FINANCIAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
One way to help recent immigrants is to host a workshop that will help them figure out how to navigate their way through unfamiliar financial institutions on Long Island. The LICC offers these workshops and has done a number of them in Spanish or bilingually. Our workshops usually run an hour to 90 minutes, and we will tailor it to the needs of your audience. Each presentation is shaped around the needs of the audience and we are prepared to address a wide variety of topics. We would also be glad to do presentations for religious leaders on how to manage a congregation’s money more effectively, reduce expenses, pay for energy conservation measures, etc. 
We are doing a basic finance workshop for La Fuerza Unida in Glen Cove onThursday, May 10, for about about 30 Latinos who are mostly fairly recent immigrants enrolled in their English as a Second Language program. Speakers include Gregorio Paredes from American Debt Resources, Rafael Rodriguez from Debt Counseling Corp (another nonprofit), Bank of America, and Bethpage Federal Credit Union.  A request for a similar workshop for day laborers in Freeport is also in the works, though they haven’t chosen a date yet. 

The LICC will provide speakers and  educational materials—all you need to provide is coffee and noshes. Thanks to generous funding for this effort this year from Astoria Federal Savings, Bank of America, Ridgewood Savings Bank, TD Charitable Foundation, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, there is no charge for this program. For more information, please visit www.ncccusa.org/ecmin/licc/managemoney.html. To request a program, please call 516-565-0290, ext. 206, or e-mail tomgoodhue@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.



Public comment under way for proposed immigration reform

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is encouraging public input over the next 60 days on a proposed law that would allow illegal immigrants with immediate family members who are U.S. citizens to remain with their family longer while seeking permanent residency. For more information on the proposed law, go to uscis.gov. A 60-day public-comment period began Monday for a proposed policy that would allow illegal immigrants who are immediate family members of U.S. citizens to remain with their families longer while applying for permanent residency.  People can submit their input on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' proposal at regulations.gov through June 1. The rule would allow illegal immigrants, through a provisional waiver, to remain with their families longer if they could demonstrate that separation would pose an extreme hardship on their spouse, parents or children. The government expects the rule to reduce the financial and emotional hardship for families of illegal immigrants and also increase efficiencies in processing visas.  

WORKERS WITHOUT WHEELS
A Bicycle Give-Away & Mechanic Training Opportunity (wage, training, tools & bicycle provided) It is hard to find a job, especially if you lack transportation to get to work and a skill to perform once you get there. And $4.25 a gallon gasoline doesn’t help either! The Workers Without Wheels project of the Congregational Church  of Patchogue is here to help by training six people to be bicycle mechanics. The trainees will be issued one new bicycle to assemble and one used bicycle to repair. They will also be issued bicycle repair tools. The trainees may keep one of the bicycles they repair or assemble as well as the tools used to do so. The trainees will also be paid a decent wage. The training sessions will be held on five consecutive Wednesday evenings between 6pm and 9pm starting on April 12^th. The trainees will emerge with a bicycle, a set of tools, a well-earned wage, and a skill. This is NOT a religious program. No questions of religious affiliation (or lack of it) will be asked. No demands will be made. This project is possible through a generous grant from the Self Development of People Task Force of the Presbyterian Church USA in cooperation with the Congregational Church of Patchogue. Our interest is in providing change in the lives of economically poor, oppressed, and/or disadvantaged people who will benefit directly from this project. Do you think you qualify and do you wish to participate in the Workers Without Wheels Bicycle Mechanic Training Opportunity? Contact Rev. Dwight Lee Wolter at the Congregational Church of Patchogue, 95 East Main Street, at 631.475.1235 or pastor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

TRABAJADORES SIN RUEDAS
Se regalan bicicletas y la oportunidad de formarse en mecánica (Se provee salario, entrenamiento, herramientas y bicicleta)   Es difícil encontrar trabajo, especialmente si no tiene transporte para ir a trabajar y las habilidades necesarias para realizarlo. El coste de 4,25 dólares el galón de gasolina tampoco ayuda mucho! El proyecto de “Trabajadores sin ruedas” o “Workers Without Wheels” de la “Iglesia Congregacional de Patchogue” o “Congregational Church of Patchogue” esta aquí para ayudar a formar a seis personas para ser mecánicos de bicicletas. Se les entregará a los aprendices una bicicleta nueva desmontada para armar y una bicicleta usada para reparar. Se les proveerá con herramientas para reparar bicicletas. Los aprendices pueden quedarse una de las bicicletas que monten o reparen y las herramientas. Asimismo, se les pagará con un salario decente a los aprendices. Las sesiones de aprendizaje se realizarán cada miércoles por la tarde de 6pm a 9pm durante cinco semanas consecutivas empezando el 12 de abril. Los aprendices terminarán las sesiones con una bicicleta, un juego de herramientas, un sueldo bien merecido y la habilidad de reparar bicicletas. Esto NO es un programa religioso. No se preguntará nada sobre su religión o si es creyente. No se les exigirá nada. Este proyecto es posible gracias a una generosa subvención del Self Development of People Task Force of the Presbyterian Church USA en cooperación con la Congregational Church  of Patchogue. Nuestro interés es proporcionar un cambio en las vidas de la gente pobre, oprimida y en desventaja que se puede beneficiar directamente de este proyecto. Usted cree que se esta capacitado y desea participar en el proyecto de “Trabajadores sin ruedas” y formarse como mecánico de bicicletas? Contacte con el Reverendo Dwight Lee Wolter en la Congregational Church de Patchogue, 95 East Main Street, 631.475.1235 o pastor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

HELP FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS The State Department of Labor has a host of free programs designed to help immigrants break into the workforce. The New York State Department of Labor is addressing the language/employment barrier with a new program designed to help immigrants navigate the working world and learn English as well. Immigrant workforce counselors are set up at the State Labor Department's one-stop centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Flushing, Patchogue, Yonkers, Buffalo, Syracuse and Utica and they can provide assistance in a wide variety of languages. They also refer clients to English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. All of the Immigrant Workforce Project programs are free. For more information, visit http://www.labor.ny.gov.   I

NTERRELIGIOUS VISITS
The LICC’s new Dialogue Committee wants to encourage inter-denominational and inter-religious visits to houses of worship, which is one way to create communities that welcome immigrants. When Christians meet local Sikhs, Bahais, and Jains, they are reminded that not all recent immigrants are from Latin America. And Latinos often find they need a little help in understanding Long Island’s astonishing religious diversity. If a picture is worth a thousand words, someone remarked once at a meeting of the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum, a visit is worth a thousand pictures. Would your church, synagogue, mosque,  gurudwara, temple or fellowship welcome interfaith visitors? If so, what are good times to come and whom should we list as a contact for visits? Is there anything you would like visitors to know about where they should sit, what they should wear, and what you would prefer that they do or not do?

You might also consider hosting the Forum’s “Building Bridges” program or its “What’s My Faith?” game show. Both are great ways to help your congregation or community group to understand your immigrant neighbors. On Sunday, May 20, from 11:30- to 2:30 you can catch “Building Bridges” at the Patchogue United Methodist Church (10 Church Street).

And on Thursday, May 24, you can see “Building Bridges” at 11 a.m. at 1^st Presbyterian Church of Smithtown as part of the Annual Meeting of the Long Island Council of Churches.   The Rev. Thomas W. Goodhue Executive Director Long  Island Council of Churches 1644  Denton Green Hempstead, NY 11550 516-565-0290  ext. 206 (voice) 516-565-0291 (fax) tomgoodhue@xxxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.liccny.org

Advance registration is required no later than May 17^th.  Registration is $40, including lunch.  Please call Yolanda or Letice at 516-565-0290 to pay by credit card, or send a check for $40 addressed to “Long Island Council of Churches” and write “annual meeting” in the memo section.  Please mail to: Long Island Council of Churches, 1644 Denton Green, Hempstead, NY  11550, Attn:  Yolanda Murray.
 
DIRECTIONS
FROM THE WEST:  Go East on the Northern Parkway past Sunken Meadow to the end of Parkway.  The road divides about 2 miles past the end of Parkway.  At the divide, take Rt. 347 to the left; go to Highway #111.  Get into the right lane, turn right at sign for Rt. #111, then take the immediate next left to traffic light at intersection of #347 & #111.  Continue North on #111 about 2 miles to Rt. #25 (also Main Street).  At the intersection you will see the church—a stately white building—ahead of you.  Turn left, then take the first right into the church driveway.
 
FROM THE EAST:  Take the LIE West to Exit 47.  Go Northwest on Veteran’s Highway (#454), then turn right onto Route #111 and continue North about two miles to Route #25 (also Main Street).  At the intersection you will see the church—a stately white building—ahead of you.  Turn left, then take the first right into the church driveway.
 
REGISTRATION FORM
Registration and payment must be received no later than May 17, 2012.
Name _______________________________________ Number attending __________
 
Address ________________________________________________________________
 
City __________________________________ State_________ Zip ________________
 
Day-time telephone ______________________________________________________
 
E-mail address __________________________________________________________
 
Please complete and print out hard copy.  Address check for $40 per person to:  Long Island Council of Churches.  Please write “Annual Meeting” in the memo section and mail to:
                                    Long Island Council of Churches
                                    1644 Denton Green
                                    Hempstead, NY  11550
                                    Attn:  Yolanda Murray
Or you can charge registrations to your credit card by calling 516-565-0290 with the relevant information.

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