English Class Celebrates American Thanksgiving
On Tuesday, November 20th, Mano en Mano was delighted to host a traditional American Thanksgiving during our Drop-in English class. We were particularly happy to serve our area’s wreath workers and their families, who stopped by to attend the portable clinic held by Maine Migrant Health in our parking lot. With over 35 people in attendance, it was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to
Mano en Mano Reaches Students in Eastern Washington County
It seems like the first month or so of the new school year is mostly about getting back into the swing of things. New classes, new things from the summer months to share with friends, and even new friends, all this keeps the focus very much in the here and now. Then, after the October progress reports are issued, students begin to think further
Wreath Season Presents New Opportunities for Client Outreach
November is the Christmas wreath season in this area, of long working hours, but many people wait for it because wreathing is another good job opportunity before winter. At Mano en Mano, we had new clients requesting services like housing, food, warm clothes, medical appointments, interpretation, translation, social services, transportation, or even needing a friend to talk to about their goals and worries. We
Mano en Mano and Operation Breaking Stereotypes Bring Youth Together
At Mano en Mano, we strive to provide a space where conversation and learning can happen. This Fall, we’ve partnered with facilitator Connie Carter of Orono, Maine, to offer a program called Operation Breaking Stereotypes (OBS) which has been meeting on a monthly basis at Mano en Mano offices. The goal of OBS is to bring youth together to get to know each other,
iPad Project Inspires Community Collaborations
This Fall, the Migrant Education Program’s Comienza en Casa | It Starts at Home project has continued to develop its capacity to provide parents with activities and information both on and off the iPad to promote school readiness skills in the home. New to the program this Fall has been the integration of various community collaborators and guests. The monthly parent meetings have been graced with the presence of
Bowdoin Volunteers Learn About Local Economy, Immigrant Families
It’s not too often that visitors Downeast get to see local factories and lobster pounds first-hand. On the first weekend in November, Mano en Mano hosted a group of volunteers from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. While volunteer groups in the past have often come to help run community events, this visit focused on experiential learning, as well as assisting us with some
Migrant Ed Makes a Difference in Eastern Washington County
A number of migrant students are still being referred to the Maine Department of Education recruiters to be qualified for the Migrant Education Program, and the many students who have already been qualified are seeing their first quarter grade reports. Parents have been interviewed and school assessments gathered for each student so that work plans and academic goals can be set. It is an
Adult Ed Takes Off
October was busy for the Education Program with English and Spanish instruction going on five days a week. The Beginning Spanish Conversation class, taught by Lupe Yepes, wrapped up after 16 classes with 6 students trying out their new vocabulary and pronunciation skills in final games and activities. English instruction included individual tutoring, class for workers at the Cherry Point Plant, and the experimental
Bangor Savings Bank Awards $2,000 Grant to Outreach Program
Last week, Mano en Mano received a $2,000 grant from Bangor Savings Bank Foundation to support our Outreach Program. Outreach workers at Mano en Mano get out information to the community, translate and interpret, and check in with clients via phone and home visits. We also handle casework for many immigrant families and language learners in our region, acting as a link for anyone
Mano en Mano Hosts Open House!
We were so pleased to host our Open House and house-warming event last Wednesday evening, September 12th. We were even more pleased that nearly 100 community members and agency partners attended, getting a look at our new space and learning more about our upcoming Fall programs! We moved into 2 Maple St. (formerly the WHCA building) in mid-August, and after lots of staff time,