IN THIS ISSUE: Amy's Ramblings Education Updates Legal Updates Social Services Updates Tip of the Month Volunteer Spotlight May's Vignette Bits and Pieces HOGAR STAFF: John Odenwelder Program Director jodenwelder@ccda.net Education Services: Amy White Group Manager awhite@ccda.net, x235 Kristen Gasimov Manager/Office Manager kgasimov@ccda.net, x249 Diana Gibson Manager dgibson@ccda.net, x239 Katie Mathews Manager kmathews@ccda.net, x243 Erin Maradiegue Manager emaradiegue@ccda.net, x251 Jorge Membreño Manager jmembreno@ccda.net, x252 Sheila Sullivan Manager ssullivan@ccda.net, x238 Legal Services: Michelle Sardone Group Manager msardone@ccda.net Cindy Brown Paralegal cbrown@ccda.net Nancy Carbajal Receptionist ncarbajal@ccda.net Maria Cutipa Intake Coordinator mcutipa@ccda.net Dan Macguire Staff Attorney dmacguire@ccda.net Patty Mueller Staff Attorney pmueller@ccda.net Enrique Vargas Paralegal evargas@ccda.net Social Services Dawn Dumas Manager ddumas@ccda.net (703) 443-2481 Angie Marchetto Intake Coordinator amarchetto@ccda.net (703) 443-2481 Hogar Immigrant Services 6201 Leesburg Pike Suite 307 Falls Church, Va 22044 T: (703) 534-9805 F: (703) 534-9809 www.ccda.net If you would like to have this newsletter sent to a different email address or if you would like to unsubscribe from the mailing list, please email emaradiegue@ccda.net.

Amy's Ramblings Greetings friends and supporters of Hogar! I have written many times about the value of our volunteers but in this issue I decided to show you the money. Last year volunteers worked an estimated 24,188 hours teaching ESL and citizenship, assisting immigrants at the Naturalization workshops, helping around the office in Falls Church and out in Leesburg with Social Services. WOW! I have always known that Hogar could not help as many immigrants without volunteer support but that number is astounding. Even more astounding is the value of volunteer time. According to the Virginia Department of Social Services, the 2008 Virginia average hourly value of volunteer time was $19.72.* That being the case, volunteers accounted for $476,987 in hours worked for Hogar. I always thought volunteers were priceless but now it turns out they are worth a half of a million dollars!! In all seriousness, Hogar thanks you for volunteering and hopes that you feel appreciated. In this issue, you can read about a mother-daughter volunteer team, Amy and Susan, that grace Hogar with their time and talents. I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend that was filled with food, friends and family! Abrazos, Amy White Group Manager, Education Services *The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), Economic Information Services Division, uses the Current Employment Statistics annualized average hourly earnings for all production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls in Virginia. The figure is an estimated value and is increased 12% to allow for benefits Education Updates Check Out Hogar's Summer Class Schedule Hogar is pleased to offer summer ESL classes for all those interested in improving their English skills. Please take a look at our registration schedule with their respective locations and if you know anyone who is interested in summer courses, please have them call Hogar's Education Services Department at 703-534-9805 x 251. All Saints Church 9300 Stonewall Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 Registration: June 21, 11 am - 1:30 pm Cost: $20 Schedule: Sundays, 11 am - 1:30 pm Christ the Redeemer Church 46833 Harry Byrd Highway, Sterling, VA 20164 Registration: June 2, 7 - 8:30 pm Cost: $20 Schedule: Conversation Class Tuesdays, 7- 8:30 pm Hogar's Falls Church office 6201 Leesburg Pike, Suite 310, Falls Church, VA 22044 Registration: June 22, 23, and 24, 10 am - 12 pm (morning classes) and 6 - 8 pm (evening classes) Cost: $60 Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 - 11 am or 7 - 9 pm St. Paul's Church 1400 G Street, Woodbridge, VA 22191 Registration: June 24, 7 - 9 pm Cost: $20 Schedule: Conversation Class Wednesdays, 7 - 9 pm Legal Updates Hogar welcomes two law students to the Legal staff as summer interns! Adriana Ruiz is a rising second year student at American University Washington College of Law. She is a junior editor of the Administrative Law Review and a member of Phi Alpha Delta and the Latin American Law Student Association. Prior to attending law school, Adriana worked for the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity, as the Assistant Manager of the Fair Housing Division. She was also part of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) and she volunteered with the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO). Adriana is interested in immigration issues and plays a killer game of tennis. Lillian Marquez is entering her second year at The George Washington University Law School. Lillian graduated from Florida International University with a double-major in English and in International Relations and entered law school with aspirations of pursuing a legal career in immigration law. This desire stems from her passion for public service and her commitment to aiding the Hispanic community. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami, these bonds are rooted in both her heritage and her volunteer experiences with a largely Cuban community. Apart from these goals, Lillian often seeks adventure in her travels. Having gone to Trinidad for Carnival and Panama to zipline in the forest, she still hopes to go on a desert safari in India and hike in Ecuador. If you see Adriana or Lillian at Hogar, please stop by and say hello! Social Services Updates St. Joseph's Jumps To Help The WRO Early this spring, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Herndon hosted a Jump-a-Thon for elementary school children. The children’s parents pledged one dollar for every completed jump during the game jump rope. Not only were the families able to raise $1116 in funds, but they also donated 500 cans of soup to Catholic Charities, Western Regional Office. These proceeds will go towards emergency financial aid and food for the needy in Loudoun County. Catholic Charities greatly appreciates St. Joseph’s generous donation and spirited contribution. Tip of the Month The Flyswatter Game, also known as Circle It, is a popular game at our Bootcamp and among Hogar teachers. It’s fun, adaptable, and easy to prepare. This month we have a new game to add to your teaching repertoire- Right or Wrong. First, create a list of statements. Some will be “right” and some will be “wrong”. These should either relate to the day’s lesson or be a review, and can be simple (“name” is spelled n-a-e-m, “car” is a noun) or more difficult (the past tense of “eat” is “ate”). Once students are familiar with the mechanics of the game, you can expand it by having students write 3 or 4 statements on their own, and collecting these to read. Put two chairs at the front of the room, with “Right” written on the whiteboard above one, and “Wrong” written above the other. The next part is similar to the flyswatter game- divide the students into two groups, and have them stand in a line. The first person from each line stands an equal distance from the two chairs. Read one statement aloud, slowly and clearly. The students must race to sit in the correct chair- “right” if the statement is true, “wrong” if it is false. The first person to sit in the correct chair wins a point for their team. If the statement was wrong, they can earn a second point by correcting the statement. If they can’t correct it, the other team has an opportunity to correct it and earn a point. The team with the most points wins! Volunteer Spotlight Susan and Amy McCarthy are a dynamic mother-daughter duo who volunteer with the citizenship program at Hogar’s main office in Falls Church. Thanks to Susan, Hogar was able to begin offering citizenship tutoring on Saturday mornings to accommodate the prospective students whose work conflicts or long commutes prohibit them from attending our evening classes. While it began last fall with only a handful of students it has now grown to nearly ten students, with more joining each week. Amy, Susan’s daughter, assists with the class when her duties as a pilot do not conflict. In addition, she assists with the planning and outreach for Hogar’s naturalization workshops. At least once a week Amy spends several hours at the office checking the voicemail for Hogar’s naturalization extension, returning calls to prospective clients, mailing flyers to individuals, and distributing flyers to area businesses. Both Susan and Amy are fluent Spanish speakers which helps them in their discussions with potential clients and students. Both lived in Panama for several years and Susan later earned a Master’s Degree in Hispanic Studies and conducted research for the UN on the west coast of Mexico. Amy graduated from the Air Force Academy and worked as a pilot in the Air Force before being hired by United Airlines where she is currently a captain who flies to such places as Hawaii, Buenos Aires, Aruba, Rome, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Amsterdam. Both became interested in volunteering after a friend, who had visited one of Mother Teresa’s Missions in India, suggested they also visit there. Both booked a trip to Calcutta where they were able to stay with a friend of a friend. While there they volunteered at one of Mother Teresa’s Missions and held workshops with girls to talk about educational opportunities and future possibilities beyond that of being housewives. Though an exhausting trip, it was very rewarding and caused them to seek out further volunteer opportunities once they returned home to Colorado. They began to volunteer at an emergency assistance center run by Catholic Charities where they worked with many Spanish-speaking immigrants. In May 2008, due to Amy’s desire to fly international routes, they moved to Virginia. After settling in, they asked about a local Catholic Charities and were referred to Hogar. Since then, they have been working hard with the citizenship program. Both are impressed with the motivation of clients and students and describe their experience as “rewarding, educational (especially getting to know students from other cultures), and fun.” Their students are equally impressed with them and we hope that they’ll continue volunteering at Hogar for a long time to come! Amy and Susan, thanks for all you do! April's Vignette The Hogar Legal staff has recently found success in reopening five deportation orders for clients who only now have immigration relief available for them. Among these clients is Andrew*. In 1995, eleven-year old Andrew entered the United States to join his family. He was stopped at the border, fingerprinted, and given a notice to appear in immigration court. The notice was never served on Andrew’s parents, and Andrew, who did not speak or read English at the time, did not attend his court hearing. The Immigration Judge ordered Andrew deported in his absence. In 2009, Andrew became eligible to apply for permanent residency because his parents became permanent residents while he was still a minor. The only problem was the lingering order of deportation of which neither Andrew nor his parents were aware. It was only when Hogar attempted to apply for permanent residency in immigration court that it was discovered that Andrew was ordered deported over a decade ago. This winter, the Legal staff filed a motion to reopen Andrew’s case, alleging that notice of his court date was not sufficient. The Immigration Judge granted the motion, and now Andrew is again on the path to becoming a permanent resident. Motions to reopen are not easily won, but the Hogar Legal Staff dedicated a great deal of time over the last several months to motions for Andrew and five other immigrants who had been deported without their knowledge as many as fifteen years ago, but who now qualify for permanent residency. Five of the six motions have been granted, and the sixth decision is now being appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Congratulations to the entire legal staff and those five, and hopefully six, immigrants on their success! *The client's name has been changed to protect his privacy. Bits and Pieces ESL Teachers: Register for VAILL NOVA Today! The Virginia Institute for Lifelong Learning (VAILL) is holding their annual conference in Fairfax this July. This year, the focus of VAILL is different than in the past. The Office of Adult Education and Literacy of the Virginia Department of Education is offering the Virginia Adult Educators Certification Program (VAECP) http://www.valrc.org/trainings/certify.html for teachers who are interested in getting more professional development training to help increase learner achievement. By attending VAILL and turning in a follow up action plan, you will complete Level One of three for the VAECP for ESOL instructors. If you are interested in attending, please go to http://www.valrc.org/news/news4.html for more information. ________________________________ Learn How To Assist Former Inmates Transitioning To Life Outside Of Prison Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington in conjunction with the Fairfax Aftercare Program is presenting a workshop about the care of released prisoners. The workshop aims to answer the questions: where do they go, who will help them, and what do they need? Presenters include: Reverend Mike Bryant, Welcome Home Program of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC Will Wilson, Offender Aid and Restoration Brandon Cosby, Opportunities, Alternatives, and Resources Where: Burke Hall at St. Thomas More Cathedral When: June 7, 1:30 - 4:30 pm RSVP to Sister Connie Parcasio, Program Director for Prison Ministry at (703) 841-3832 or cparcasio@ccda.net. All are Welcome! ________________________________ Register For CCDA's Annual Golf Tournament Break out your golf clubs for Catholic Charities! CCDA’s golf tournament at the International Country Club in Fairfax is an annual fundraiser for the agency’s homeless shelter, food pantry, mental-health counseling, adoption services, and other programs. Spend a lovely afternoon outdoors, playing golf, and giving back to the community. The tournament is June 22 with a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. Registration is $275 and includes lunch. All participants are also invited to a complimentary post-game reception and dinner. Call 703-841-3835 to register or assist as a sponsor or donor. More details at www.ccda.net.