Thanks in large part to more than $35,000 worth of in-kind donations from building trades unions and contractor associations, a grassroots neighborhood program that helps immigrants and refugees adapt to life in this country soon will have the room it needs to continue its services.
The MORE Multicultural School for Empowerment broke ground April 30 on a 1,500-square-foot addition to the tiny 'house school' it operates at Jackson St. and Wheelock Parkway.
The addition and complete interior renovation of its current house will add classrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, 'and breathing room and some privacy' for the 150 adult students the school serves on a typical day, said co-director Nancy Christianson.
Several building trades locals and contractors are donating materials and labor, said Dick Anfang, executive secretary of the St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council. 'It's a successful program that has outgrown its space,' Anfang said. 'They approached us to help. We're just happy everybody is willing to come together to give them the help they deserve.'
English, citizenship and more
The school has its roots in a program that started 16 years ago in an apartment across the street in the McDonough Homes public housing community, said Sister Kathleen Spencer, the other co-director. The school still serves the residents of McDonough, many of whom arrived recently from Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.
MORE offers formal classes, including citizenship classes and English as Second Language from very beginning to more advanced levels. It offers individual tutoring, she said, to help students prepare for GED testing, technical school, or college enrollment.
Finally, it provides personal assistance, such as helping an individual deal with utility snafus, government paperwork, or personal problems brought on by their new life situation.
'We try to meet their most basic needs,' Christianson said, noting that the school also maintains a free clothing store and distributes donated bread every Saturday.
Most of the teachers at the program are from the School Sisters of Notre Dame, but MORE is not part of any church or government agency. 'We consider ourselves a spiritual organization, but not of any particular religion,' Christianson said, noting that students have a variety of faith backgrounds.
Support from numerous sources
The expansion and renovation is expected to cost more than $200,000, which the school is still trying to raise through small individual donations, foundation grants, and larger gifts from sources such as House of Hope Presbyterian Church and the Servants of Mary.
'We can't get over the support the union folks are giving us,' Christianson said. 'I can't tell you how grateful we are for their response.
'They're such nice guys - and fun.'
Sister Kathleen echoed those feelings, joking, 'They don't know this, but they're just doing it for penance.'
Anfang said that in addition to the St. Paul Building Trades Council and Minnesota Teamsters, locals contributing to the project included Bricklayers Local 1, Carpenters Local 87, Cement Masons Local 633, Electricians Local 110, Laborers Local 132, Operating Engineers Local 49, Painters Local 61, Plumbers Local 34, Roofers Local 96, and Sheet Metal Workers Local 10.
This article was written for The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission. The Union Advocate is the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org
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Thanks in large part to more than $35,000 worth of in-kind donations from building trades unions and contractor associations, a grassroots neighborhood program that helps immigrants and refugees adapt to life in this country soon will have the room it needs to continue its services.
The MORE Multicultural School for Empowerment broke ground April 30 on a 1,500-square-foot addition to the tiny ‘house school’ it operates at Jackson St. and Wheelock Parkway.
The addition and complete interior renovation of its current house will add classrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, ‘and breathing room and some privacy’ for the 150 adult students the school serves on a typical day, said co-director Nancy Christianson.
Several building trades locals and contractors are donating materials and labor, said Dick Anfang, executive secretary of the St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council. ‘It’s a successful program that has outgrown its space,’ Anfang said. ‘They approached us to help. We’re just happy everybody is willing to come together to give them the help they deserve.’
English, citizenship and more
The school has its roots in a program that started 16 years ago in an apartment across the street in the McDonough Homes public housing community, said Sister Kathleen Spencer, the other co-director. The school still serves the residents of McDonough, many of whom arrived recently from Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.
MORE offers formal classes, including citizenship classes and English as Second Language from very beginning to more advanced levels. It offers individual tutoring, she said, to help students prepare for GED testing, technical school, or college enrollment.
Finally, it provides personal assistance, such as helping an individual deal with utility snafus, government paperwork, or personal problems brought on by their new life situation.
‘We try to meet their most basic needs,’ Christianson said, noting that the school also maintains a free clothing store and distributes donated bread every Saturday.
Most of the teachers at the program are from the School Sisters of Notre Dame, but MORE is not part of any church or government agency. ‘We consider ourselves a spiritual organization, but not of any particular religion,’ Christianson said, noting that students have a variety of faith backgrounds.
Support from numerous sources
The expansion and renovation is expected to cost more than $200,000, which the school is still trying to raise through small individual donations, foundation grants, and larger gifts from sources such as House of Hope Presbyterian Church and the Servants of Mary.
‘We can’t get over the support the union folks are giving us,’ Christianson said. ‘I can’t tell you how grateful we are for their response.
‘They’re such nice guys – and fun.’
Sister Kathleen echoed those feelings, joking, ‘They don’t know this, but they’re just doing it for penance.’
Anfang said that in addition to the St. Paul Building Trades Council and Minnesota Teamsters, locals contributing to the project included Bricklayers Local 1, Carpenters Local 87, Cement Masons Local 633, Electricians Local 110, Laborers Local 132, Operating Engineers Local 49, Painters Local 61, Plumbers Local 34, Roofers Local 96, and Sheet Metal Workers Local 10.
This article was written for The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission. The Union Advocate is the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org