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GOVERNOR SPITZER ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION IN FUNDING TO PROMOTE CITIZENSHIP INITIATIVES
Commemorates National Citizenship Day

Governor Eliot Spitzer used the occasion of national Constitution and Citizenship Day to announce the awarding of $6 million in funding to organizations that help New York immigrants become United States citizens. Nineteen community-based agencies have been awarded $5.5 million through the New York State Citizenship Initiative (NYSCI) administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s (OTDA) Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance. The funding will help eligible immigrants navigate the citizenship application process. An additional $500,000 is being awarded specifically for services for older immigrants.

“On Constitution and Citizenship Day, it is important to remember the thousands of people who come to New York each year in search of better opportunities,” said Governor Spitzer. “For generations, millions of immigrants striving to find a better life for themselves and their families have played an important role in building our great state. This important funding will help the newest New Yorkers navigate the naturalization process, and put them on the path to greater opportunity and economic security.”

David A. Hansell, OTDA Commissioner, said: “Immigrants and their families face many challenges as they adjust to a new culture. This program is vital to helping them adapt and become permanent members of the community.”

Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez, President of the Hispanic Federation, said: “We are deeply grateful to Governor Spitzer for his commitment to ensure that English Language Learners have access to an education of excellence and that our immigrant community has the necessary citizenship and ESL services needed to achieve the American Dream.”

The $5.2 million in NYSCI funding is a three-year grant designed to help eligible immigrants who require assistance in completing and managing naturalization applications. Also, $300,000 will be used by the New York Immigration Coalition to provide information and training to service providers and immigrant communities.

Through a second related initiative, $500,000 has been awarded to three agencies to provide services during a six-month demonstration period to assist older immigrants, who tend to be more isolated from their communities and require specialized services.

Today’s announcement continues Governor Spitzer’s commitment to New York’s immigrant community. His administration has undertaken several important initiatives to help these individuals reach the American dream, including:

• Increasing funding to students who are English Language Learners by an estimated $500 million over the next four years;
• Creating the Bureau of Immigrant Affairs in the Labor Department to protect the rights of immigrant workers, specifically focusing on integrating immigrants into all state workforce programs, ensuring that there are no undue barriers to accessing benefits, and by moving aggressively to enforce New York State labor laws;
• Increasing funding for enforcement staff within the Department of Labor’s Labor Standard Division. This will ensure that all workers receive proper wages and that safety requirements are strictly observed. Immigrant communities are often particularly vulnerable to this type of abuse; and
• Providing an unprecedented investment in education through reforms to the state’s Foundation Aid formula to target aid increases to the neediest districts, many of which have significant immigrant populations.

Earlier this year, Governor Spitzer also released his economic security agenda for New York's working families to help immigrants and all New Yorkers achieve financial security. He formed an Economic Security Cabinet that is working on four objectives, including reducing New York’s high cost of living; establishing educational and workforce development opportunities for a highly competitive economy; improving services that target low-income, working New Yorkers at risk of falling into the social safety net; and bringing back jobs into our communities.

The following organizations are being awarded funding under the general initiative:

New York City
Asian Americans for Equality $438,042
CAMBA Inc. $438,042
Federation Employment and Guidance Services, Inc. $438,042
Hispanic Federation $438,042
New York Association for New Americans $438,042
New York Legal Assistance Group $438,042
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation $438,042
International Rescue Committee $420,258
Catholic Charities Community Services $324,048
New York Immigration Coalition $300,000

Long Island
Catholic Charities – Immigrant Services, Diocese
Of Rockville $262,827
Education & Assistance Corporation $262,827

Albany County
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany $54,288

Erie/Niagara Counties
Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc. $66,816

Oneida County
Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees $162,864

Oswego, Onondaga, Tompkins, Broome and Monroe Counties
Oswego County BOCES $133,632

Westchester County
Westchester Hispanic Coalition $466,146
The Older Immigrant Initiative awards funds as follows:

Albany County
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants $50,000

Erie County
International Institute of Buffalo $50,000

New York City
Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach
(in collaboration with Self help, Inc.) $400,000

Established in 2004, Constitution and Citizenship Day celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution, honoring the Founding Fathers visionary efforts to secure the blessings of liberty and independence.