Napa Valley Register- Catholic Charities receives grant for citizenship education

The Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, a nonprofit serving six northern California counties, has been awarded a $249,229 grant by the Department of Homeland Security to double its free citizenship education classes in Sonoma and Napa counties over the next two years.

The grant will provide for two additional 18-week citizenship preparation and literacy courses annually for a total of four classes in each county, each serving between 40 and 50 students. Currently there are only two of 21 adult schools in the entire six-county region that offer citizenship classes.

Rep. Mike Thompson announced the grant on Monday.

Catholic Charities has been providing two classes a year since 1998. The courses are for English language learners who range in ability from high beginner to high intermediate. Classes are taught in English with trained tutors available for one-on-one or group instruction.

"Our program serves people from countries all over the world who face significant barriers to obtaining naturalization," says program manager Dina Lopez. "They are legal permanent residents who have been providing for their families and communities for years, as business owners, employees, and volunteers, yet were prohibited from voting.