Page 3 - CNA 2016 Annual Report

FROM THE DIRECTOR

F or Center for New Americans, 2016 was a year of change and transition.

For the first six months of the year, the organization had an interim director supported by a
strong, veteran management team and a supportive board of directors. Our long-time fiscal
coordinator moved on, after carefully orienting her successor.
Having determined that our Turners Falls program had grown to the point that we needed our own
classroom space, we said thank you and farewell to Montague Catholic Social Ministries which
had hosted classes since the program’s inception. We established our Turners Falls classroom
and support services in an office shared with the Montague Reporter and Field to Table.
Notwithstanding the year’s fluidity, we are grateful for all the constants.

Our classes are full with students who want to learn English. They are grateful to the Center for
New Americans teachers who welcome them. They support each other, sharing food, rides, and
advice based on their experience.

Our July 4th naturalization was filled with immigrants who had benefited from Center for New
Americans’ assistance with filling out the citizenship application and preparing for the interview.
Referrals from local public schools resulted in Center for New Americans’ work on behalf of
young people filing applications for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). And we were
grateful for grants and our partnership with Best & Associates Immigration Law Partners that
enabled Center for New Americans staff to offer such other legal services as helping new citizens
to petition to bring family members to the U.S.

More than most years, we were keenly aware of our community’s support.
We were overjoyed to have access to the newly-renovated Shea Theater
in Turners Falls to showcase so many immigrant voices this past April,
and we were thrilled to share dances and songs to a sold-out theater.
Although not all volunteers can be matched with students seeking
tutors or citizenship coaches, we were moved by the outpouring
of volunteer support and how flexible volunteers are in order to
find ways to support our work with immigrants.

We are grateful to community leaders who have demonstrated
support through their presence at our end-of-cycle celebrations
and at our July 4th naturalization, and to local educational
organizations and employers who have welcomed our alumni
as college students and new employees.

At the end of this year of change, we celebrate the resilience of
our students, staff, volunteers, and board members, and thank
our generous community.

Sincerely,

Laurie Millman

CENTER FOR NEw aMERICaNS 2016 aNNUal REpORT pagE 1