Supporting the continuation of the Cultural Support (CS) program

From now through September, 2012 CWS/Lancaster is campaigning to raise $10,000 to support the continuation of the Cultural Support (CS) program.

The CS program serves those refugees who have the greatest need for guidance and support by providing them with a network of resources. We have found the CS program to be essential in helping newly-arrived refugees become self-sufficient. Unfortunately we no longer have the financial means to fully support the program after the grant which funded the program ended.

The Lwens are an ethnic Karen family from Burma. After having fled a homeland plagued with conflict, they arrived in Lancaster in January, 2012. They have four young daughters, some of whom were struggling to adjust to school in the United States. The family was referred to the Cultural Support program at CWS/Lancaster for extra help with their new transition. The coordinator and other volunteers from the program visited the Lwen's home and provided training on parenting skills. With this additional system of support, the daughters were able to grow in their new environment and succeed in school.

By the end of the four-week program, the Lwen family was happier and more content with their new life in Lancaster.

We need your help to provide other families like the Lwens with the additional support they need. Working together we can make a difference by giving hope and opportunity to these new members of our community
 

What the Program Offers

Cultural Orientation Classes: There are seven orientation classes that increase cultural understanding of life in the United States.
Sessions include:

• Housekeeping
• Health and hygiene
• US education systems
• Finance management
• Parenting
• Employment
• Survival ESL

Classes are supplemented with workshop activities and home visits.

Community Programs

Student Partnerships: 
CWS works with students from Franklin & Marshall College and Millersville University by partnering them with newly-arrived refugee families to walk through the journey of resettlement together.

The Refugee Garden Project: creates an opportunity for refugees in Lancaster to garden and grow for food for their families.

Help us Reach Our goal!

Help us in our endeavor to preserve this critical program for our neighbors. 

$10,000 will provide 160 newly arrived refugees with four weeks of intensive cultural support.

• $30 provides interpretation for one CS class
• $50 provides materials for one workshop
• $100 provides refugee children with one school-readiness class
• $500 funds all CS programming for one month for one ethnic group

We need your help to make this vision a reality. Your donation to support the Cultural Support program will make a large impact on the life of a refugee family. Help give them hope.

There are two ways to donate:

Online: hunger.cwsglobal.org/HelpLancaster

Send a Check to:
Church World Service/Lancaster
308 E King Street
Lancaster PA 17602  

Thank you for your support!

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