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Holy Cross Ministries Outreach Program
“Promoting the Next Step” |
Promotoras, or “outreach workers” serve
in several different communities and settings: |
- To provide informal counseling and social support
- To provide culturally appropriate health education
- To advocate for individual and community needs
- To assure that people get needed services
- To build individual and community capacity
- To build direct services
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Promotoras at the South Main Clinic in Salt Lake served 447 clients in 2005 with instruction, referrals for well baby checks, immunizations, food, housing and clothing. Promotoras in Heber, Park City, Wendover, Salt Lake County and Midvale report top needed services as Language/Translation services for health and other forms, assistance with budgeting, paying bills, housing, and referrals to other agencies or emergency services.
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Holy Cross Ministries Immigration Services
“Building Bridges to a New Life” |
Different groups of immigrants come to the US with different levels of education, job skills and other human capital assets. Beyond their human capital, the legal status of immigrants also strongly affects their social and economic characteristics—and therefore their integration into US communities.
Holy Cross Ministries, with the services of two attorneys, is able to assist
almost one third of persons needing to adjust status. This assistance is invaluable
to persons overwhelmed by the problems and challenges they face in trying to
improve life for them and their families. Holy Cross Ministries strives to assist
person toward self-sufficiency and gives them a sense of hope and affirmation
of their presence.
This past year: |
- Open cases 2,108
- Onsite contacts: 2,501
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Immigration clinics and consultations in Wendover, Ephraim, Midvale, Salt Lake
City, and Logan: 653 |
In addition, a very important piece of the Immigration Program is the VAWA (Violence
Against Women Act) work. Victims of violence, the majority of them abused
women and children, are able to file for status. This prevents them from
being further victimized by abusers if they do not have full legal status.
Holy Cross Ministries has expertise in filing these cases and has successfully
worked 400 plus cases in this program. |
In
October 2006, Holy Cross Ministries and Sister Sharlet
Wagner CSC were honored by the Utah Domestic Violence
Council for their advocacy work in Family Violence Prevention. |
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Holy
Cross Ministries Parish and Community Health Program
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The Parish and Community Health Program serves in five parishes:
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- Sacred Heart
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- St. Patrick's
- St. Therese, Midvale
- San Felepe, Wendover
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The
program focuses on serving isolated individuals, especially
the elderly, to help them reconnect with families and
friends and needed health, social and spiritual resources.
This year, the parish and Community Health program : |
- Conducted 17 health screenings and clinics serving 1,315 persons for diabetes, blood pressure and flu immunizations.
- Conducted education classes for depression and diabetes.
- Made individual visits for 123 persons in isolation,
anxiety, and stress related circumstances.
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Holy Cross Ministries Education Programs
“Learning Success”
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After School and Summer Programs |
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Developing talents and learning to use time constructively
are important to the ten million children at risk of
school failure due to social, emotional and health issues.
(National Institute on Out-of-School Time 2003) Half
of all teachers cite isolation during after school hours
as a primary reason for children’s academic struggles.
Low-income children are three times more likely than
other children to miss out on afterschool activities
because they did not have transportation or there were
no activities available. (Annie E. Casey, Kids Count
Data Book 2000) |
Holy Cross Ministries conducts after school and summer programs
in Wendover and Park City/Heber. In the past year, 420
children were served. |
ESL (English as a Second Language) |
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Courses
are taught in Park City and Wendover.
In the past 4 years: |
- 47% of the students are ages 19-29
- 25% of the students are ages 30-39
- 97% are from Mexico, South or Central America
- 51% are in service industries for construction jobs
- 74% have no health insurance
- 18% receive medicaid
The most frequent reason for not completing a class was getting a job. |
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| Counseling |
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Cross Ministries Counseling Program has two licensed
counselors working in schools in Salt Lake City and in
Wendover and in the afterschool programs in Park City/Heber
and Wendover. The counseling program provides family
and individual counseling in English and in Spanish and
teaches safety programs such as “Good Touch-Bad Touch”, violence
prevention programs, development and self esteem groups
for middle school boys and girls, and anti-bullying programs.
The staff is also available for grief and crisis counseling
as needed. Victims of violence are referred to the counseling
staff from the immigration program. The staff also includes
interns from the University Of Utah School of Social
Work. |
Last year, the program served 1138 students and 92 adults. |
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Counseling
services are provided in these schools:
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- Our Lady of Lourdes, Salt Lake City
- Kearns - St. Ann School, Salt Lake City
- St. Francis Zavier Regional School, Kearns
- St. Vincent de Paul School, Salt Lake City
- Anna Smith Elementary, Wendover
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