IMPACT of Southern Arizona Program Notes

  Is it all Greek to you? Do you speak a second language? Imagine moving to another country and having to learn to read Greek, Italian, Spanish, or Vietnamese signage, notices, or product labels. Have you ever noticed how similar bottles of cleaners and bottles of Gatorade appear? Imagine if you could not read a prescription bottle, or product instructions. At IMPACT, and through a partnership with Mountain Shadows Presbyterian Church, our volunteers offer morning and evening classes eight months of each year to help people learn our language, our history, and the way our government operates. If someone is here legally and has proceeded through the more than seven years of requirements to become a citizen (which typically includes nearly $10,000 in fees for a family of four), we help make that final step possible - to be sworn in as a US Citizen. It is a long process, but we find people are very dedicated – both the dozens of students who participate each year, and our amazing volunteer teaching staff.  Community Education is important to us – not just language and citizenship, but workshops on parenting, money management, resume writing, and other skill sets important to helping people move beyond poverty and into self-sufficiency. Your support of ‘Dining for a Cause’ events helps to ensure programs like these remain available to our community.