Immigration Event February 1: meet a Congressman

CLUE LA (Clergy United for Economic Justice) is hosting an immigration reform event at La Placita Church (Our Lady Queen of the Angels Church) February 1 at 5:00 p.m.

Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez will meet with attendees to bring news from Washington D.C. and President Obama on immigration reform and what is needed.

The church is located in downtown Los Angeles near Olvera Street at 535 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. http://www.laplacita.org/

For more information, please contact Sylvia Carranza
213-381-5611 x 128
scarranza@launionaflcio.org

Position Available: Licensed Hair Dresser

A local business is seeking a licensed hair dresser.

Please call Maria Esquivel

T: 626-337-1367
C: 626-422-9206

SNAP/Food Stamp Assistance

Beginning Wednesday January 20, St. John the Baptist Social Services will be able to help with applications for SNAP (a.k.a. Food Stamps; Supplemental Nutirition Assistance Program).

Los Angeles County stations a trained social worker every Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 until 12 and 1 p.m. until 5 to assist with Medi-Cal and now SNAP applications.

Citizenship Training Classes

St. John the Baptist Social Services now has citizenship training classes available to help permanent residents prepare for the test to become full United States citizens.

Classes are:

Tuesday 9-12 (English)

Thursday 9-12 (Spanish)

Contact the office for more details.

From the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Haiti

MEMORANDUM: Wednesday, January 13, 2010

FROM: Most Reverend Alexander Salazar, Director of the Office of Justice and Peace SUBJECT: EMERGENCY BRIEF: HAITI EARTHQUAKE
Situation: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has ravaged the island nation of Haiti. The quake occurred 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince just before 5pm EST (Haiti is also on EST). Port-au-Prince, with a population of over 2 million, has been devastated. There are recently confirmed reports that the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, was a victim of the quake as well as 100 priests. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Port-au-Prince has sustained severe damage.

CRS Response: CRS has made an initial commitment of 5 million dollars for immediate use in the relief effort. Our agency is geared up for a major emergency response to this severe disaster. CRS is mobilizing food and gearing up our emergency capacity, and deploying prepositioned emergency shelter and hygiene kits in Haiti, as well as bringing supplies in from the neighboring Dominican Republic.

How to Help:
Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRSDonate online: http://www.crs.org/
Write a check:
Catholic Relief Services P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090
Memo portion of check: Haiti EarthquakePhone Text:
Please text RELIEF to 30644 and follow the instructions

Information for Church Bulletins:Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, is responding to victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti. To donate, please call 1-877-HELP-CRS, donate online at http://www.crs.org/ or send a check to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. In the memo portion of your check, please write: Haiti Earthquake

Prayer
God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disasterto see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti, as Christ sees us. Be with us as we stand in solidarity with those living and working in Haiti.Be with us in our mourning and guide our efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice.Amen.
For our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti Affected by the Earthquake Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Haitian people, that help comes to them quickly and comfort comes to those who hurt.Lord, hear our prayer.
For the lost or buried, that they are found and reunited with their loved ones.Lord, hear our prayers.
For the relief workers, that they have the tools they need, the courage and the strength to respond fully.Lord, hear our prayers.
For the families in Haiti and in the United States who are waiting to hear from loved ones, that good news comes to them.Lord, hear our prayers.
For those whose who have perished, may their souls rest with you, oh Lord, where they will find eternal love.Amen.

How to Help with the Haitian Earthquake

Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, has suffered a davastating 7.0 earthquake, which shattered the capital Port-Au-Prince. Estimates of deaths range up to 500,000, including the Archbishop, United Nations peacekeepers and officials, aid workers and so many more.

If you would like to help:

- St. John the Baptist will be taking a second collection this upcoming weekend


-Catholic Relief Services is collecting donations:
https://secure.crs.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3181&3181.donation=form1

Save The Date!

St.John the Baptist Social Services plans to host a brekafast honoring Cesar Chavez on Wednesday, March 31. More details to come!

Latinos in Catholic Education

The University of Notre Dame has released a report seeking to increase enrollment among Hispanic children in the United States in Catholic schools to one million by 2020 from 290,000 now (6% of total in 2020 vs. current 3% of Hispanic children being in Catholic schools).

Latino children in Catholic schools are 42% more likely to graduate from high school than those in public school and 250% more likely to graduate from college. Notre Dame believes the public school system is failing the Hispanic youth of the United States.

Report: http://catholicschooladvantage.nd.edu/latino-task-force-report

Web page: http://ace.nd.edu/task-force-initiatives/improving-educational-quality-of-catholic-schools

US Census 2010

St. John the Baptist Social Services is eager to help you and Baldwin Park with the US Census for 2010.

Need help with the form? Questions? Contact us or come visit!

It is very important that the city gets the most resources it can and having maximum Census participation helps!

Resources for Youth Dental Care and Los Angeles Homeless Prevention

There are some more resources available for families in need.

-For Free and Low-Cost Dental Services for Children and Teenagers:
AltaMed Health Services
877-462-2582
http://www.altamed.org
They serve the San Gabriel Valley Area, including Baldwin Park, El Monte and Pomona through a partnership with the County of Los Angeles Public health Department

-For Renters At Risk of Eviction (ONLY in the City of Los Angeles)
Los Angeles City Homeless Prevention Program (LACHPP) may be able to help!

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPANT IN LACHPP?
1. Individual is a tenant and not a homeowner;
2. Tenant lives within the City of Los Angeles;
3. Tenant must be at risk of homelessness (received a written 3-Day Notice or Unlawful Detainer);
4. Tenant lacks the financial resources and support networks needed to obtain immediate housing remain in existing housing;
5. No subsequent housing options for the household have been identified; and
6. Tenants who, within six months, will have sufficient income to pay for their own housing; and
7. Tenant(s) total current income must not exceed the amounts in the table below:

Household Size Annual Household Income
1 Person $27,250 or less
2 Persons $31,700 or less
3 Persons $35,700 or less
4 Persons $39,650 or less
5 Persons $42,800 or less
6 Persons $46,000 or less
7 Persons $49,150 or less
8 Persons $52,350 or less


ARE THERE PRIORITIES FOR CERTAIN TENANTS?
Yes, the following tenants are given priority: (a) living in permanent supportive housing; (b) living in other affordable, rent‐restricted subsidized housing (Section 8, public housing, affordable housing trust fund housing); (c) living in a rent‐stabilized apartment; (d) living on a fixed income, such as SSI, SSDI, GR or CalWORKs; (e) tenants with disabilities or aged 62 years or older; and (f) homeless in the previous 24 months.

HOW DO I APPLY OR OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION?
Call Inner City Law Center at (213) 891-2880. Also, you can walk into our main office at 1309 E. 7th Street; Los Angeles, CA 90021 or the Weingart Access Center at 506 S. Main St.; Los Angeles, CA 90021, and speak to an ICLC representative.