American Province Ministry Connections March 2023

South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (SC LAMP) Diana Pinto - Executive Director http://www.southcentrallamp.org/

South Central LAMP is turning 30 in 2023! How are we celebrating? By officially starting our Expanded Learning STEAM Afterschool Program! Along with the afterschool program, we also started a Kinship Program and expanded our parenting classes, including an online component in Spanish and English.

The Afterschool Program was years in the making. New programs are usually harder to fund because you do not have a track record to prove you will be successful. We are, however, very fortunate. Our funders have seen our work and had faith that we would go above and beyond with this program. The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus are one of our loyal supporters, and we cannot thank the Sisters enough for their faith in our community and believing in our programs and our families.    Speaking of our families, many who had been part of our Family Literacy program a few years ago, have retruned to enroll their children in our Afterschool Program. Past families are so excited to be able to return to South Central LAMP.  We are the place where they saw their little ones blossom, and now as older students in kindergarten, first, and second grade, their children can continue to grow and succeed.   We also have new families joining the program! They are excited that, along with the Afterschool Program for their children, we are offering parenting classes, workshops, special events, and family advocacy for parents. We do this because we know that serving just the children is not enough to help a child succeed. We welcome every opportunity to teach our parents that they are the biggest contributors to their child/children’s success.    Does a better way exist to celebrate our 30th anniversary? Here at South Central LAMP, we think not! Thus, we extend our sincerest gratitude to all our donors who continue to make our work possible. To the next 30 years!

Casa Cornelia Law Center    Carmen M. Chavez, Esq. - Executive Director http://www.casacornelia.org/

This year we celebrate 30 years of service to families from across the globe, those who arrived at our doorstep seeking safety and a better life. As a sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, this anniversary year is a significant milestone for the Law Center, a reminder of our humble beginnings. We are eternally grateful to the Society for meeting the needs of thousands of individuals since 1846, and here in San Diego since 1993. Casa Cornelia Law Center’s committed staff and volunteers continue to serve a growing number of migrants seeking safe havens in the United States. In 2022, those seeking assistance increased by almost 20%. Part of the increase was in response to Afghan asylum seekers through the Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). With little or no time to prepare, these individuals and families fled their home country with no more than the clothes on their backs. We have been working tirelessly alongside volunteer attorneys, interpreters, and translators to help these families achieve legal status. We also saw an increase in families seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, from both Russia and Ukraine. Recently, we secured asylum for a family of six from Russia fleeing political persecution. Because of your generosity, both in donations and prayer, this family now has a future to anticipate with hope and gratitude. We all thank you for making this possible, for one family amidst so many others. You are our blessing, always!

Providence Center    Siria Ana Rivera - Executive Director http://www.providencecentershcj.org/

On December 20th, Providence Center held its annual Christmas Party for our afterschool program, Power Afterschool, for the students and their families. All had an unforgettable time, made possible with generous contributions from our friends at Aramark and Rosemont College. Thanks to our hardworking staff, we celebrated in our community room with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Christmas music, the perfect complement to our tree, could be heard throughout the building. Some of our friends from Aramark joined the festivities, assisting our staff with distributing gifts to our students. Each year, gift-giving is our favorite part of our Christmas Party - nothing compares to the smiling faces of our students as they tear open the wrapping paper and gasp in excitement! Thanks to generous donations, each student received a gift bag filled with toys, books, clothing, and blankets. The room was full of joy, along with hugs exchanged among students, staff, and volunteers. Our celebration concluded with staff and volunteers serving a warm Christmas dinner to all students and family members. We shared a meal as a family – a common theme among Providence Center events. Our staff and students are extremely grateful to our donors, friends, and volunteers for their generosity and for the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season together.

Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus  Casa Cornelia Law Center * Providence Center Co-Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP) *  Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep * Hope Partnership for Education *  Cristo Rey New York High School * Washington School for Girls    ~ ~ ~   Ministry Connections is a monthly publication highlighting ministries sponsored or co-sponsored by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.