Midvale » The women drawing their needles back and forth Saturday morning were practicing a sewing stitch that could one day change their lives. As members of the new "Mothers Club," they are gaining skills and learning how to start a business -- just the kind of initiative one philanthropic group hopes to see spread across the state.
A $1 million, 2½ year effort to integrate immigrants and refugees will support the launch of four "welcome centers" across the Salt Lake Valley this spring.
The centers will consist of programs provided by existing educational and community groups, which will use the substantial infusion of cash to expand and strengthen their offerings.
The money comes from the Women's Philanthropic Network, a group affiliated with United Way of Salt Lake, that set out a few years ago to harness the power of women's donations to make lasting change.
"For our economy to be vibrant we have to be tapping all of the gifts of the immigrant and refugee community," said Jennifer Smith, a senior vice president at Zions Bank who worked on the project.
"They have to be integrated into our community for that to occur."
The dollars come at a time when many community organizations are worried about their financial health. Many programs for immigrants and refugees are done "on a shoe string," said Rosemarie Hunter, the director of University Neighborhood Partners, one of the groups to receive funding.
"Having funding over a few years provides for some stability," she said.
Located in the basement of the old Midvale city hall, Community Building Community will use some of its grant to fund the Mother's Club as well as a program similar to Head Start, an education program for low-income children. Leaders plan to encourage immigrants and refugees to join Neighborhood Watch, the safety initiative. A mobile health clinic is among several other programs that will also benefit.
"What United Way had in mind about what a welcome center should be were things we were already doing on a limited basis," said Mauricio Agramont, the Midvale community developer. "Now we're going to be able to consolidate those programs and make sure they're not running out of money."
For Horizonte, an alternative high school in Salt Lake City, the money will mean keeping the lights on longer to offer English classes and other activities on weekends.
The school will hire new staff who can answer questions about housing, food stamps and other issues and refer newcomers to agencies that can help. Refugee and immigrant advisory groups will give the school direction on community needs.
"We hope to be able to empower the refugee and immigrant population to deal with the public education system and access services," said James Andersen, the principal.
Children and teenagers have been rehearsing their dance steps at the Hartland youth center as they prepare for a May 9 community celebration -- just another way the new funding is making an impact. It has paid to bring college arts faculty to the west side site.
"If we didn't have the youth center, then we wouldn't find those talented kids within our community," said Abdi Mohamed, a refugee from Somalia, who is the UNP Hartland Partnership Center coordinator.
A youth center had previously existed at the apartment complex, which is occupied by many refugee and immigrant families. But the group left when it could no longer afford the rent. Now the kids come after school every day to work on the computers, receive tutoring, learn about college and work on art projects.
"It's just a place they can call my place," Mohamed said.
