Dan's Fans

BOSTON, MA - "This should be on the front page of every paper," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today at a non-profit in Lynn crammed with almost a hundred state officials, business leaders, labor organizers, community workers, and immigrants. "This is a good news story: how business working cooperatively with government is creating opportunities to realize the American Dream."

The Lieutenant Governor was speaking about the English Works Campaign, which had organized the gathering to honor 18 businesses that have partnered with government and the non-profit sector to offer their immigrant workers the chance to learn English.

"Breaking the Language Barrier," a recent report by the Boston Foundation, details the tremendous shortfall in English Language Instruction across Massachusetts, with many programs burdened with waiting lists of a year or more. The English Works Campaign offers a solution by creating public-private partnerships and opportunities to learn at work.

"People embrace the idea of learning at work," said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Joanne Goldstein, who talked about her experience with an organization that saw nearly 100% attendance their immigrant workers were offered the chance to learn English. Said the Secretary, "It's good for business, it's good for workers, it's good for the Commonwealth, and it's good for us as a community."

As many of the speakers stressed, the programs being honored were helping those who help themselves. "Refugees and immigrants come from lives full of struggle," said Natasha Soolkin, Director of Russian Community Association/New American Center, which hosted the gathering. "Their main goal is to become self-sufficient in the shortest possible time."

The programs honored offered testimony to that desire. As Fitzroy Alexander, CEO of honoree Traditional Bread put it, "I think the real people who should be up here getting the award is the workers. They make me who I am."

Speakers at the event included:Timothy Murray, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor, Joanne Goldstein, Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Josiane Martinez, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants, Judith Flanagan Kennedy, Mayor of Lynn, Fitzroy Alexander, CEO of Traditional Bread, Ayan Mohumad, Somali immigrant, student at Russian Community Assoc, and worker at Traditional Bread, Natasha Soolkin, Director, Russian Community Association/New American Center,Warren Pepicelli, Executive Vice President, Unite Here!, Manager of New England Joint Board, Eva Millona, Executive Director, MIRA Coalition, Claudia Green, Director, English for New Bostonians

• The Langham Hotel, Boston, in partnership with the YMCA International Learning Center
• Kripalu Center, Stockbridge, in partnership with So. Berkshire Educational Collaborative
• North Shore Medical Center, Salem, in partnership with Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)
• Harvard Bridge Program (Harvard Univ., SEIU 615, HUCTW, & UNITE HERE Local 26), Cambridge
• The MetroWest ESL Fund, Framingham
• Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Roxbury/Boston,in partnership with La AlianzaHispana
• Traditional Breads, Lynn, in partnership with Russian Community Association of MA
• Children's Hospital, Boston, in partnership with JVS
• Notre Dame Health Care Center, Worcester
• Mass General Hospital, Boston, in partnership with JVS
• South Cove Community Health Center, Chinatown/Boston, partner Asian American Civic Assoc
• Lahey Clinic, Burlington
• Wrentham Developmental Center and AFSCME Local 646, Wrentham, partner with Worker Education Program
• Melville Candy Corporation, Weymouth, in partnership with Massasoit Community College
• United Plastics Group, Inc., Chicopee, in partnership with Holyoke Works
• UMASS-Amherst Labor-Management Workplace Education Program, (UMass, AFSCME Local 1776, USA/MTA, PSU/MTA), Amherst
• Southwick Apparel LLC and UNITE HERE!, Haverhill, Partner: Northern Essex Comm College
• Christopher House of Worcester, Worcester

Family Picnic

May 2011
Prayer Partners
Notre Dame residents at
Our Lady of Angels School

Extending the Notre Dame Mission to the Community

May is an exciting month for prayer partners on the Notre Dame campus, because May 13th marks St. Julie's Feast Day when residents visit Our Lady of the Angels Elementary School to extend the Notre Dame mission.

In the prayer partner program, 13 residents from NDLTCC and 13 from du Lac have been matched with fourth graders. Together they have shared a yearlong relationship that includes cards, letters and visits to our campus. The year culminates in the celebration of Julie Day at the school, with fourth graders leading a school assembly that teaches about St. Julie and the mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame. Our residents are the guests of honor!

As Director of Mission, I go to the school four or five times during the school year to teach about St. Julie and the Sisters of Notre Dame. On a recent visit to help the children get ready for their big day, I viewed a video of their April visit with our residents. After, I asked them what they saw in the video. One astute nine year old said, "Connection - we are really connected". She was absolutely right! Sr. Denise is glowingly speaking about the presence of God to three young girls while a young child holds Sr. Mary's hands with absolute love in her eyes. Fr. O'Leary is showing three other students his oils, explaining anointing to them. I saw St. Julie looking on from the heavens, declaring, "How Good is the Good God!".

Pam Reidy, Director of Mission