Outreach Assistant Rebecca Rybaltowski speaks to parishioners about our upcoming Citizenship Workshop during a Spanish language Mass.
On Saturday March 1st, Catholic Migration Services, in partnership with the New Americans Campaign, will be hosting a citizenship workshop at St. Thomas Aquinas parish located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Outreach Assistant Rebecca Rybaltowski has been reaching out to parishes in the Brooklyn Dioceses all month long in an effort to make parishioners aware of this free and life changing opportunity. Her outreach efforts have succeeded in increasing the number of registered participants. In total, over 1,000 parishioners heard her announcement during Spanish language Masses and even more read about our citizenship workshop in their churches’ bulletins.
Putting a friendly and helpful face to the citizenship application process, Rebecca Rybaltoski began her outreach during the Spanish language Mass at St. Raphael in Long Island City. During each of the Masses that Rebecca visited throughout the month, she highlighted that legal permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship should not hesitate to get their citizenship. Beginning May 5th, the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services office will implement the new N-400 forms. These new forms are double the length of the old forms and as a result it could make the path to citizenship more difficult for eligible residents. Rebecca notified parishioners that during CMS’ workshop attorneys, staff and volunteers will assist LPRs fill out their citizenship applications and answer their questions about processing the application and what to do after they submit their applications. Rebecca emphasized that even though the cost of applying for citizenship is steep during the workshops volunteers will be assisting people fill out forms for the fee waivers.
To register for our upcoming citizenship workshop click here.
