“Governor Quinn has signed a bill into law that will benefit illegal immigrants looking for college funding. Quinn signed the Illinois DREAM Act, which creates a panel that will help raise private money for college scholarships…”
For the entire article: http://wjbc.com/quinn-signs-illinois-dream-act/
In partnership with Cedar Ridge Elementary School, the Cedar Ridge Promise Council extends an invitation to your organization to join us at its second annual Back to School Community Resource Fair to be held on Wednesday, August 17th from 5pm – 7:30pm. (set-up begins at 4:30pm)
The resource fair will be in conjunction with the Cedar Ridge Back To School Night event, an opportunity for students (and their families) to find their new classroom, put items in their desks, and organize their lockers. This event is usually very well attended.
The Community Resource Fair is a first-step toward introducing our Cedar Ridge families to the programs and services that your agency has to offer.
Cedar Ridge Elementary has just about 500 students, including a significant number of families whose primary language is Spanish. (about 30%) About 70% of Cedar Ridge children qualify for low-income assistance.
To help families connect with your agency, we suggest you provide handouts, event calendars, and giveaways that encourage family-based participation in agency programs. This event will present an opportunity for you to publicize to the community the services that you offer. There is NO fee to participate. We only ask that your booth be set up by 5pm and that you stay through the end of the evening: 7:30pm.
The Cedar Ridge Promise Council will provide a six foot table, an agency sign, and two chairs. We may be able to provide electricity upon request. Please complete the attached Vendor Reservation Form and fax or email it back by Friday, August 12th. (309) 888-5543 /fax
“With immigration slowing, babies born in the U.S. rather than newly arrived Mexican immigrants are now driving most of the fast growth in the Latino population.
“A new analysis of census data highlights a turning point in Hispanics’ rapid U.S. growth. Demographers point to the potential for broader political impact as U.S.-born Mexican-Americans widen their numbers over non-citizen, foreign-born counterparts, who wield no voting rights.”
COMMUNITY GRANTS
Do you have a creative classroom project that needs funding? Are you affiliated with an organization working with young people between the ages of 7 and 18? The American Immigration Council’s Community Education Center is here to help! In an effort to support educators in engaging their students and communities in thoughtful dialogues centered on the issue of immigration and multiculturalism, the Center awards bi-annual grants for immigration-themed classroom and community-based projects.
ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM
The American Immigration Council will award grants for the 2011-2012 school year, of $100 to $500, to fund a limited number of projects that provide education about immigrants and immigration. The Council seeks to fund activities that are innovative and support the Council’s mission of promoting the benefits of immigrants to our nation.
ICIRR needs people like you to volunteer to help start a 24-hour crisis hotline for families in deportation. You will be the first line of defense for these families – helping them find their loved ones in detention and helping them connect to local services.
Our first training is scheduled for July 16th of this year. The training will only be open to people who have submitted their Hotline Volunteer Application ahead of time. So, fill out the application now and send to Sal Cervantes (scervantes@icirr.org).
Volunteers do not have to come to a central location to work the hotline. The calls will go straight to your cell phone. We ask all volunteers to be “on-call” for 9 hours each week. You can choose whatever hours work best for you. But we expect that at most you will only be required to work 2-3 hours/week – including taking calls, reporting on your calls, and doing follow-up.
If you have any questions, contact Stephen or Sal.
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
773.444.9557
www.ICIRR.org
State Farm Insurance has announced its noble partnership with this year’s 2011 Gold Cup tournament.
In conjunction with the event, they have also released an app that can help bring electricity to families in Latin America countries. Called Kick 4 A Cause, this FREE app for iOS devices is an augmented reality game where you use your phone to make any space your own soccer field.
What’s great about playing this game is that each time the game is played for a certain amount of time, a sOccket is donated to a Latin America country. A sOccket is a soccer ball that can transform kinetic energy into electricity. Kicking it around for just 15 minutes generates enough electricity to power an LED lamp for hours. Combine something that Latin Americans love together with something that could benefit them, and you have a winning device.
Head over to the Apple App Store to download the app and find out more about the Kick 4 A Cause program.
The Immigration Project is opening an opportunity to volunteer on “The Citizenship Team”. It is a commitment of 8 hours per month, preferably on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. We need a team of about six people. Fluency in Spanish or French is a plus but not a must!
This is a fantastic opportunity to help Legal Permanent Residents on the road to citizenship!
We are having an informational meeting on Saturday, June 18th, from 11:30am – 12:30pm. Please contact me to register so we know how many to expect.
If, at the end of this meeting you remain interested, we are offering initial training training from 12:30 till 3:00 p.m.
We respectfully request that you only attend if you are sincere about committing to volunteer 8 hours or more each month for at least six months. Also, no current clients of Immigration Project may volunteer until their case is completed.
For more information, contact:
Christine Howe, Citizenship Program Director
The Immigration Project
510 E Washington St., Ste 318
PO BOX 3065
Bloomington IL 61702-3065
309/829-8703 (central IL), ext. 105
618/452-7018 (southern IL), ext. 105
FAX 309/807-2753
www.immigrationproject.org
The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is taking the Miller Park Summer Theater to new heights in 2011!
All youth ages 8-18 cast for the Miller Park Summer Theater show School House Rock Live! will automatically be enrolled in the first-ever Spotlight Theater Camp. This camp will meet weekdays from 12:00 to 4:00 pm starting July 5, through the show opening on July 29.
The camp will all be held at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.
For more information: Miller Park Summer Theater 2011
In a move to help the children of undocumented residents in Illinois afford college, the House on Monday sent Gov. Pat Quinn the Illinois DREAM Act.
The measure, which passed the House 61-53, would create a fund established through private donations and managed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to provide financial assistance to undocumented students in Illinois. The bill would also allow families of the students to participate in the state’s two college tuition savings programs.
Click here for complete article: Lawmakers send Illinois Dream Act bill to Quinn
