Thread: Center wants to make immigants feel welcome

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05300/595731.stm

Thursday, October 27, 2005

By Gabrielle Banks, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



The toll-free hot line for the new Welcome Center for Immigrants and Internationals offers a glimpse of the sort of global Pittsburgh-of-tomorrow the agency's organizers envision.

The automated message greets callers in Spanish, Mandarin, Hindi, Korean, Russian and English.

"We took our guess that those are the languages that [volunteers here] might need to speak," said Andy Pugh, director of the new nonprofit organization, which is temporarily operating out of Jewish Family and Children's Service in Squirrel Hill.

The agency was created to fill a gap, as a multilingual entry point for immigrants who need help finding housing, medical care, jobs or other services, Mr. Pugh said. The organization, which is funded through foundation money, state grants and private donations, will relocate to a permanent home Downtown within the next few months.

In its first month, two full-time staffers and a volunteer corps of eight served about 70 clients, including a handful of foreign nationals -- originally from Algeria, India, Vietnam, England and China -- who were fleeing the Gulf Coast hurricanes.

The overall aim is to make the region a more attractive, welcoming place for immigrant families.

"They can open businesses in vacant storefronts, pay taxes, send their kids to our schools and help to revitalize our neighborhoods and strengthen our region," Mr. Pugh said. "Immigrants can have a positive impact on Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. They can be a real shot in the arm."

This article does not directly deal with illegal immigrants.

Sure doesn't, Richard. I feel sure they'll require a ss#, green card before rendering services.

Oh, by all means, had_enuf. They're running background checks as we speak. JUST MORE BS. Just more bowing to the whims of the politically correct crowd. Just one more invasion.

Well, Richard, actually it does deal with illegal immigrants.

Did you not notice that the purpose of the "organization" is to help the immigrants find "JOBS".

Legal Immigrants already have "JOBS" under a VISA issued by the United State Government.

ILLEGAL immigrants come here looking for "JOBS" and apparently this "organization" in Pittsburgh is going to "aid and abet" this illegal activity under yes another..501 C 3 not-for-profit Fraud against the American People.

Shut Them Down!!

Well, Judy. Judy, JUDY! How did I MISS THAT??!!! OF COURSE, the ones on Visas already have jobs or they wouldn't have the visas. KNOCK, KNOCK!!! Thanks for bringing me back to reality!!!

Maybe we could work out some sort of TRADE with AMIGO. He can have our WACKITATOR/WACKIDENT AND our Congress in exchange for taking all of his illegals back home. That way, he would have a ready-made, supportive government in place that could get MeHiCO back on track and we would be rid of the lot of them.

PS--COULD I PLEASE KEEP COBLE???

Yes you can keep Coble, that so very nice man who returned your phone calls and took a sincere interest in our mission early in the game.

I think that is an outstanding idea--"save our nation, deport Congress" to Mexico!!

Ole!!

I REALLY appreciate that. I BELIEVE I can still convert him so I want the chance! At least, he voted AGAINST CAFTA. Bless him!!