National Partnership for New Americans Helps Train 1,000 Volunteers to Provide Citizenship Services Nationwide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2012

Contact:
Eva Millona, Partnership Co-chair, 508-615-7684

National Partnership for New Americans Helps Train 1,000 Volunteers to Provide Citizenship Services Nationwide

There are over 8 million lawful permanent residents (LPRs) across the country eligible to become citizens,  less than 1 million of them naturalize every year. Starting this Saturday, the National Partnership for New Americans will be changing this dynamic by training long-term volunteers nationwide who are committed to transforming lawful permanent residents into active citizens.

Last year, 12 prominent national grassroots, immigrant rights advocacy organizations in partnership joined to create the National Partnership for New Americans in order to promote and support citizenship in partnership with the Open Society Institute. The Partnership is outreaching into new immigrant communities across the country in an effort to promote a more welcoming democracy in which new Americans achieve equal opportunity and are a powerful and organized constituency.

The Partnership is launching its ambitious citizenship program, Become a Citizen Now!, to train over 1,000 Citizenship Coaches leading up to the official launch on Saturday March 24, 2012. These citizenship coaches will build national capacity over the next year to meet the Partnership’s collective goal of naturalizing 3650 citizens, assist almost 13,000 legal permanent residents, and outreach to almost 73,000 people in 2012.

Citizenship Coaches are volunteers who believe that immigration makes America stronger and will donate their skills at citizenship clinics across the country. This Saturday’s nationwide training will enable coaches to help LPR’s throughout the citizenship process, including completing N-400 applications, legal screening, recruiting and coordinating volunteers, and other event logistics.

“The Partnership brings together local energy and volunteer boots on the ground to make a tangible impact nationwide, with real numbers,” said Joshua Hoyt, Co-Chair of the Partnership and Chief Strategic Executive of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “We have a deep reach into immigrant communities that understands the needs while creating opportunities for them to become citizens and active in their communities.”

The Partnership is also announcing the launch of a new citizenship website in English and Spanish, www.becomeacitizennow.org and www.hazteciudadanoahora.org/, as a tool to assist eligible legal permanent residents to become citizens.

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The National Partnership for New Americans advances the integration and active citizenship of immigrants to achieve a vibrant, just, and welcoming democracy for all.

PARTNERS:
CASA DE MARYLAND
CAUSA
COALITION FOR HUMANE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS OF LOS ANGELES (CHIRLA)
COLORADO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COALITION (CIRC)
FLORIDA IMMIGRANT COALITION (FLIC)
ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS (ICIRR)
MASSACHUSETTS IMMIGRANT AND REUFGEE ADVOCACY COALITION (MIRA)
NATIONAL KOREAN AMERICAN SERVICE & EDUCATION CONSORTIUM (NAKASEC)
NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION (NYIC)
ONEAMERICA
TENNESSEE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS COALITION (TIRRC)
VOCES DE LA FRONTERA

Posted in: Campaigns,Citizenship,Citizenship Assistance,Legal Permanent Residents