whether immigrants enroll and if they have to drop out early. Our program has to identify and factor in potential barriers that may affect both student and program outcomes. Obstacles can vary from student to student, as well as external factors in the community at large, especially with the current political climate with immigration travel bans. Progreso can't control the barriers, but we can control how they are addressed and monitored."

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"We must be flexible in our class design and locations. For example, we were able to accommodate a request from the local mosque for a females-only class so that the women could learn English in a more comfortable setting for them."

The Center has had students from 32 countries, speaking 17 different languages. Classes conducted at convenient locations in the community include English conversation, basic ESL to level 5, and two levels of citizenship classes -- all taught by volunteers. Classes are held at various times of day and night, and at locations including the Sherwood Hall Library and Good Shepherd Catholic Church, and at the Center's own facility across from the South County Government Center. A new ESL class is planned at the UCM Creekside Village Community Center.

"I am so proud of each and every one of our students. So many of them deal with difficult home and work situations, often working multiple jobs with unpredictable schedules. Yet they are able to get to class for the entire semester and graduate to the next level. Our goal is that Progreso clients become self-sufficient, engaged, and productive members of their community. Jose is an excellent example of that."

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Jose's Story
Progreso student Jose moved to the US several years ago from Guatemala with his wife, who is now a US citizen.

He recently started classes at Progreso. "My wife has been encouraging me to finally take citizenship classes, but it has been hard to find the time with my work and various jobs. I was nervous about my English ability which I need to to take the citizenship exam, so I came to Progreso to improve it."


​The Progreso Center offers 2 different citizenship classes, each taught in English. One class is for students who will take the citizenship test in the coming months; the other is geared toward those who are preparing for the future.

Jose  received critical assistance with the application process and forms required by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, thanks to pro bono immigration attorney Joyce Williams, who meets clients by appointment several evenings a week at Progreso.

​Jose has studied hard and is ready for his US Citizenship test and interview. We'll keep you posted on his progress!

Wondering how you would do on the test? Take a sample test here.
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Volunteer Power
The Progreso Center operates on a semester calendar like a school, with a few classes in summer, and are always at full capacity with a continuous waiting list. Prospective students at all levels who are waiting to take a class are encouraged to attend the more informal English conversation group at the Sherwood Hall Library. 
PictureVolunteer teachers celebrate the end of another successful semester.
"Our classes depend on volunteer power," explains Cristina. "We currently have 26 dedicated, professional volunteers, including 5 teachers who have donated their time for more than 10 years. Some of our volunteers teach ESL as their profession, but they are fom all walks of life and careers. Several former Progreso clients have even returned to teach for us! Each in their one way has a passion for teaching and empowering their students to learn. They are able to establish a trust level and personal relationships with their students -- so much so that many times, a student doesn't way to graduate to the next level because she loves her current teacher so much!"

She continues, "We have several immigration attorneys who donate their time and expertise offering guidance and assistance with necessary paperwork and applications. Requests for their help has increased, so we welcome new volunteers and can provide training for them."

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If you'd like to volunteer or make a donation to UCM's Progreso Center for Literacy and Citizenship, email Cristina Schoendorf.

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Know Your Rights Town Hall
Cristina and pro bono attorney Joyce have been selected to be part of the panel discussion at Congressman Don Beyer's upcoming Know Your Right Town Hall in Mount Vernon. Originally set for March 1, the event is being rescheduled due to the weather for later this spring. Look for that date on the UCM Events page soon!


(Mar. 2017 E-news)
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Books and Reading Help Kids Thrive

3/9/2017

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March is National Reading Awareness Month, a perfect time to celebrate the joy of books and reading. As Jackie Kennedy once said: "There are many ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." Why are books important, and how can you help accelerate children's interest in reading and literacy? 

"Children always love books. Books are interactive and demand that children think. They help development and nourish children's imaginations, expanding their worlds and inspiring creativity," explains Torria Baker, Director at the UCM Early Learning Center. 

Studies show that books and reading ignite children's imagination and inspire a love of learning the basic tools for success in school -- and in life. It improves child development, leading to better grades and higher graduation rates.

"We incorporate books and reading into many of our youth activities, including book reports,"  adds Deborah Finley, who manages the after-school programs at the UCM Creekside Village Community Center. "Our Homework Helper volunteers encourage reading out loud with the younger students almost every day. When we take field trips, such as our visit last month to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the students write and read reports about what they enjoyed most."
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Life Scout Will Shute of Troop 654 recently completed his Eagle Scout project at the UCM Early Learning Center, focused on books and literacy. "I designed and built a book cart for the Center, plus collected 1,030 books for babies and preschoolers to stock it," explains Will.

The concept is to 'take a book, and/or leave a book' - to encourage families to share and recycle their books. "Mrs. Baker told me that the children absolutely love the traveling cart and books. The fact that they get to select and take home books to read with their parents makes me very happy and proud of my project."

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We are grateful to the many school, scouts, and civic groups who provide books for our programs. Several times a year, the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club visits the Early Learning Center with new books so that each child -- even the youngest ones -- get to pick out one to take home. Kiwanis members help the children write their names on the inside covers.

Other generous avid literacy supporters include:
  • Mount Vernon Evening Lions Club collects books at its meetings and often coordinates with Friends of the Sherwood Hall Library to regularly deliver used books to the UCM main office.
  • Mount Vernon Branch of the Association of University Women collected books and art supplies in December for the Early Learning Center. Read more
  • Hollin Hall Curves asked their clients to donate a favorite children's book for the UCM Holiday Gift Room.
  • Various scout troops, school groups, and other young volunteers. Read more

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How You Can Help
We welcome donations of new and used books for all our children's programs and to stock the book shelves in our main office waiting room where families are invited to select a few to build their own home libraries. "The books fly off the shelves, almost as quickly as we stock them!" says Ruth Frazier, who manages the UCM reception area. "The kids and families appreciate them so much."

If you or your group would like to host a Book Collection Drive for UCM, email April Love, UCM Volunteer and Community Relations Coordinator. She would be happy to work with you to create a flyer to publicize your drive too!

(Mar. 2017 E-news)

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Moving Families Toward Stability

3/8/2017

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#SocialWorkersStandUp
March is ​National Social Work Month -- a time to be grateful for and to celebrate the important work that we do to break the generational cycle of poverty for families and individuals.

“Social workers find hope in hopeless situations. They find solutions.... They believe in the basic humanity of individuals. And, if you invest in people, you can make a difference.” (Journalist Soledad O’Brien at the 2016 National Association of Social Work Conference)

Our social services staff interact with and support families in need with care and compassion. They help people cope with and solve problems in their everyday lives. We asked a few of our counselors to describe the joy and challenges of what social services work means to them.

PictureMSW student intern Melanie Froemke (right) meets t discuss a client's employment prospects with volunteer Dan Lagana.
“UCM counselors are trained to be a dependable source of hope and optimism for people in need,” says Jeanne Mitchler-Fiks, LCSW, UCM Program Manager and Clinical Supervisor. “This is what the staff, volunteers, and social work and counseling students do every day. They don't focus on the difficult or horrible things that have happened to clients. They help each individual focus on the future, on what is possible and how the person can make that vision a reality. It's not easy work but everyone who works here believes in people and their possibilities."

"The mission of social work is to enhance human well-being and to help meet the basic needs of all people, especially the most vulnerable individuals," explains Melanie Froemke, a UCM student intern working toward a Masters in Social Work (MSW). "I appreciate the opportunity to learn from the experienced staff at UCM and to work with clients who are receptive to making changes to positively improve their life circumstances."

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Ana Moran, counselor in the UCM Stepping Stones program, provides basic needs assistance to families and individuals. "I meet with people every day from all walks of life who are in crisis and struggling to put food on the table for their families," says Ana. "I am really proud when I can make a difference in a familiy's situation, encouraging them to eat better for their health, to go back to school for skills for a better paying job, and even to take classes to be a better parent. We give them the power to help themselves and to create a better future."

The Power of the Human Spirit
The effects of poverty are traumatic and often long-lasting. "What amazes me every day is the power of the human spirit, the will to survive," says UCM Program Manager Cajethan "CJ" Ekeagwu, MSW. "This s the motivating factor in our work with clients. For some of them, one can see it immediately, but for many others it is hard to sift through years and layers of the trauma they have experienced."

PictureCajethan "CJ" Ekeagwu, MSW
CJ continues: "Social workers are called upon to assist clients through the lens of empathic understanding of their needs, starting 'where the clieint is' so we can help them make their situation better. I have seen a lot of changes in the lives of many clients."

"The most beautiful moments in my work are when they graduate from our programs to a better situtation. Nothing is more joyful than when we see people healing from trauma, living in a safe environment, gaining and maintaining employment, working through their legal issues of child custody or work status, going back to school, and acquiring new skills."

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Their Success Starts With You
It is thanks to generous community support like yours that UCM's caring counselors can continue to provide help and hope to families in need. Families like Lillian's, who is on her way to financial stability with a new job and custody of her daughter.

Your 
sustaining gift of $20/month can provide rental assistance to a struggling family like hers, so they can avoid eviction and the downward spiral of homelessness. UCM's counseling services and referrals equip, educate, and empower people to measurably improve their lives.

Watch the UCM "Heart of Community" Video to see the impact of your support.


Make a gift today to honor Social Work Month to ensure that UCM can continue to be a caring place of help and hope for families so they can create a better future for themselves.
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​(Mar. 2017 E-news)

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Community Partner Spotlight:                                               SOUPer Saturday Ceramic Artists

3/6/2017

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The annual SOUPer Saturday fundraiser event was held at the Torpedo Factor Art Center on Feb. 18, 2017, organized for the 25th year by generous talented ceramic artists. Since the event's inception, hosted initially by the Hollin Hills Potters, the artists have raised more than $60,000 for UCM to assist neighbors in need. 

Pictured are 2017 event organizers ceramic artist Stephen Lally (far left) and fellow artist Susan Greenleaf (center), with UCM Board Member Claudia Creo (right).

"We were happy to help again this year," says Stephen. "We raised more than $3,500. It was a lot of team effort and logistics, but so worth it to make a meaningful impact that will help local families who struggle to  put food on the table. As artists, we welcome the opportunity to support our community with our creativity and art."


Every year, hundreds of one-of-a-kind handcrafted ceramic bowls are donated by the artists and are for sale at a special $20 price. Chart House restaurant donates a cup of its award-winning clam chowder for each patron. "The event is inspiring and symbolic," say Diane Hill, UCM Development and Communications Officer. "The beautiful bowls represent the empty bowls and cupboards of hungry families in our community. The funds raised help fill those pantries with food and bring relief with other support services from UCM to break the cycle of poverty."

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"This is a wonderful annual community event, that we all look forward to every year," says Emily Griffin, UCM Development Associate. "Ihe event brings together together community members in such a creative way. We so appreciate the generous ceramic artists for donating and sharing their talents to support neighbors in need – and dedicated volunteers of all ages helping out, including the teens and officers from the Fairfax County Police Explorers Post 2250."

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Pictured enjoying a SOUPer Saturday event are (from left): Friend of UCM Sandy Doyle, ceramic artist Susie Cohen, UCM  Board Member Suzy Coffey, UCM volunteer Savatri Ramsamooj, and former UCM Board Member Diane Tollefson.

We extend a special thank you to the ceramic artists who participated including members of the Kiln Club of Washington and the Ceramics Guild -- and event partners The Torpedo Factory Art Center and Chart House restaurant for their many years of delicious clam chowder donations.”

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    March 2017
    UCM E-news

    View email  version
    In this issue:
    • Smiles of Relief
    • Empowering Immigrant Families
    • Join Us for UCM Spring Gala
    • Reading and Books Help Kids Thrive
    • Moving Families Toward Stability
    • Community Partner Spotlight: SOUPer Saturday Ceramic Artists​
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