NOAH (East Boston Neighborhood of Affordable Housing) is spotlighting the vital work done by AmeriCorps members in communities across Massachusetts since the national service program began 19 years ago.
“We are proud to be part of AmeriCorps with the New American Integration Program (NAIP), a partnership between the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), English for New Bostonians (ENB) and the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants (MORI),” said Executive Director of NOAH Philip Giffee. “The program recruits committed individuals from diverse backgrounds to assist and strengthen the work of community-based organizations like NOAH that provide ESOL and citizenship services to refugees and immigrants.”
“NOAH’s ESOL instructor Jacqueline Lara, an AmeriCorps NAIP volunteer, is getting things done right here in East Boston,” said Giffee. “We’re grateful that the AmeriCorps program has made a tremendous impact in our community, allowing us to extend our services, and better carry out our mission to improve standards of living, build community, and create social and economic opportunities, especially for low- and moderate-income residents.”
“AmeriCorps members are improving the lives of millions of citizens and making a powerful impact on the toughest challenges facing our nation,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps members in NAIP program make a difference in their community by assisting people to learn English and helping them in their civic classes and citizenship application to become U.S. citizens.”
While Jacqueline Lara said, “While being an AmeriCorps member in the NAIP program, I have been given the opportunity to assist many English language learners. Over the last year and half I have helped more than one hundred students and a few have become U.S. citizens. It has been a pleasure doing my service at NOAH”