Outono 2014 - Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers
Transcrição
Outono 2014 - Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers
Voz da Comunidade MAPS Announces the 2015 Gala Award Recipients Five outstanding individuals with diverse backgrounds will be honored at the MAPS 2015 Awards Gala, to take place April 18, 2015, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. They were selected by MAPS Board and staff after an intensive review of many nominations submitted by community members and MAPS representatives. The awards include: MAPS Person of the Year Award: Joseph Curtatone, Mayor of Somerville, for supporting many pro-immigrant measures and showing great concern for the safety, health and well-being of his constituents, including immigrants, low-income people, elderly and others. Mayor Curtatone has also led extensive city revitalization, and supported MAPS’ ability to maintain a Somerville office through continuation of our longterm, affordable city lease in the old fire station in Union Square. MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award: Antonio (Tony) Alves, Tony's Barbershop in Dorchester, for the innovative Mayor Curtatone initiative of hosting MAPS outreach and testing hundreds of men for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in his barbershop. He also hosted a MAPS White Ribbon Day event last spring and helped involve soccer players in the fight against domestic violence. In this issue: MAPS Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award: Natalícia Tracy, Executive Director of Annual Meeting (page 2) Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period (page 3) the Brazilian Immigrants Center (BIC), for her outstanding leadership on behalf of workers’ rights and her major contributions toward successful efforts in getting the state Legislature to pass the first Domestic Workers Bill of Rights this past year. BIC has flourished under her leadership and has renewed its partnership with MAPS. Framingham Office New Hours (page 3) Domestic Violence Awareness Month (page 4) Goodbye to Adélia Lopes (page 5) Adult Family Care Program (page 5) Fuel Assistance (page 5) Joe Chaves Walk (page 5) ARTIGOS EM PORTUGUÊS – páginas 6 a 8 AND MUCH MORE! Antonio Alves Joel Schwartz MAPS Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award: Joel Schwartz, for his passionate advocacy and longtime support for the Natalicia Tracy Cabo Verdean community. Mr. Schwartz has been a member of the Board of CVC UNIDO since March 2007 and an active volunteer since 2004. He has a 30-year history of organizing and a 24-year history in community-based lending and financial services. He has worked in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood in Dorchester for the past 20 years, across three jobs, and is a founder and organizer of the Cape Verdean-Jewish Passover Seder. MAPS Álvaro Lima Outstanding Business Award: Rui Domingos, CEO of the Naveo Credit Union, for the outstanding success and innovation of this financial institution, which recently changed its name from CPCU Credit Union to be more inclusive and to reflect the broader audience it has served throughout the years. Mr. Domingos has been an incredible community leader, putting the Credit Union in the forefront of many new initiatives, including interest-free loans for Citizenship applications (Dreamer Loans) in collaboration with MAPS (find out more about it on page 3). Rui Domingos More information on the MAPS Gala and awards can be found at www.maps-inc.org/events/annualgala/2015-gala/, or by calling (617) 864-7600. Watch for more Gala-related news soon! President Obama’s Administrative Action on Immigration—page 5 Ação Administrativa do Presidente Obama sobre Imigração—página 6 VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 2 MAPS Celebrates a Year of Growth at October Annual Meeting MAPS served more than 10,000 clients during the 2014 Fiscal Year (July 1st, 2013 to June 30th, 2014). The number represents a 16% increase in comparison with the previous Fiscal Year, and that was just one of the many major accomplishments we celebrated in our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 28, at our Cambridge office. For the first time, we finished the fiscal year with revenues of over $3 million. The MAPS Endowment Fund also achieved a substantial milestone, surpassing $320,000 to continue to build the MAPS legacy for the many years to come. This was only possible with the tireless dedication of our Board, staff, funders, donors and other supporters, including many outstanding volunteers who were honored with certificates during the Annual Meeting. Executive Director Paulo Pinto, MPA, A number of Board and staff members who have served MAPS were also honored speaking at the Annual Meeting for significant numbers of years, including Director of Development and Communications Lois Josimovich, and Supervising Case Worker Maria Matos, who celebrated 25 years of service to MAPS. Some of MAPS’ many other accomplishments last fiscal year included: Assisting nearly 400 US citizenship applicants; Helping approximately 500 people enroll in health insurance and educating 400 more on health insurance coverage; Educating more than 2,000 individuals about HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), providing counseling and testing to almost 600 high-risk Portuguese speakers, and starting free weekly health walk-in clinics at 4 offices; Expanding Child and Family Support Services to include In-Home Therapy for children and families; Preventing isolation for 120 seniors who attended our Senior Center activities; Assisting 340 victims/survivors of Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault with support services and educating an additional 1,500 people; Supporting 3,500 immigrants in their integration process by helping them meet their basic daily needs for housing, employment, health, legal and education services, public benefits and more; and Holding a successful 2014 Awards Gala, which raised $130,000 to support MAPS services. Board Updates ►At the Annual Meeting on Oct. 28, MAPS members unanimously re-elected three current Board Members—Elizabeth Chaves, Raymond Estrella and Alexandra Barker—to new 3-year terms. MAPS also thanked outgoing Board member Tina Silva for her years of dedicated service. In the summer, the Board also welcomed new member Patricia de Oliveira, of Brazil, who has worked as a Citizenship Services Coordinator, Interpreter, Translator and ESOL Teaching Assistant at Centro Latino in Chelsea since 2012. She also worked previously on immigration and international adoption issues for former Sen. John Kerry, now US Secretary of State, and handled immigrant student issues at the Mass. Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. Patricia de Oliveira Staff Updates ►Our warmest welcome to new staffers Milena Mello, MS, Director of the MAPS HIV/STI Prevention & Screening Services; Álvaro Santo, Men’s Health Educator; and Claudinei de Souza, Framingham Immigrant Case Worker. Monia Bodenmueller, MA, switched from Sexual Assault Program Counselor to Family & Child Social Worker; Natalia Fernandes switched from Outreach Caregiver Coordinator to Program & Intake Coordinator; and Renan Leahy was promoted from Communications Coordinator to Communications Manager earlier this year. Recent Funding Announcements -Many thanks to our funders for their ongoing support! New and continuing funding since the last newsletter include: MA Executive Office of Public Safety/VAWA and the Mass. Dept. of Public Health, for Domestic Violence Services; United Way of Mass. Bay & Merrimack Valley for general operating support; Rockefeller Philanthropies/JB Fernandes Trust, as well as Charles H. Farnsworth Trust and Project Bread/Walk for Hunger, for Elder Services; the Massachusetts Health Connector for Health Insurance Outreach & Enrollment Assistance; the City of Somerville for Lead Hazard Community Outreach & Intake; the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust, for Rental Housing Case Management in Somerville; Broadway Cares, for HIV/AIDS Case Management; Boston, Cambridge and Somerville CDBG, for Immigrant Integration Services; and Fish Family Foundation/Greater Boston Citizenship Initiative as well as the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants for continuing funding for Citizenship Assistance. Voz da Comunidade is a twice-yearly publication of MAPS. Please contact us at (617) 864-7600 or email [email protected]: Voz da Comunidade é uma publicação semestral da MAPS. MAPS Executive Director (Diretor Executivo) Paulo Pinto; Dir. Of Development & Communications (Dir. de Desenvolvimento e Comunicações) Lois Josimovich; Editor Renan Leahy. Deadlines for newsletter submissions: 4/15,10/15. If you prefer to receive only the electronic version of our Newsletter, please send an email to [email protected]. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 3 Don’t Miss the 2015 Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period! MAPS is helping many area residents to successfully enroll in health insurance programs during the second Open Enrollment Period, which began on November 15th throughout the US. Everyone who is in Massachusetts Health Connector coverage or was placed in temporary plans over the last year will need to submit a new application if they want insurance coverage through the state. In October, we joined the Health Connector for a press conference in our Somerville office to explain the enrollment period. MAPS is one of 16 organizations in Massachusetts contracted by the Connector this year to provide free Navigator assistance to anyone seeking health insurance during the enrollment period, which remains open until Feb. 15, 2015. On Nov. 15 th, the MAPS Cambridge Office was open on a Saturday to assist clients who were eager to get health care coverage on the first day of the Open Enrollment Period. MAPS has trained staff (Navigators) available to help you complete your application for free at five of our six offices. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call us in Cambridge, (617) 864-7600; Brighton, (617) 787-0557; DorchesMAPS and MA Health Connector staff, during the Open Enrollment Press Conference in Somerville ter, (617) 825-5897; Lowell, (978) 970-1250; or Framingham, (508) 872-2652. Make sure to get insurance coverage in 2015! MAPS Continues to Offer Citizenship & Health Days at all Offices You can also get assistance applying for health insurance coverage during one of the MAPS Citizenship & Health Days, a series of special free events where our staff also provides US Citizenship Clinics for naturalization information and application assistance. Citizenship applicants must pre-register, go through an eligibility screening, and present a list of documents, which you can obtain by calling our offices. MAPS has been holding Citizenship & Health Days throughout the year as part of the Greater Boston Citizenship Initiative, a collaboration of community partners funded by a grant from the Fish Family Foundation. We also offer citizenship assistance and health insurance enrollment on a regular basis, along with other services, at all of our offices in Greater Boston, Lowell and Framingham. MAPS Partners with Naveo Credit Union to Offer Interest-Free Loans to Citizenship Applicants Framingham Office New Operating Hours MAPS has partnered with Naveo Credit Union to offer a special loan to allow low-income US citizenship applicants to submit their paperwork. The interest-free microloan titled the Dreamer Loan provides local immigrants who are legal permanent residents with the financing they need to make their citizenship dreams a reality. Our Framingham office, located at 24 Union Avenue, suites 8 & 10, is now open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9 am to 7 pm, to assist clients with citizenship applications and health insurance enrollment, as well as referrals to other services. The federal N-400 application fee is $680 per applicant and must be paid upfront when the application is submitted. The Dreamer Loan will feature ten easy monthly payments of $70 each and is available for individuals with and without credit. For more information on how to apply, please contact Elizabeth Cabral at (617) 702-5143. To schedule an appointment, please call (508) 872-2652. On Wednesdays, the office hosts free walk-in Health Clinics from 4 to 6 pm with HIV/AIDS prevention and screening for men. MAPS OFFICES (ESCRITÓRIOS DA MAPS) : CAMBRIDGE (617) 864-7600 SOMERVILLE (617) 764-2091 BRIGHTON (617) 787-0557 DORCHESTER (617) 825-5897 LOWELL (978) 970-1250 FRAMINGHAM (508) 872-2652 VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 4 MAPS Marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month with Activities and Displays Cambridge display The MAPS offices in Cambridge, Dorchester and Lowell were all covered in signs and displays in October to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). “Say NO to violence and YES to love,” reads one of the T-shirts hand-painted and hand-inscribed by MAPS clients, hung on a clothesline at our Lowell Office. The very personal, dramatic messages on those shirts reveal the perspectives of people who struggled to overcome abuse, and with support from the MAPS Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services Program, have started new lives. MAPS Program staff organized and participated in several activities marking DVAM in the Greater Boston and Lowell areas. The agency offers free and confidential support to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors with funding from the US Office on Violence Against Women, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF), Massachusetts Executive Lowell clothesline Office of Public Safety VAWA funds, Lowell Police Dept., and the TJX Foundation. For more information, please call (617) 864-7600 or visit www.maps-inc.org. Immigration Attorney Educates Community at MAPS Lowell Office Immigration attorney Nelson Brill (center) held two successful special presentations this fall at our Lowell office. He spoke and answered questions from community members on all topics regarding immigration, with the help of an interpreter. State Rep. Carvalho Visits Dorchester Office MAPS’ Dorchester Office was honored this summer with a visit from recently elected state Representative Evandro Carvalho (center). We look forward to working with Rep. Carvalho to address issues important to our community in the Dorchester area. Dorchester display Secretary Luis Cabral Visits MAPS in Cambridge The Azorean Regional Health Secretary Dr. Luis Cabral (the tallest in the picture) honored MAPS this fall with a visit to our Cambridge office. He learned more about MAPS services and programs, got to know better the large Portuguese-speaking community in Massachusetts, and laughed with our seniors at the Senior Center! MAPS Offers Free Walk-in Health Clinics at 4 Offices At MAPS free clinics, visitors can privately see one of our professional health educators for counseling and to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The HIV test results take only 10 minutes, and, as an example of all other STI testing, are strictly confidential. Clients get full support and guidance from MAPS Health Educators, including accompaniment to hospital appointments. No appointment scheduling is needed, but clients can still do so if they prefer by calling one of the offices where the clinics occur. The calendar of the Free Clinics is as follows: MAPS also provides Case Management for those living with HIV/AIDS. The MAPS HIV/STI Prevention and Screening Services are funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 5 President Obama’s Administrative Action on Immigration Following up on President Barack Obama’s announcement of an Executive Action on Immigration, MAPS partnered with the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI), the Brazilian Immigrant Center (BIC), the Brazilian Women’s Group (BWG), and CVC Unido to offer free informational sessions to educate the community members about who is going to be eligible to benefit from it and the next steps to be taken. Deferred Action Summary This Summary was prepared the Massachusetts Immigrants and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) Deferred action is a temporary protection from deportation. Through it, a person is authorized to remain in the United States temporarily and to receive employment authorization. A grant of deferred action does not provide a path to lawful permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) The Deferred Action Memo calls on USCIS to establish a process, similar to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, for granting deferred action to individuals who: Have, as of November 20, 2014, a son or daughter of any age, who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; Have continuously resided in the United States since before January 1, 2010; Are physically present in the United States on November 20, 2014, and at the time of making a DAPA request; Have no lawful status on November 20, 2014; Are not an enforcement priority, defined as: people suspected of terrorism, gang associations, and people convicted of felonies, aggravated felonies, significant misdemeanors, or three or more misdemeanors; and Present no other factors that would cause USCIS to deny the request in its exercise of discretion. The DAPA process shall be available to people with final orders of removal who meet the above criteria. Applicants must pay a $465 filing fee and submit to biometrics. As with DACA, there will be a very limited fee exemption and no fee waivers. Those who receive deferred action under the DAPA program will receive employment authorization for a threeyear period. USCIS will begin accepting applications for DAPA by May 19, 2015. The Deferred Action Memo applies to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Those agencies are instructed to exercise discretion for individuals who meet the DAPA criteria, including individuals in immigration custody, in removal proceedings, or whom ICE or CBP encounters. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) The Deferred Action Memo makes three major modifications to the DACA program: It removes the age cap. The Deferred Action Memo eliminates the requirement that an individual be under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012. The start date for the continuous residence period is advanced from June 15, 2007 to January 1, 2010. At this time, to be eligible for DACA an individual must have resided in the United States continuously from January 1, 2010 up to the present. DACA grants will now last three years instead of two. Effective November 24, 2014, all first-time DACA approvals as well as all DACA renewals shall be effective for three years instead of two. USCIS will begin accepting applications under the new criteria by February 18, 2015. Although the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released some information about these programs, we expect DHS will produce detailed explanations and instructions in the coming months. Visit www.uscis.gov and http://www.adminrelief.org/ for more information. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 6 Ação Administrativa do Presidente Obama sobre Imigração Após o anúncio do Presidente Barack Obama de uma Ordem Executiva sobre Imigração, a MAPS firmou parceria com o Gabinete para Refugiados e Imigrantes do governo estadual (ORI, na sigla em inglês), o Centro do Imigrante Brasileiro (CIB), CVC Unido e o Grupo Mulher Brasileira (GMB) para, juntos, oferecerem uma série de sessões informativas para tirar as dúvidas da comunidade sobre quem pode se beneficiar e quais os próximos passos a serem tomados. Resumo da Ação Deferida Preparado pela Massachusetts Immigrants and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) Ação Deferida é uma proteção temporária contra deportação. Através dela, a pessoa fica autorizada a permanecer nos Estados Unidos temporariamente, com autorização de trabalho. A concessão da Ação Deferida não é um caminho para o status de residente permanente ou para a cidadania americana. Ação Deferida por Responsabilidade Paternal (DAPA, na sigla em inglês) O Memorando da Ação Deferida manda que o Departamento de Imigração (USCIS) estabeleça um processo semelhante ao do DACA, garantindo ação deferida para pessoas que: Tenham, no dia 20 de novembro de 2014, um filho ou filha de qualquer idade que seja um cidadão Americano ou residente permanente; Tenham morado nos Estados Unidos continuamente desde antes de 1º de janeiro de 2010; Estavam fisicamente presentes nos Estados Unidos no dia 20 de novembro de 2014 e estarão também quando derem entrada no pedido de ação deferida; Não tenham status legal em 20 de novembro de 2014; Não se enquadrem entre as prioridades para deportação, que são: suspeitos de terrorismo, associação com gangues, pessoas condenadas por delitos, delinquência significante ou três ou mais casos de delinquência; e Não apresentem nenhum outro fator que possa levar o USCIS a negar o pedido no exercício do seu arbítrio. O processo da DAPA deve estar disponível para pessoas com ordens finais de remoção que se enquadrem nos critérios apresentados acima. A taxa para dar entrada no processo é de $465, e os requerentes deverão passar por exames biométricos. As pessoas que tiverem seus pedidos aprovados receberão autorização de trabalho por um período de três anos. O USCIS deve começar a receber os pedidos antes do dia 19 de maio de 2015. O Memorando de Ação Deferida é compartilhado com o Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) e o Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Essas agências foram instruídas a usar o seu arbítrio para pessoas que se enquadrem nos critérios da DAPA, incluindo aqueles sob custódia de agentes de imigração ou em processo de deportação, ou que o ICE ou CBP encontrem. Ação Deferida por Chegada na Infância (DACA, na sigla em inglês) O Memorando de Ação Deferida faz três grandes modificações ao programa DACA: Acaba com o limite máximo de idade. O Memorando de Ação Deferida elimina a exigência de que o solicitante tivesse menos que 31 anos no dia 15 de junho de 2012. A data de início de permanência contínua passou de 15 de junho de 2007 para 1º de janeiro de 2010. Agora, para que o solicitante possa ser beneficiado pelo programa, precisa ter estado continuamente no país desde 1º de janeiro de 2010 até o presente. A proteção pelo programa passa a durar três anos, ao invés de dois. A partir de 24 de novembro de 2014, todos os pedidos aprovados e renovados do DACA terão duração de três anos. O USCIS vai começar a receber os pedidos de acordo com os novos critérios antes de 18 de fevereiro de 2015, Apesar de o Departamento de Segurança Nacional (Department of Homeland Security, DHS) tir divulgado algumas informações sobre esses programas, espera-se que mais detalhes e instruções sejam divulgados nos próximos meses. Acesse www.uscis.gov e http://www.adminrelief.org/ para mais informações. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 7 MAPS Hosts Luncheon for Family and Friends of Adélia Lopes Mrs. Adélia Lopes, our wonderful, loving volunteer and dear friend, passed away on Tuesday, October 28. Although we are all very sad, we can take comfort in knowing that she is in a much better place, resting in peace. She has been very sick and suffering for the past few years. Many family members and friends of the late Adélia Lopes participated in a luncheon reception hosted by MAPS on October 30, at the agency’s Cambridge Senior Center, where she served for many years as a volunteer. The reception took place after Mrs. Lopes’ funeral services, and was a celebration of the loving and caring person she was Adélia Lopes throughout her life. Many pictures of her with her friends from MAPS and the Senior Center were posted on the walls, representing the 30+ years of her generous dedication to the agency, where she previously also served as an active Board member. Mrs. Lopes’ family took the opportunity to invite anybody who can to contribute in her memory to the Adélia Lopes Endowment Fund, created four years ago on the occasion of her 80th birthday, to support the Senior Center. Please call (617) 864-7600 for more information on how to contribute. We love you, Sra. Adélia, and will always remember you. Thank you for making such a wonderful difference in so many people’s lives. MAPS Enrolls Clients and Caregivers in Adult Family Care Program MAPS is enrolling clients and caregivers in the new MassHealth Adult Family Care (AFC) program. The AFC is a vital program that helps seniors and disabled youngsters who need assistance with daily activities while living in a supportive family environment. The MAPS program, funded by SomervilleCambridge Elder Services, benefits both the clients and the caregivers: The client has the opportunity to live with a trained caregiver who provides daily care, meal preparation, as well as assistance with personal care and medical needs. The program is available for MassHealth eligible individuals 16+ who are unable to live on their own due to a chronic medical or psychiatric diagnosis, requiring assistance with at least one activity of daily living. For the caregivers, the benefits include a tax-free stipend of up to $18,550 and two weeks of annual respite relief with pay. The caregiver will live with the client and can be a friend or family member, except for spouses or the client’s legal guardian. For more information about the program or to schedule an appointment, please call Natalia Fernandes at (617) 864-7600. Joe Chaves Walk/Run Dozens of individuals joined the MAPS Team for the 3rd Annual Joe Chaves 5K Memorial Walk/Run on Sept. 28th in Somerville, Cambridge and Charlestown. Funds raised by the Walk, which is sponsored by the Joe & Dorothy Chaves Foundation, help support scholarships and programs for the community at MAPS and at Bunker Hill Community College. Summer Festivals MAPS joined the community to celebrate our pride, culture and roots at several events this summer with perfect weather, great music, delicious food and hundreds of friends and neighbors. Boston Pride Parade Portuguese Parade Cabo Verdean Indep. Festival Brazilian Independence Festival MAPS Offers Help With Fuel Assistance Applications MAPS provides free help with Fuel Assistance applications for Portuguese speakers by appointment at our offices in Cambridge/Somerville (617) 864-7600, Brighton (617) 787-0557, Dorchester 617) 825-5897 and Lowell (978) 970-1250. The program runs until April 30th and is available to any family or individual within the income guidelines. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE— FALL 2014 Page 8 MAPS Anuncia Homenageados da Festa de Gala 2015 Cinco pessoas de destaque com históricos diversos serão homenageados na Festa de Gala 2015 da MAPS, a ser realizada no dia 18 de abril de 2015, no Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Eles foram selecionados após um intenso processo de revisão das várias indicações enviadas pela comunidade. Prêmio MAPS Pessoa do Ano: Joe Curtatone, Prefeito/Presidente da Cámara de Somerville, por ter apoiado muitas medidas pró-imigrantes e demonstrado grande preocupação com a segurança, saúde e bem-estar de seus constituintes, inclusive imigrantes, pessoas de baixa renda, idosos e outros. Curtatone comandou uma ampla revitalização de Somerville e apoiou a continuação do longo contrato de aluguel a preços módicos do nosso escritório na Union Square. Prêmio MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Voluntário de Destaque: Antonio (Tony) Alves, Tony's Barbershop em Dorchester, pela inovadora iniciativa de abrir as portas para a MAPS oferecer informações e testes de HIV e outras doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (DSTs) a centenas de homens. Prêmio MAPS Jorge Fidalgo de Serviço Comunitário: Natalicia Tracy, Diretora Executiva do Centro do Imigrante Brasileiro (CIB), por sua grande liderança na luta pelos direitos dos trabalhadores e seus esforços para convencer os legisladores estaduais a aprovarem a Lei dos Direitos dos Trabalhadores Domésticos neste ano. O CIB cresceu sob sua liderança e renovou sua parceria com a MAPS. Prêmio MAPS Mary & Manuel Rogers de Vida Dedicada ao Serviço Comunitário: Joel Schwartz, por seu entusiasmado apoio à comunidade cabo-verdiana. Joel Schwartz é integrante da Diretoria do CVC UNIDO desde março de 2007, e um voluntário ativo desde 2004. Ele trabalha há 20 anos na região do Upham’s Corner, em Dorchester, e é o fundador e organizador da Páscoa Judaico-Cabo-verdiana, que este ano reuniu 200 pessoas. Prêmio MAPS Álvaro Lima Empresa de Destaque: Rui Domingos, CEO da Naveo Credit Union, pelo enorme sucesso e inovação dessa instituição finaceira, que recentemente mudou o seu nome de CPCU Credit Union para se tornar mais inclusiva e refletir o público mais amplo que vem atendendo com o passar dos anos. Domingos vem sendo um grande líder na comunidade, colocando a Naveo Credit Union numa posição de destaque em muitas colaborações, inclusive no “Dreamer Loan,” empréstimos sem juros para naturalização, em pareceira com a MAPS. Mais informações sobre a Festa de Gala da MAPS estão disponíveis na página www.maps-inc.org/PT/events/annualgala/2015-gala/, ou pelo telefone (617) 864-7600. Fique de olho! Mais novidades sobre a Festa de Gala em breve. MAPS Marca o Mês de Conscientização sobre Violência Doméstica Ajuda para Os escritórios da MAPS em Cambridge, Dorchester e Lowell estiveram cobertos com sinais e materiais educativos em outubro, para marcar o Mês de Conscientização sobre Violência Doméstica (DVAM, na sigla em inglês). “Diga NÃO à violência e SIM ao amor,” dizia uma das camisetas pintadas e escritas a mão por clientes da MAPS, penduradas num varal no escritório de Lowell. As mensagens pessoais e dramáticas nas camisetas revelam a perspectiva de pessoas que sofreram para superar o abuso, e que, com o apoio do Serviço de Combate à Violência Doméstica e Sexual da MAPS, começaram uma nova vida. Aquecimento As funcionárias do programa da MAPS organizaram e participaram de atividades pelo DVAM na região metropolitana de Boston e em Lowell. A agência oferece apoio gratuito e confidencial a sobreviventes de violência doméstica ou sexual. Para mais informações, ligue para (617) 864-7600 ou acesse www.maps-inc.org. A MAPS oferece um serviço gratuito de ajuda no preenchimento dos formulários de pedido de ajuda financeira para custos com aquecimento. Ligue para a MAPS em Cambridge (617) 864-7600, Brighton (617) 7870557, Dorchester 617) 8255897 ou Lowell (978) 970-1250 para mais informações ou para agendar um horário de atendimento. O programa vale até 30 de abril de 2015. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE— FALL 2014 Page 9 MAPS Comemora um Ano de Crescimento em Reunião Anual A MAPS atendeu mais de 10.000 clientes no Ano Fiscal de 2014, um crescimento de 16% em comparação com Ano Fiscal anterior. Esta foi apenas uma das grandes realizações que comemoramos na Reunião Anual no dia 28 de outubro, em nosso escritório de Cambridge. Pela primeira vez, nós concluímos o ano fiscal com receitas de mais de $3 milhões. O Fundo Especial de Doações da MAPS também alcançou um marco substancial, ultrapassando $320,000 para continuar a construir um legado da MAPS por muitos anos. Isso só foi possível com o trabalho incansável da Diretoria, dos funcionários, fundações financiadoras, pessoas e empresas que fizeram doações e outros membros da comunidade, incluindo muitos voluntários, que foram homenageados com certificados durante a reunião. Alguns membros da Diretoria e do quadro de Voluntários receberam certificados funcionários por números significativos de anos de serviço, incluindo a Diretora de Desenvolvimento e Comunicações Lois Josimovich e a Assistente Social Supervisora Maria Matos, que comemoraram 25 anos na MAPS. Peça uma cópia do Relatório Anual da MAPS 2014, disponível em todos os nossos escritórios, ou acesse www.maps-inc.org/PT/news/annual-report/. MAPS se Une à Naveo Credit Union para Oferecer Empréstimos a Candidatos à Cidadania Americana A MAPS firmou parceria com a Naveo Credit Union para oferecer um empréstimo especial para ajudar pessoas de baixa renda em busca de naturalização, a fim de que possam pagar as despesas do processo, de $680 por pessoa. O empréstimo, chamado de Dreamer Loan, não cobra juros, e os clientes pagam apenas $70 por mês para quitarem a dívida. Para mais informações, ligue para Elizabeth Cabral at (617) 702-5143. Novos Horários de Atendimento em Framingham Nosso escritório em Framingham, localizado na 24 Union Avenue, salas 8 & 10, agora funciona às segundas, quintas e sextas-feiras, das 9 da manhã às 7 da noite, para ajudar clientes com pedidos de naturalização e inscrição em seguro de saúde, além de encaminhamento para outros serviços. Para agendar um horário, ligue para (508) 872-2652. Às quartas-feiras, das 4 às 6 da tarde, o escritório sedia clínicas de saúde gratuitas para homens, com testes de HIV/AIDS e outras doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. MAPS Inscreve Clientes e Cuidadores no Programa de Cuidados Familiares para Adultos do MassHealth A MAPS está inscrevendo clientes e cuidadores no novo Programa de Cuidados Familiares para Adultos (Adult Family Care, ou AFC) do MassHealth. O AFC é um programa vital voltado para idosos e jovens com deficiência que dependam de assistência em atividades rotineiras, garantindo-lhes o amparo de um ambiente familiar no lugar onde moram. O programa da MAPS, que é financiado pelo Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, oferece benefícios tanto para os clientes quanto para os cuidadores: • O cliente tem a oportunidade de morar com um cuidador treinado que oferece cuidados diários, preparação de refeições, bem como assistência com cuidados pessoais e medicos. O programa está disponível para pessoas com 16 anos ou mais que sejam incapazes de viver sozinhas e que tenham sido diagnosticadas com problemas médicos ou psicológicos crônicos, precisando de ajuda em pelo menos uma atividade diária. O cliente também precisa estar qualificado para o MassHealth. • Para os cuidadores, os benefícios incluem um salário anual de até $18,550, isento de impostos, e duas semanas de férias pagas anuais. O cuidador irá morar com o cliente e pode ser um amigo ou parente, exceto cônjuge ou guardião legal. Para mais informações sobre o programa ou para agendar um atendimento, ligue para Natalia Fernandes no número (617) 864-7600. VOZ DA COMUNIDADE—FALL 2014 Page 10 Não Perca o Período de Inscrição em Seguro de Saúde para 2015! A MAPS tem ajudado muitos clientes a inscreverem-se em Seguros de Saúde neste segundo Período de Inscrições, que se iniciou no dia 15 de novembro em todo o país. Todas as pessoas que tenham seguro pelo Health Connector ou que foram inscritas em planos temporários terão que enviar um novo requerimento se quiserem cobertura do estado. Em outubro, nós nos juntamos ao Massachusetts Health Connector para uma entrevista coletiva em nosso escritório de Somerville para explicar o funcionamento do sistema. A MAPS é uma das 16 organizações de Massachusetts contratada pelo Connector neste ano para prestar assistência gratuita para todos os que procuram Seguros de Saúde durante o período de inscrição, que permanecerá ativo até fevereiro de 2015. No sábado, dia 15 de Novembro, o escritório de Cambridge da MAPS esteve aberto para ajudar os clientes que estavam ansiosos por se inscreverem em planos de saúde no primeiro dia do período de inscrições. A MAPS tem funcionários treinados (Navigators) à disposição para ajudálo(a) a preencher o formulário gratuitamente em cinco de nossos seis escritórios. Nos também atendemos clientes em busca de seguro de saúde durante os Dias de Cidadania e Saúde da MAPS. Para mais informações ou para agendar um horário de atendimento, ligue para nós em Cambridge, (617) 864-7600; Brighton, (617) 787-0557; Dorchester, (617) 825-5897; Lowell, (978) 970-1250; ou Framingham, (508) 872-2652. Não fique sem seguro de saúde em 2015! Dulce Almeida Ferreira, Dir. dos Serviços de Integração de Imigrantes e do Prog. de Violência Doméstica e Sexual da MAPS www.maps-inc.org Cambridge, MA 02139 1046 Cambridge St. Portuguese Speakers community in partnership with Massachusetts Alliance of Serving the Portuguese-speaking MAPS Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 56858 Boston, MA
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