Category Archives: General CMC

Volunteer Spotlight: Bailey

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Meet Bailey Wilson – a passionate volunteer who has a vision for where she’s headed and the work she wants to do along the way. Originally from Pella, Iowa, she came to CMC as a volunteer with AmeriCorps, and serves in the Women’s Services department of CMC. Her official title is Race, Gender, and Homelessness VISTA, and she hopes her research that she is conducting in the year of her service has a lasting impact at CMC. She has been volunteering consistently since finishing college, and hopes to continue her education by experience and by pursuing graduate school.

 

What was your first experience with volunteering?

Technically, it was involuntarily; I was a teenager, and a friend and I were pouring orange juice and milk for people at a pancake breakfast. Later on, after I was finished with college and during the pandemic I volunteered willingly! I volunteered with the food bank in my hometown of Pella, IA, and later with a volunteer campaign as well as with the ACLU. For me in general, it’s important to do work that aligns with my values. I was between work and college, and I needed to fill my time in a meaningful way. I found volunteering to be a good way to find fulfillment, build my resume, and stay connected.

How did you find out about the AmeriCorps program, and what drew you to this position?

I was unemployed, looking to grow my skill set and network, and volunteering to build my career path due to my interest in nonprofits. I had a friend in AmeriCorps in another state, and I was looking for a way to volunteer full-time, to be a paid volunteer. I saw it as something similar to an internship structure. I was really drawn to the social equity as well as the research aspect of the position, as I hope to pursue grad school in the future.

What are you working on currently?

In my role I’m conducting interviews with women and other gender minorities who have experienced any kind of homelessness, whether it’s living in transitional housing, doubling up, living in shelters, or completely unhoused. I’m focusing on listening to their stories; what are their needs in terms of resources? What are the gaps in the services they receive? I am focused on their voices; they know what they need and to lift up their voices and help them be heard. My work is person-centered, and driven by the community I serve.

What is your favorite thing about serving and working with the community that you do?

Being a listening ear to people, and seeing people able to speak to the gaps and shortcomings in the community. You get to see peoples’ humanity and to see them impact our work as providers. I really like hearing people express themselves so clearly and be ready to share what their needs are.

What is your hope for the long term impact of your role and work?

My hope is that providers are able to be more responsive to the needs of those they serve. I would love to see how what I’m doing within the agency impacts it, on both a small and large scale. I would love to see more agencies engaging around client feedback, for the clients to become part of the leadership, implementing change where the research shows it is necessary. I would like to see agencies able to ask for feedback anonymously about providers, what additional skill sets their providers could have that they as the client could benefit from. My hope is that [our community can] become more client-centered, and that they could share, “If I was in charge, this is how things would be.” I want to have the voices listened to and the changes to be implemented.

What surprised you about your role at CMC?

There was a lot of room within this project to redefine the scope, and a lot of freedom to define it on my own. Race, Gender, and Homelessness are very broad descriptors. I’ve been able to ask myself how we could tie in these things and narrow down the scope in a helpful way that results in capacity building.

What skills are you developing to use in your future career?

In a broader sense, communication skills. I’ve been able to better understand how to redirect, ask for what I need. I’ve been told I’m really good at boundaries. Specific to my project, I’m learning how to navigate and direct a conversation, and practice active listening. Within the interview, I’m finding out how to build rapport with a person in a short time frame, build trust, and try to make my interviewee more comfortable. I’m navigating sensitive research interview skills, and sensitive listening to focus on building that trust.

What do you hope to do after finishing your AmeriCorps term with CMC?

I would like to work with the CMC in the short term! Advocacy in service to the LGBTQ+ community, either through working with the ACLU or One Iowa is in the long term plan. I would like to leave the Midwest to pursue more education, and perhaps go into academia and research. I want the ability though to find that out and I feel like my experiences will guide me to what that looks like!

Expanding Career Opportunities in Healthcare for Refugees and Immigrants

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Elouth was well on his way to his dream of working in healthcare when his career path was disrupted.

“In Africa I was a nurse. I worked in a training clinic because it was my first year to start working, but then we came here.” Elouth and his family were refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, forced to leave their home in search of safety. In 2019, they were resettled in their new home in Eastern Iowa through the Catherine McAuley Center (CMC).

Though Elouth and his wife found employment in Iowa – Elouth in manufacturing and his wife in operating an in-home daycare through CMC’s Refugee Child Care Business Development Program—his nursing training and certification did not transfer to the U.S.

Knowing his goals of returning to a role in healthcare, case managers at CMC encouraged Elouth to first focus on learning English. After a year of studying English at CMC and then at Kirkwood, he’s now working toward certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) through a new program at CMC.

“Outside of class I’m working from 3pm to 12am, and I go to class at 9am. It’s a hard job so sometimes I’m very tired.” With Elouth’s determination comes a demanding schedule, but he has become a leader in his Basic Healthcare Communications Class, offered through a partnership between Kirkwood Community College and CMC. Claire Tupper, who teaches the class, says. “His English is very strong and he has past healthcare experience, so he can help other students understand,” though Elouth would say he learns from other students, too. “It’s great because we’re all learning. They can teach me something and I can teach them something.”

Beyond helping students reach their career goals, the CNA program is meeting a critical need for healthcare workers in Iowa, and adding to the pool of professionals who have an understanding of the unique health needs of the refugee and immigrant communities. “[The class] is helping me a lot because it helps me learn many medical terms in English. It helps me communicate to patients and learn how to treat my patients,” says Elouth.

Elouth and his 10 other classmates will continue attending Basic Healthcare Communications through June, and can then enroll in Kirkwood’s KPACE program. Many students in the class are also studying class material one-on-one with volunteer tutors at CMC and expect to be certified in November, at which time they will enroll in an apprenticeship program and finally be employed as CNAs.

You can give to support this new generation of healthcare workers and other clients who are pursuing their goals at CMC. The first $4,000 in gifts received between now and June 30 will be matched by Kepros Physical Therapy & Performance!

Immigration Critical Concern Community Feature: Sister Kathy’s Experience at the Southern Border

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sisters of mercy representatives sitting on the ground advocating for immigrant rights holding pink and purple signs

This Women’s History Month, CMC would like to highlight the stories of women in our community doing work in the areas of the Sisters of Mercy Critical Concerns. With this week’s focus on immigration, we spoke with Sister Kathy Thill, a local member of the Sisters of Mercy, about her experiences with immigrants at the southern border of Texas and the unheard stories of asylum seekers pursuing a better life. Sr. Kathy’s journey to the border examines the need for the general public to understand what is happening to immigrants in our country today.

In the year 2000, Sister Kathy ventured down to Southern Texas to work with immigrants from Mexico with an organization by the name of ARISE. ARISE is a nonprofit founded in 1987 by Sr. Gerrie Naughton (also a member of the Sisters of Mercy), and is now operated and led by the immigrant community on the southern border. 

At the border of Texas and Mexico, Sr. Kathy came to know the families of immigrants coming to America for a better life. She learned of their struggles and the discrimination that they faced, while at the same time learning of their strength, resilience, and their innate capabilities to become leaders in their communities. In particular, she saw the strength of the women who were there. Sr. Kathy explained that “the women are very strong and very courageous. Imagine going to a new country, all of the hardships you’ve faced, only to be met with new obstacles at the border. They’re just trying to build a better life for their children.” This experience motivated Sr. Kathy to continue working for immigrant communities in whatever way that she could. 

Sr. Kathy returned to Waterloo, Iowa in 2005, but continued to work with immigrants by volunteering at a small non-profit agency. In May of 2008, the nonprofit that Sr. Kathy worked with was made aware that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was planning a raid at Agriprocessors, Inc. On May 12, 2008, the raid had begun, and Sr. Kathy was notified.  She immediately went to spend several days assisting immigrants and their families. This was a clear example of the inhumane and unjust treatment being given to our immigrant communities. On May 20th of that same year, Sr. Kathy was invited to speak at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C. about the impact of the raid on children and families in the community.

Sr. Kathy’s continuing concern for immigrants motivated her to jump at the chance to join a Mercy delegation to El Paso, TX  in November 2018. This border witness experience was sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy Justice Office and was offered in conjunction with Annunciation House which offers hospitality to immigrants and refugees in the border region of El Paso. Visits were made to the Diocesan Office of Migrant and Refugee Services, US Border Patrol. Her delegation participated in a demonstration and interfaith prayer service outside of a detention center for children in Tornillo, TX. In 2019, she returned to ARISE in Alamo, Texas to learn about the individuals who are seeking asylum in America.  Both of these trips provided opportunities to have conversations with border patrol officers, and a variety of agencies serving the immigrants seeking asylum. During both of these visits, Sr. Kathy’s days were filled with powerful experiences and learnings that left her heart heavy and at times, hopeless. She was left wondering what can be done to change the heartless and inhumane policies and practices against innocent women, men, and children who are just trying to survive– who want a better life for themselves and their children. It was apparent that the general public needed to understand what was specifically happening to asylum seekers and immigrants at the southern border.

After learning what life and conditions are like on the border today, Sr. Kathy used the information and stories gathered from the trips to educate the local community on what people seeking asylum have gone through. She has presented at Mount Mercy University, as well as shared her experience with the board of Catherine McAuley Center and various individuals– ultimately aiming to educate people about the U.S. immigration system and spur action in our community. “Most of the response (from the audiences of my presentations) was very supportive and understanding… but also shocked. A lot of people had no idea of what people were experiencing. There’s no way – how would people know unless you go there and see it? We’re removed from asylum seekers and immigrants and we don’t really know how the laws put in place have affected their lives.”

At the end of our conversation with Sr. Kathy, we asked her a simple question for a complicated issue: what can we do? Sr. Kathy responded, stating “I think we need to pay attention to what’s happening. There are going to be changes to immigration laws, new laws proposed on how we can deal with immigration and the needs of these people at our borders seeking asylum… a lot will be happening. Listen to the news, listen to stories of people’s experiences, and take advantage of opportunities and different ways to get involved.”

We thank Sr. Kathy for taking the time to speak with us about the vital topic of immigration as a critical concern. If we have one takeaway from our conversation with Sr. Kathy, it is this: Pay attention. Listen to stories. Get involved.

For current information on immigration laws in the United States and across the globe, visit https://www.migrationpolicy.org/.

Tea Empowers Women Through the Ages

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For centuries, drinking tea has played a significant role in the lives of women around the world. As we celebrate Women’s History month alongside the 24th annual Catherine’s Tea, take a look at a few key women who utilized tea and tea gatherings to mobilize resources and support for women’s rights!

Penelope Barker, United States – 1770s

Penelope led the first organized women’s protest movement called the The Edenton Tea Party, boycotting British goods after the passing of the Tea Act. An all women-organized protest was a new concept, and unlike the Boston Tea Party, the women protested peacefully.

Oura Kei, Japan – 1850s to 1880s

By herself, Oura was responsible for creating the Japanese tea market. During a time when women had few rights, Oura Kei was building a tea empire, and even convinced farmers to grow a new type of tea, sencha. Today, sencha is Japan’s main type of tea.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, United States – 1840s to 1900

For over fifty years, Elizabeth was one of the most influential leaders of the US Women’s Rights Movement. Her love of tea was clear as she carried around with her a travelling tea table that was used at tea events, and on it, the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments was signed, opening the path to women’s suffrage.

Catherine McAuley, Dublin, Ireland – 1770s to 1840s

Catherine McAuley, for whom the Center is named, devoted her life to educating women and serving the vulnerable alongside other women in Dublin, Ireland. The Sisters of Mercy, the religious order founded by Catherine, span the globe with their commitment to service today, and actively address five Critical Concerns: Nonviolence, Racism, Immigration, Earth, and Women. In her last moments, Catherine asked one of the sisters praying beside her to “be sure you have a comfortable cup of tea for them [the sisters] when I am gone,” thus inspiring us all to continue her spirit of hospitality in our service.

Keeping with Catherine’s tradition, we gather each year to share a comfortable cup of tea, and honor the hard work and dedication of our neighbors who seek services at the Catherine McAuley Center. Help our neighbors make their own history and take a taste of Catherine’s Tea home with a Patronage Tea Package!

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Derecho Storm Recovery: Overcoming Crisis

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Driving through Cedar Rapids in the aftermath of the August 10 derecho was heartbreaking. In every direction, fallen trees and power lines blocked the streets, crushing homes and vehicles for miles. Properties and apartment complexes were severely damaged, leaving several in our community, including many immigrant and refugee families, without a home. And after moving into our new location just one month prior, the Catherine McAuley Center’s new building sustained significant roof and water damage. Due to the unsafe condition of the building and a widespread power outage, residents living in the Transitional Housing Program had to move out of the Center, and typical operations were suspended as our focus shifted completely to crisis recovery.

Immediately following the storm, program staff  developed a plan to ensure that clients and residents were safe and had access to essential resources. CMC staff and volunteers joined together to respond to the growing needs of the community and began the process of rebuilding.

  • Women’s Services helped residents in the Transitional Housing Program move out of the damaged building and into temporary housing with other CMC housing programs.
  • Refugee & Immigrant Services met with clients off-site and continued to provide supportive services to their clients.
  • Education Services checked in with students and assisted with collecting supplies to help our neighbors with the lack of electricity and access to essential resources.
  • Volunteers and staff began the cleanup and debris removal process at each of CMC’s properties.
  • The food pantry and hygiene closet were opened to the community, supplies were passed out to anyone in need, and food boxes were delivered to students, residents, and clients.

The devastation in Eastern Iowa left over 200,000 people without power for several weeks, causing a shortage of food, gas, ice, coolers, and access to electricity and other vital supplies. Days after the storm, news spread of the destruction in Iowa, but the immensity of the crisis was yet to be discovered. Images of several apartment complexes on the Southeast side of Cedar Rapids began to spread, showing collapsed buildings, ripped open roofs, and children and families sleeping in tents in the debris. The community soon learned that the derecho caused a severe homelessness crisis, and CMC quickly developed a plan to provide housing.

In coordination with local agencies, CMC staff transitioned the former Catherine McAuley Center building into a temporary shelter to house at least 60 refugees and immigrants who were displaced. The shelter provided 24 private rooms, two kitchens where families joined together to cook traditional African meals, access to interpreters and kind volunteers who entertained children while parents worked with case managers to plan their next steps, and individualized employment support and resource navigation to help families find permanent housing and meet other needs.

Meanwhile, schools faced another challenge as derecho damage and the pandemic shifted the start of the school year to online learning. This shift also created a challenge for students who did not have access to internet, and for those whose second language is English. Limited access to internet and individualized instruction created a barrier to learning for refugee and immigrant students, and RIS Case Managers started reaching out to schools to offer our support.

With the help of some amazing teachers from McKinley Middle School and Washington High School, CMC Case Managers transition an undamaged wing of the new Catherine McAuley Center into a temporary school offering separate classrooms, internet access, and individualized support to nearly 30 students daily from 9 Eastern Iowa schools.

Over the next few months following the storm, families at the shelter worked towards securing permanent housing and students filled the halls of CMC as they navigated online learning. By the end of October, all of the families moved into their new homes! At the start of December, students receiving support with online learning started to go back to in-person instruction, and the Center will remain open and flexible to meet the needs of students throughout the school year.

Inspired by the resilience and courage of our clients and with the help of our community, we are working to overcome this crisis together! CMC staff will are dedicated to ensure that neighbors in our community have access to vital educational and supportive services at the Catherine McAuley Center during this crisis and into the future.

A Statement on Racial Injustice

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Let us be clear – at the Catherine McAuley Center, we stand in solidarity with the many calling for justice and an end to the racial inequities and killings of our black and brown neighbors and fellow human beings. As an organization that was founded by the Sisters of Mercy, we are dedicated to addressing their Critical Concerns, including an end to racism and violence by promoting action resulting in a peaceful world. Our future depends on inclusive communities that welcome, respect, and support a diversity of individuals and ideas.

 

We are thankful for the dialogue that has been created by the demonstrations in our own community, and we hope that the voices of those marching and speaking out will continue to be heard as we work towards systemic change. It is inspiring to see the outpouring of support as so many of our neighbors, of all backgrounds, come together to march and say “Enough, this must stop.” This is a time to speak up, a time to listen, a time to enact and embrace change, and a time to heal. 

The history of the Black Lives Matter movement and the roots of the protests stem from centuries of racial injustice, oppression, and violence – often at the hands of police, lawmakers, and those in positions of power. We support it because it affects both the generations of black Americans who have built and lived in this country, as well as the future generations who will make this place their home. At the Catherine McAuley Center, we work with people every day who have experienced oppression, discrimination, injustice based on their color, their race, their ethnicity, or their socioeconomic status. We say, “You are welcome here. We see you, we honor you. We are here to walk alongside you on your journey. In our home, you are respected and you are cared about.” As we welcome refugees into our community, we want to tell them they will be safe from violence and persecution they may have experienced in their home country. The changes that are being demanded in our country and communities will make hope for safety a reality for all people of color.

At CMC we take great care to create a safe and welcoming environment. We can’t do this by ourselves. Creating a Place of Welcome requires a commitment by ALL who enter our space – by our neighbors, our volunteers, and by those who are charged with ensuring our safety and protecting our human and civil rights. It requires honest reflection of our attitudes and beliefs around the idea that every life has value – all lives cannot matter until black lives matter. 

However, there is MORE we can do. We must continue to listen to listen to the voices of the marginalized, to understand their pain, to hear their desire to be seen and respected. These are the voices of our clients, the voices of our staff members, the voices of our neighbors. Let us all continue to learn together, to challenge our own assumptions, and to uphold the values that define who we are as an organization.

Beginning next month, the Catherine McAuley Center will begin offering a monthly Advocacy e-newsletter with insight into the issues that most deeply impact the women, adult learners, immigrants and refugees who find support at the Catherine McAuley Center. Our hope is that this will be an ongoing resource for our community of supporters to keep learning about and take proactive steps to change our community and our culture.

Please subscribe to these Advocacy updates, while also spending time getting to know your neighbors who look different than you, who speak differently than you, who have had different life experiences. Most importantly, let us seek peace and love in our homes, our streets, our community, and our world.

Learning Together: Books & Movies for Social Distancing

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Some of our staff and community members have provided recommendations for books, movies, documentaries, podcasts, and learning resources for our community members to learn from and enjoy while we’re away from the Center. Many of these resources provide insight into topics related to the Catherine McAuley Center mission, including (but not limited to): the refugee/immigrant experience, women’s equality and empowerment, language, and diversity.

Even though we’re social distancing, we can still be social! Share photos of yourself taking advantage of these resources (think cozy book nooks, family movie nights, etc.) and insights into what you learn using #LearningTogetherCMC! Be sure to tag the Catherine McAuley Center on Facebook and Twitter.

Please note: These were submitted by members of the CMC community. CMC does not endorse any particular point of view shared in these resources. Viewer discretion is advised in some cases- please view synopsis at links provided before viewing/reading.

Books (non-fiction)

  • We, the Interwoven: An Anthology of Bicultural Iowa – Vol. 1 and 2 – Goodreads 
  • The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler – Goodreads
  • The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman – Goodreads
  • A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming – Goodreads
  • Essential Linguistics: What Teachers Need to Know to Teach ESL, Reading, Spelling, and Grammar by David and Yvonne Freeman – Goodreads
  • Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by Bell Hooks – Goodreads
  • Asylum Denied: A Refugee’s Struggle for Safety in America by David Ngaruri Kenney, Philip G. Schrag – Goodreads
  • The Genius of Language: Fifteen Writers Reflect on Their Mother Tongue by Wendy Lesser – Goodreads
  • Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario – Goodreads 
  • The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Susan Cohen – Goodreads
  • Tender Courage: A Reflection on the Life and Spirit of Catherine McAuley, First Sister of Mercy by M. Joana Regan – Goodreads
  • Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions by Gloria Steinem – Goodreads
  • Love Thy Neighbor by Ayaz Verji – Goodreads
  • A Century of Votes for Women: American Elections Since Suffrage by Christina Wolbrecht – Goodreads
  • Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain by Maryanne Wolf – Goodreads
  • The Late Homecomer by Kao Kalia Yang – Goodreads
  • A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn – Goodreads, https://www.zinnedproject.org/

Books (fiction)

  • A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi – Goodreads
  • Sea Prayer by Khalid Hosseini – Goodreads
  • Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty series (The Unquiet Dead, The Language of Secrets, A Death in Sarajevo, Among the Ruins, A Dangerous Crossing, A Deadly Divide) by Ausma Zehanat Khan – Goodreads
  • The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins-Gilman – Goodreads
  • Season of Migration to the North, by Al-Tayyib Salih – Goodreads

Books for kids

  • My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner – Goodreads
  • Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Daredevils, Adventurers, and Rebels by Linda Skeers and Livi Gosling – Goodreads (a Hiawatha author!)

Podcasts and TED Talks

Things to watch

  • Amelia – IMDB
  • First They Killed My Father – IMDB
  • The Good Lie – IMDB
  • God Grew Tired of Us – IMDB
  • The Gods Must Be Crazy – IMDB
  • Harriet – IMDB
  • Hidden Figures – IMDB
  • In The Land of Blood and Honey – IMDB
  • Iron Jawed Angels – IMDB
  • On the Basis of Sex – IMDB
  • The Visitor – IMDB

Online learning resources

  • News for You Online is an online newspaper for English learners. You can read and listen to many different articles to build your English vocabulary and reading skills.

https://www.newreaderspress.com/news-for-you-online 

password: 18B018

  • NewsELA is another news website for English learners. Log in and click “Your Assignments” for articles you can study if you are preparing to be a U.S. citizen!

https://newsela.com/ 

username: education@cmc-cr.org
password: abc#0444

  • Side by Side eText is an online version of your Side by Side textbook.  There are some extra games in the Fun Zone after each chapter.  You can make your own account (follow the directions inside the cover of your textbook) or use CMC’s login information.

https://sso.rumba.pearsoncmg.com/sso/login?&k12int=true&service=http://rumba.bookshelf.ebookplus.pearsoncmg.com/ebook/linktoebook16.do

username: cmc-cr
password: abc#0444

We’re all looking for connection in this time of social distancing. To help the adult learners, women healing from trauma, immigrants, and refugees who find hope at the Catherine McAuley Center, please consider setting up a monthly gift. Your support helps us find innovative ways to keep our neighbors connected today and into the future.

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Giving supports refugee resettlement and support

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Dear Friends,

As a friend of the Catherine McAuley Center (CMC), you know that our refugee and immigrant neighbors are finding valuable connections at CMC. But did you know that last year, 260 refugees made Eastern Iowa their home with the Center’s help? These neighbors who have experienced untold violence in their lives now have housing, medical care, education, and employment right here in our community.

While this is something to celebrate, recent federal changes and executive orders threaten the ability of some of our newest neighbors to reunite with family members who are still living abroad in refugee camps.

  • A recent executive order allowing states and municipalities to opt out of resettlement continues to create a culture of mistrust and can send a message that refugees are not welcome in our communities.
  • No more than 18,000 refugees will be admitted to the U.S. this year, down from 110,000 in 2017. This is an all-time low in the history of refugee resettlement in the U.S.
  • A week-by-week moratorium on all refugee resettlement in late 2019 meant CMC went without resettlement revenue for nearly three months.
  • The recent expansion of the 2017 travel ban restricts immigrant visas for individuals from six additional countries, preventing some clients at CMC from reuniting with their families.

Mother and child reunited

In the face of this unpredictability and uncertainty, individual giving is more important than ever. Will you take a stand for the dignity of our neighbors, here and abroad, and give?

While changes to the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program are out of our control, you can bolster the educational and supportive services available to all CMC clients—refugees, immigrants, adult learners, and women experiencing crisis. Together, we can work together for an inclusive community in these volatile times.

With hope,

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Paula Land signature

Paula Land
Executive Director

P.S.  Setting up a monthly gift offers hope and opportunity to our neighbors all year long.

Coronavirus Preparedness: Keeping CMC Healthy

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CoronavirusAs the coronavirus continues to spread, CMC asks all clients, volunteers, and staff to take reasonable precaution to prevent further spread of the virus. By taking the following proactive steps, we ensure that volunteers, staff, adult learners, women healing from crisis, immigrants, and refugees can stay healthy and continue working together for an inclusive community!

March 23, 2020 update: All volunteers are encouraged to stay home to remain safe and healthy. Clients wishing to meet with staff are asked to call ahead and schedule an appointment. In-kind donations are limited to non-perishable food items and sanitizing supplies until further notice.

March 16, 2020 update: The Catherine McAuley Center Education Program has suspended all classes. Classes will resume Monday, April 13.

Symptoms of COVID-19

May be characterized by mild or severe fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or runny nose. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

Guidelines for volunteers, clients and visitors

  • If you have symptoms of acute respiratory illness, please do not come to CMC until you are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines like cough suppressants.
  • Volunteers and clients who are ill will be sent home.
  • CMC advises all who are sick to stay home, avoid public areas, limit contact from others (and pets), and seek medical advice.
  • If you have a sick family member at home or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, please do not come to CMC until consulting your physician for advice on precautionary measures.
  • Those at higher risk for adverse health complications should use their best judgement about staying home until the threat of COVID-19 passes.
  • Please contact CMC staff if you are unsure about what to do or if you will not be coming in during your scheduled time.

Recommended Hygiene Practices

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or an elbow or shoulder if no tissue is available). Throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a disinfecting spray or wipe.
    • Avoid sharing personal household items
    • Shaking hands is discouraged and can easily be replaced with a smile (but smiles are also contagious!)
    • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
    • Facemasks are recommended if you are sick and MUST be around others.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
    • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Additional Preventative Measures at CMC

  • A sign will be posted at the CMC entrance asking those who are sick not to enter.
  • Off-site classes will continue. Staff will equip these locations with sanitation products.
  • Treats will no longer be served in the lobby.
  • Staff will be disinfecting tables, door knobs, and other surfaces several times daily.

Thank you for helping us keep all clients, volunteers, staff, and visitors at CMC safe and healthy!

From the Director’s Desk: Letter to the Editor of the Corridor Business Journal

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As the only refugee resettlement agency in the Corridor, the Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) values the partnerships with the Gateways for Growth initiative with the City of Cedar Rapids, and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. Working with hundreds of refugees and immigrants each year, CMC understands the unique barriers confronting these newcomers as they seek opportunities to contribute and connect to their new community and achieve self-sufficiency, the ultimate goal of the U.S. refugee resettlement program.

While immediately eligible to work, our highly motivated refugee newcomers often experience cultural and language barriers that can be overcome through education and skill-building. For instance, CMC’s Job Club helps refugees and immigrants understand how to be successfully employed in the U.S. by explaining things like the importance of being on time, a concept that is not a part of some African cultures. Similarly, understanding paychecks, benefits and taxes is a foreign concept to many.

But client education is just one piece of the puzzle. By working directly with local employers, we are able to address the unique barriers to accessing employment at companies who are in need of a committed and capable workforce. CMC offers tangible and concrete suggestions and information. When local businesses hire someone, they are hiring a person, not a demographic. We invite local employers to reach out to us to help facilitate that understanding with their diverse workforce!

From helping women become registered in-home child-care businesses, to breaking down language and cultural barriers, to partnering with local employers, CMC can only bolster the efforts of initiatives put forth by the City of Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and other groups in our community. We see both challenges and successes of our clients, we watch them grow, and understand their needs on a personal level, and continue to identify ways to address them. CMC offers a place of welcome and appreciates the many individuals and organizations who recognize the great value and benefit of a diverse and inclusive community.

Sincerely,
Paula Land
Executive Director
Catherine McAuley Center

You can read the published Letter to the Editor in the August 19-25, 2019 edition of the Corridor Business Journal.