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Weekly Round-Up 07/23/21

 

ISPN Official Business 

The next ISPN General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM. Register here. Want to plan ahead for the year? All the meetings for 2021 are listed. Just click the drop-down button to register.

The ISPN Language Access Committee is collecting information about Welcoming Week (Sept. 10-19) Activities. If your organization has any Welcoming Week activities that might serve as opportunities for City and County government stakeholders to connect with the immigrant community and learn more about what service providers offer, please contact the Language Access Committee or Kathryn Koch at kathryn.koch@slu.edu. Sent by Kathryn Koch, ISPN Language Access Committee Chair 

Interested in getting more involved in ISPN? Consider becoming a member of our network. In addition to attending the monthly meetings, members work on focused, collaborative initiatives with other community partners in committees. Contact ISPN Program Manager, Rita Chang (info@ispnstl.org), for more information about membership. Read more about the committees here

  • July 30 (8:30 AM - 9:15 AM) Fundraising Committee Meeting This committee is focused on transparency, engagement, and investment from its membership to sustain ISPN's collaborative work. The committee may be especially relevant to individuals of educational institutions, people who aren't necessarily direct service providers, or community advocates with a passion for seeing collaborative work continue. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.
  • August 12 (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM) Service Providers Committee Meeting. This committee is responsible for addressing emerging needs regarding service provision for immigrant community members as well as facilitating improvement of the General Meeting. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.
  • August 13 (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM) Membership Committee Meeting. This committee provides orientation of new members and engagement of current membership. They also organize a biannual networking happy hour. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.
  • August 19 (8:00 AM - 9:00 AM) Language Access Committee Meeting This committee advocates for language access for the community members with limited-English proficiency by collecting information on language access experiences and providing recommendations to local stakeholders. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.

Committee leads are listed below.

  • Conference Committee: Rita Chang (info@ispnstl.org)
  • Immigrant Family Emergency Response Fund: Rita Chang (info@ispnstl.org)
  • Fundraising Committee: Julie Fox (director@ihelpstl.org)
  • Language Access Committee: Kathryn Koch (kathryn.koch@slu.edu)
  • Membership Committee: Sidee Conteh (sconteh@slcommunityofstl.org)
  • Communications Committee: Eliza Prager (elizapragerot@gmail.com)
  • Vaccine Committee: Meredith Rataj (mrataj@ccstl.org)
  • Service Providers Committee: Marissa Cohen (mcohen@ehoc-stl.org)

Do you have an announcement for the Weekly Round-Up? Email us at info@ispnstl.org. We accept events, resources, job postings, agency updates, and opportunities for engagement. Submissions for the Weekly Round-Up are due at 12:00 PM on Thursdays for release on Friday. Job postings will run for three consecutive weeks and be removed unless specifically noted. All submissions are subject to review.

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News

NEW! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking input from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and AAPI-serving organizations to inform the development of guidance describing best practices for advancing cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the context of the Federal Government's COVID-19 response. All submitted information shall remain with the federal government and will not be returned. All responses will become part of the public record and will not be held confidential. To be assured consideration in the development of best practices guidance, written comments must be submitted and received at http://www.regulations.gov or health@hhs.gov no later than 11:59 PM on August 17. Click here to learn more information. Sent by Poli Rijos, Alive & Well Communities

NEW! Governor Parson announces a new grant program for social service agencies.  A total of $2 million in grant opportunities is being made available to support crime victim service agencies, which have reported increases in service referrals during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding opportunity is expected to open September 1, 2021. Projects may include providing resource assistance to domestic violence service agencies and child advocacy centers and aiding other entities serving victims from vulnerable populations adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on these grant opportunities visit here. Sent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

NEW! The St. Louis Queer & Support Helpline (SQSH) is launching a Needs Assessment Survey for LGBTQIA+ immigrants/refugees and their family, friends, and service providers to complete. The survey will only take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Upon completion of this survey, you will be entered in a raffle for 25 Visa gift cards valued at $10 each. View the English and Spanish surveys. Sent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

Marillac Mission Fund has opened its Fall Responsive and Capacity Building grant cycles for organizations in the St. Louis 16-county region. All applications are due August 1, 2021. For more information, click here. Sent by Michele Mosley, Marillac Mission Fund 

 

Upcoming Events 

NEW! July 22 (10:30 AM - 12:30 PM) The Missouri Historical Society invites you to their Spanish–English bilingual event with multiple activities at the Missouri History Museum. At this event they will bring to life Susan Verde’s book Oye Muŕo: Un Cuento de Arte y Comunidad, with a community art project led by artist Luisa Otero Prada, plus a dance lesson and performance by Ms. Lizett and the ballet folklórico dancers of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Sent by Sal Valadez, LiUNA

NEW! July 26 The Fair Maps Missouri project will be providing two training's in Spanish for creating and submitting community maps which may help with the Missouri redistricting process. Click the link to RSVP to these events. Sent by Meredith Rataj, St. Francis Community Services, ISPN COVID-19 Vaccine Committee Chair

NEW! July 27 (11:00 AM) STL History Live is hosting a virtual event about Mexican migration. Sal Valadez, the diversity, outreach, and marketing representative for LiUNA Midwest Region, leads a conversation about Mexican migration to Missouri and the many contributions the migrants made to the railroad system in the early 20th century. Valadez will talk about the boxcar communities that grew out of the railroad construction industry and offer an intimate look at some of the early roots of our state’s Latino community. Learn more here. Sent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

July 28 St. Louis County forum on building equity in healthcare St. Louis County is holding a series of meetings (dates are attached) to develop an Equity Plan to include an immigrant Welcoming Plan. For more information, click here. If you would like to present for 5 minutes about changes the County could make to become more equitable in these areas: healthcare, police/EMS, housing or education, email TheEquityPlan@stlouiscountymo.gov or Kathryn Koch, Language Access Committee Chair at kathryn.koch@slu.edu. Additional forums are upcoming: Building Equity in Policing and Fire Service (August 25th), Building Equity in Housing (September 29th), Building Equity in Education (October 27th), Building Equity in the Community (November 24th), A Welcoming Plan as Equity in Action (TBD), and St. Louis County as a Change Agent (January 26th). Sent by Kathryn Koch, ISPN Language Access Committee Chair

NEW! July 29 (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM) The Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hosting a webinar on the mental health impact of COVID-19 among minority populations. Speakers will discuss programs, resources, and best practices to help minorities access services and debunk mental health myths. This is also any opportunity to learn more about the signs, symptoms, and impact of trauma, and strategies to maintain mental wellness, plus more. If you would like to join this webinar click the link. Sent by Sal Valadez, LiUNA

July 30 (8:30 AM - 9:15 AM) ISPN Fundraising Committee Meeting This committee is focused on transparency, engagement, and investment from its membership to sustain this collaborative work. The committee may be especially relevant to individuals of educational institutions, people who aren't necessarily direct service providers, or community advocates with a passion for seeing collaborative work continue. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.

NEW! August 1 (4:30 PM - 6:00 PM) Welcome Neighbor STL will be hosting a drive-through dinner event to celebrate National Friendship Day at STL Foodworks in the Central West End. The menu will feature delicious African and Creole cuisine. For more information and to sign up to attend or volunteer, please check out their event page here. Sent by Nicole Kriesel, Welcome STL Neighbor

NEW! August 2 The Fair Maps Missouri project will be providing two training's in Spanish for creating and submitting community maps which may help with the Missouri redistricting process. Click the link to RSVP to these events. Sent by Meredith Rataj, St. Francis Community Services, ISPN COVID-19 Vaccine Committee Chair

August 4 - 6 Saint Louis Racial Equity Virtual Summit. The Summit is designed to build on the success of the inaugural summit in 2019 when over 500 advocates for equity gathered together. This year, the event will move to a virtual platform, allowing more people to participate in sessions while adhering to safe gathering policies. Learn more and register hereSent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

NEW! August 7 (10 AM - 2 PM) 3930 South Broadway, Affinia Healthcare will be hosting a Back to School event which will include school supplies, COVID-19 vaccines (for adults and children 12 and older), school physicals, immunizations and other resources will be provided. A parent or guardian must be present to consent for exams and vaccines for children, by appointment only. All participants must wear face masks. View the flyers for more details English and Spanish. For more information, and any questions call 314-814-8737. Sent by Yvonne M. Buhlinger, Affinia Healthcare Foundation

August 12 (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM) ISPN Service Providers Committee Meeting This committee is responsible for addressing emerging needs regarding service provision for immigrant community members. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.

August 13 (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM) ISPN Membership Committee Meeting This committee provides orientation of new members and engagement of current membership. They also organize a biannual networking happy hour. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.

August 19 (8:00 AM - 9:00 AM) ISPN Language Access Committee Meeting This committee advocates for language access for the community members with limited-English proficiency by collecting information on language access experiences and providing recommendations to local stakeholders. For the Zoom details, email info@ispnstl.org.

September 18 - Registration is open for the foreign language court interpreter certification written test. The Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA) is offering court interpreter testing in Jefferson City. The written test will be offered to individuals who have completed orientation.The test begins promptly at 8:30 AM Absolutely NO ONE will be allowed to enter the testing room once the test has begun. NO EXCEPTIONS. Candidates are allowed three hours and fifteen minutes for the exam. The translation tests are sent out of state for scoring and results will not be known for several weeks. If you are taking the multiple choice portion only, there is no fee. If you are taking the written translation only or the written translation and multiple choice, the fee is $25.00 for Spanish; $50 for Bosnian, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin and Portuguese; and $75 for French, Russian, Somali and Vietnamese, and $100 for Arabic. Cost for all other languages will be determined upon request. View registration form here, and more helpful information here. For any questions or concerns contact Tara Smith at Tara.Smith@courts.mo.gov, or call  573-522-2616. Sent by Tara Smith, OSCA

 

Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities

The Missouri Office of Refugee Administration (MO-ORA) is hiring for an Eligibility and Compliance Specialist. The Eligibility and Compliance Specialist is responsible for eligibility determination for MO Refugee Program services, coordinating with local implementation partners, training and technical assistance support, data collection and management, quality assurance and additional tasks as needed. Bachelor's degree or 3 years of experience is required. This position is non-managerial but rather administrative support. Experience in working in refugee services preferred. Interested? Apply here. Sent by Chelsey Butchereit, USCRI

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County is hiring for two positions. They are looking a Customer Relations Specialist for their Community Based programs and an Enrollment and Match Support Specialist for their School Based Programs. Both positions require fluent bilingual Spanish/English applicants. Learn more and apply hereSent by Poli Rijos, Alive & Well Communities

The International Institute Community Development Corporation is looking for a VISTA member to manage and expand the New American Alliance database, as well as launch community engagement efforts. For more information contact Jacquelyn Ballard at ballardj@iistl.org. Apply hereSent by Jacquelyn Ballard, International Institute

Interfaith Partnership STL is hiring for the part-time role of Executive Administrator. The Executive Administrator will be working in close cooperation to coordinate, oversee, and implement all aspects of operations of Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis. The position will involve working an average of 20 hours per week. Interested? For more information, click hereSent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

The Gateway Region YMCA is seeking volunteers to be reading tutors. Tutoring takes place once a week through Zoom. Sign up here. Please email Michelle Peeler (michelle.peeler@gwrymca.org) with any questions. Sent by Michelle Peeler, Gateway Region YMCA

LifeWise STL is hiring an Economic Wellness Administrative Assistant and a Financial Social Worker. Read more about these positions here. Sent by Natalie Gemberling Webb, LifeWise STL

The Immigrant Home English Learning Program (IHELP) is looking for a fall intern to assist the program in various areas, including teaching English one on one, assessing students life-skills & doing general check-ins, and recruiting new volunteers. For more information on this position, contact Julie Fox director@ihelpstl.org. Sent by Julie Fox, IHELP, ISPN Chair

The Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being is seeking volunteer support with virtual convenings and their Welcome Desk.  For more information visit hereSent by Rita Chang, IFCLA, ISPN Program Manager

 
 

Immigrant Service Providers Network (ISPN)
5021 Adkins Ave., Room 122 | St. Louis, Missouri  63116
314.721.2977 | info@ispnstl.org

www.ispnstl.org

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