SEIU 888 Sponsored ESL Grants

Grants for Family Child Care Providers who have immigrated from S. America and Cambodia

SEIU 888 is proud to sponsor grants in conjunction with Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence and Middlesex Community College in Lowell to help fund ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for family child care providers who have immigrated to the United States from South America and Cambodia.

SEIU 888 Organizers Christina Villafranca and Madeline Garcia work in conjunction with the classes to educate students about how collective bargaining can help family child care providers win fair wages, health care benefits, better working conditions, and enhance the quality of care and education they provide.

The grants have allowed over 80 family child care providers in the Merrimack Valley to learn and master English, some of whom have gone on to pursuit advanced degrees at Northern Essex and Middlesex Community Colleges.

On June 2, 2007 SEIU 888 President Susana Segat congratulated this year’s graduates at Middlesex Community College.