APOPKA, Fla. — A Central Florida organization helping immigrants with their U.S. citizenship received a grant to allow them to keep helping people.
- Hope Community Center receives $225,000 from USCIS
- Funds will go toward its citizenship program
- Program helps immigrants go through naturalization process
The Hope Community Center announced it received $225,000 from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to fund their citizenship program, a program that’s helped hundreds of immigrants with the process.
"Just remembering the ceremony, when they say, ‘Welcome! Congratulations! You are an American citizen’ -- it’s an amazing feeling,” said Olivia Hernandez about the day she was naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
Hernandez never thought she’d live in the United States for so long.
"I was supposed to come for only one year, but one year changed to 20 years,” she said.
She moved from Mexico in 1995, and it wasn't until a few years back she became a citizen.
Hernandez said it's thanks in big part to the folks at Hope Community Center in Apopka.
“I came all the way from Mount Dora every Tuesday and Saturday to be prepared,” Hernandez remembered.
She was a student of the center's citizenship class that teaches them about the process to become a citizen after hearing from others how helpful it was.
John Parrell, who teaches some of these classes, said in today’s immigration climate, the classes are not just about teaching.
"They know the 100 questions. One of our biggest jobs is to give them confidence,” said Parrell.
The program asks that students commit to 10-12 weeks of classes that are offered in both English and Spanish.
"(The goal) is to have them learn how to be good citizens, and go on in life after they get that certificate and participate in the process, and know that their rights can affect change that will benefit everybody,” said Parrell.
For Hernández, the privilege of holding that certificate is one she’s very proud of.
"I respect this country … and learning to love them more and more,” she said.
The Hope Community Center will be holding an orientation on Saturday, October 6 between 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. The center is located at 800 South Hawthorne Ave, Apopa FL 32701.