Facility slated to hold open house to welcome community

[jimpasz]

Sunday Nov 18

Facility slated to hold open house to welcome community

Center slated to hold open house to welcome community

By Melanie Carroll / Daily News Staff Writer

More than two months after the Day Worker Center of Mountain View moved into its new location near the corner of Mercy and Hope streets, the nonprofit received its use permit from the city despite stiff opposition.

The center that helps match day workers - such as gardeners, carpenters and painters - with employers who typically pay cash moved into the Trinity United Methodist Church in late August after its lease expired at Calvary Church on California Street.

The permit provides the day worker center with additional opportunities, including the ability to do more publicity, said Maria Marroquin, the facility's director.

"We are almost sure to do an open house" around Nov. 30, Marroquin said.

While Trinity United Methodist Church applied for the permit from the city in late August on behalf of the center, the request was met with resistance from some who feared more crime would result. Others expressed general concerns about undocumented workers, city officials said.

The permit allows the day worker center to operate from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. six days a week.

Council Member Jac Siegel, who was traveling this week, wasn't certain that Wednesday's administrative zoning hearing would result in a permit for the center that assists roughly 75 workers every day.

"I didn't know if they would get it," Siegel said. "The council got a lot of opposition."

Many opponents were concerned about people hanging around outside the church when they weren't working, Siegel said.

The council member said connecting laborers with employers is only one role the center plays.

The 10-year-old day worker center also provides English lessons and instruction in other subjects. It was inspired originally by a need to get workers off the street as they sought employment.

With a $150,000 annual operating budget, the center found jobs for about 6,500 workers in 2006. It also offers day laborers free breakfast and lunch and pro bono legal advice.

The permit granted this week is a positive step, Siegel said.

The center isn't officially sanctioned by the city of Mountain View, said Siegel, adding that California last month passed legislation prohibiting landlords from asking tenants about their immigration status. The issue of illegal immigrants falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, city planner Melinda Denis said.

As for concerns about an increase in crime, data compiled by the Mountain View Police Department on illegal activity connected to the day worker center's previous location shows there is little reason to worry.

"We did all the statistics and there was nothing associated with the day laborer center," police spokeswoman Liz Wylie said.

The center receives financial support from local nonprofits and cities. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation donates $75,000 annually to the center as part of a three-year grant that expires in 2009. Mountain View recently dedicated $10,000 and Los Altos has donated $2,000. Palo Alto, however, rejected a request for $15,000.


E-mail Melanie Carroll at mcarroll@dailynewsgroup.com.
http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/articl ... ay-workers

[ourcountrynottheirs]

The issue of illegal immigrants falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, city planner Melinda Denis said.

Good excuse not to do anything. Hopefully the feds WILL do something soon. Then they'll round 'em up!

[fedupinwaukegan]

We have had numerous health fairs at the schools in our town. There is a welcoming center that does similar services.

This got me though -one of the last fairs was advertised that it would be held in Spanish with English translation. These are held at schools!!!




Immigration forum and health fair

March 7, 2007
WAUKEGAN -- If you have a question about immigration or are interested in improving your health, the fifth immigration services forum and community health fair will be held on Saturday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan.

Visitors will have an opportunity to speak to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer about pending cases. To facilitate status checks on your pending case, make sure you bring the appropriate paperwork that you received from immigration.

Free health workshops in Spanish with an English translator about health related topics will be held each hour, starting with stress and anxiety at 11 a.m. Alcohol and drug prevention in children will be held at noon. Afterward there will be a diabetes prevention and treatment workshop at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m. there will be information about nutrition and at 3 p.m. there will be information about gang prevention.

http://www.waukegan.org/Forum/topic.asp ... ir,spanish

[gofer]

The illegals come to these fairs, mostly, looking for the free services or how to get them. I don't put much faith in their desire to learn about anything else.