Shoveling for Immigration Reform

El Tiempo Latino, Milagros Meléndez-Vela, Posted: Feb 22, 2010

Day-laborers in Culmore helped to shovel snow after two severe storms in the Washington, D.C., area as part of a national campaign to bring awareness to the contribution of migrant workers in the U.S., according to the Spanish daily El Tiempo Latino. During their daily activities, the volunteers hung a sign that read: “Obama, changes mean justice,” inviting the president to fulfill his promise to pass immigration reform.

The campaign “Taking roots,” spearheaded by the National Day Labor Network, aims to focus on day-laborers’ positive impact in the communities in which they live. “We want to show with this initiative to local residents, businesses and politicians that day laborers are willing to contribute with their volunteer work to the betterment of this community,” said Carmen Hernández, director of the Culmore Committee for Tenants and United Workers.

Day Worker Center crew makes clean sweep

Written by Town Crier Report Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Photo Courtesy Day Worker Center Mountain View dayworkers spruce up the streets in Mountain View and Los Altos Feb. 17

The streets of Mountain View and Los Altos are cleaner, thanks to 35 workers from the Day Worker Center of Mountain View.

Along with Executive Director Maria Marroquin, patient teams picked up trash along Castro Street, El Camino Real and Escuela Avenue Feb. 17.

“The workers were very touched that the restaurants offered us water, that people stopped to thank them and that some of the residents on Escuela provided them with a bottle of soda with paper cups,” Marroquin said.

Workers contributed their time and labor as part of the center’s ongoing community service program and to mark the beginning of a new National Service Campaign by day workers in collaboration with the National Day Labor Organizing Network.

The center will carry out a community service activity every month as part of the campaign, in addition to the workers’ regular community activities, such as hosting and donating to blood drives.

The center helps day workers by promoting the integration, education and job-skills training of immigrants so they can contribute more fully to the communities in which they work and live.

For more information, call 903-4102.