2024 Annual Report
We are Member Focused
Education Work
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Workforce ESOL Program
CASA’s Workforce ESOL Program provides beginner and intermediate-level ESOL classes to workers participating in CASA’s Employment Program in the early morning hours.
This past year, 196 workers from our Welcome Centers in Rockville, Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Baltimore took advantage of these courses to further their professional development. Over the program year, 97% of assessed students demonstrated learning gains. Additionally, 84% of those surveyed expressed increased confidence in their ability to research and apply for community resources and services online. 93% of those surveyed expressed increased confidence in their ability to make a successful employer introduction (negotiating pay, clarifying job responsibilities, confirming schedule and pick-up/ drop-off location), and 84% expressed an increased understanding of vocabulary for common day labor jobs (landscaping, moving, construction, cleaning etc.
Life Skills ESOL Program
CASA’s Life Skills ESOL program is designed to meet the needs of the immigrant community by pairing English with practical life skills.
This past year 2,198 CASA members participated in the Life Skills ESOL Program through virtual and in-person classes held in Takoma Park, Bladensburg, Woodbridge, and Baltimore. In Metro Maryland, 80% of students attended through to the last week of the session, 83% demonstrated learning gains on their post-test, 79% were promoted to the next level, and 60% received a certificate of recognition for attending a minimum of 80% of instructional hours offered. Those surveyed also reported improved overall quality of life due to their new language skills. 81% of learners reported that they now communicate better at work. 90% reported that they now understand more when people speak to them, and 78% reported that they know more about people and events in my community. Additionally, 21% reported receiving a promotion or increase in salary during their time participating in CASA’s ESOL classes and 38% reported that they obtained employment while enrolled.
Computer Distribution
Student Profiles
Student Profiles for Life Skills ESOL Classes
Blanca
Blanca was a teacher in Guatemala who decided to emigrate to the United States fifteen years ago for improved economic stability, greater independence and a safer place to raise her children. She is now a housekeeper and says, “the language gap between speaking with people is something that I struggle with… I decided to take the classes so I could speak with the doctors, teachers, employer, neighbors, and friends.”
Lucrismar
Lucrismar emigrated from Venezuela to the United States approximately two and a half years ago. In her home country, she was a secretary for thirty-two years but had difficulties making ends meet despite working five days a week. She came to the U.S. in search of security, job opportunities, and the chance to provide a better life for her daughter saying, “I want her to have the opportunity to pursue a successful career and establish herself in a country that can give her a brighter future.”
Student Profiles from Workforce ESOL Program
Amadou
Amadou arrived in the United States in September 2023 from Guinea Conakry. In his home country, he studied Information Technology. However, in 2021 there was a political coup leading to great instability in many aspects of life. Amadou came to the U.S. in hopes of greater opportunities and says, “When I first arrived I was so happy to see that yes, there are many opportunities to study and work… [but] in spite of the image I had before, life here is also difficult in a different way.”
Juditte
Juditte is from the Ivory Coast. In her home country she worked long hours in an office but often did not get paid, so she decided to emigrate to the United States where she could live with her sister and send the money she earned back home to her mother, husband and two children. Juditte wanted to start learning English when she arrived in 2020 but found that many programs were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, she learned about CASA’s Workforce ESOL Program…
Youth Programming
During the 2023-2024 school year, 72 youth participated in the Mi Espacio program, which promotes successful high school graduation, leadership development, post-secondary enrollment and career readiness for first and second generation high school students grades 9th through 12th. In Baltimore, the program was run out of CASA’s Welcome Center. In Prince George’s County a new partnership was established to host Mi Espacio at International High School and in Woodbridge the program launched at GarField High School. Additionally, CASA partnered with Baltimore County high schools to offer Escalera to 39 students. This program for juniors and seniors focuses on career exploration and college readiness with hands-on support throughout the college application process.
1,522 students, caregivers, and school staff attended multi-generational workshops held throughout the school year in Maryland and Virginia to promote career readiness, college access, financial literacy, and youth leadership development. CASA also supported high school students with the college application process resulting in the awarding of $699,600 in scholarships and $153,200 in financial aid.
The Summer Internship Experience is an opportunity for first and second-generation immigrant youth to develop and reinforce new workforce skills by pairing them with culturally and linguistically competent professional mentors across various industries. The experience also serves as a resume builder and, in many cases, a chance for youth to gain firsthand insight into their self-identified career field. This year 85 Maryland students successfully completed their summer internship experience, 40 of which participated in Baltimore’s Mayor’s Scholar Program (MSP) and received 2-3 years of full tuition scholarships at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) along with a $1,200 CASA scholarship to support transportation and supplies.
In May, Mi Espacio students in Langley Park came together for a fun baking activity, led by bakers from the local bakery and generous program contributor, Casa Blanca Bakery. The lead bakers brought baking goods and supplies to teach the youth how to make a Tres Leches cake, the highly popular Latin American dessert the bakery is known for. CASA’s Mi Espacio teachers are not only dedicated to their students’ education but also ensure their students have a sense of belonging within their community. This can be through picnics in a park, attending sports games, engaging with local businesses or groups, and other various learning activities.
Immigrant Integration Programming and Financial Literacy Services
Major milestones met during the Tax Filing Season:
Amount we helped taxpayers to get on federal tax refunds
Amount we helped taxpayers to get on state tax refunds
We completed 1,622 federal tax returns and a similar number of State returns (some of them are still in process, as they will file with a new ITIN)
We helped 434 new taxpayers to obtain their ITIN. 224 of them were through CAA services, saving taxpayers from having to mail their original passports to the IRS)
We had 51 certified volunteers, including AmeriCorps members.
We helped the IRS and State tax collectors to get $ 900,000+ on owed income tax
We helped taxpayers save $405,500 on tax preparation services (VITA sites are free)
The economic value of volunteer hours was $190,000+
Health and Human Services
CASA’s Health and Human Services (HHS) department is dedicated to supporting the well-being of immigrant and underserved communities through a range of critical programs and services.
In Virginia and Georgia, CASA led impactful suicide prevention workshops to raise awareness and provide resources for mental health support. Additionally, in Virginia, Narcan trainings equip participants with life-saving skills to respond to opioid overdoses and our collaboration with the Sentara Cares Van Mobile Program increases access to essential health services, and our meditation sessions provide a space for relaxation and mental wellness. Across all regions, CASA partners with Kaiser through the Community Health Access Program (CHAP) to improve community health outcomes by providing insurance.
In Maryland, after CASA was instrumental in passing the Healthy Babies Equity Act last legislative session, our HHS team was then essential in registering 12,000 pregnant people for Medicaid regardless of their immigration status.
Community Economic Development Department
CASA’s Community Economic Development Department (CED) is dedicated to advancing economic justice for immigrant and working-class communities of color through four key programs: the Workforce Development Program, the Employment Program, the Small Business Development Program, and the Co-ops Incubator Program.
In FY24, CASA facilitated over 7,000 job placements and provided more than 1,500 vocational training services to our member workers. Our Digital Training Program alone enrolled more than 270 adults in an intensive four-week curriculum, offering participants extensive computer literacy training and workshops. Additionally, in partnership with Montgomery County, CASA provided more than 15o program participants with free Chromebooks to encourage their skills development and enhance their opportunities for success in the workforce. CASA’s Legal Programming
Last August, CASA held a TPS clinic to help address questions regarding TPS application and registration, Medicaid for pregnant women, and other pertinent questions from CASA members.
This year we continued to grow our capacity to support Black, Brown, Immigrant, and Indigenous members of our community; we continued to lead on existing work such as DACA and TPS to stabilize and strengthen our communities; and we began to lead on the new, streamlined process for Deferred Action for workers who have been victims of–or witnesses to–labor violations.
- Opened more than 2,700 cases
- Closed 2,320 cases
- Conducted 86 legal education sessions and clinics, reaching and serving over 2,000 community members
- In housing judgements/ benefits last year, we saved members a total of $61,016 and earned members a total of $26,443 direct dollar benefits.
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- Restructured our immigration legal team to separate our defensive immigration work (for removal defense) and our affirmative immigration work (administrative relief such as DACA and TPS)
- Assisted community members from Cameroon and Venezuela in applying for TPS in late 2023 and early 2024, following successful advocacy efforts to extend and redesignate these countries for relief last year
- Began ramping up to assist community members from Haiti in applying for TPS, which was extended and redesignated at the end of June 2024
- Continued to push for the redesignation of TPS for other countries facing similar humanitarian crises, including El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Sudan and the designation of Guatemala for TPS
- Continued to lead in our region on securing protection for immigrant workers under the Deferred Action for Labor Enforcement (DALE) program. After providing small-scale direct assistance to workers, support, training, and technical assistance to community organizers, labor attorneys, and immigration attorneys in our region, we hosted our first DALE clinics in April, where we completed applications for over 20 immigrant workers. The clinics were the result of collaboration with local unions, who have been excellent at using DALE as a tool to organize and protect workers.
- After the administration announced the Parole in Place program for undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens on June 18, CASA’s legal team led in developing educational materials, education sessions, and screening forms. Local and national organizations adopted these materials, relying on them to create similar materials and prepare for the implementation of the program. During the last few weeks of the reporting period, CASA represented the legal service provider community in national presentations and conversations with the Department of Homeland Security, in an effort to make this program as accessible as possible for immigrant Marylanders and beyond.
Rapid Response in the Wake of Tragedies
During the first few months of 2024, our team was hit hard with tragedies that affected our immigrant community. The first notable tragedy came at the end of February, when our Baltimore City immigrant community grappled with a house fire that resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two children. CASA jumped quickly into action to provide rapid response, and wraparound efforts, connecting the impacted families with much-needed support. This support included pulling in our legal team to provide legal assistance on housing conditions matters and immigration matters, legal support which continues to date.
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While we were still responding to this tragedy, our community again was faced with the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the deaths of six immigrant workers, some of whom were CASA members. Within a week, CASA had collaborated with several entities, including the City and County of Baltimore, the Governor’s Office, and other local partners, to begin the process of supporting the families of the deceased workers, as well as the lone immigrant survivor. During the rapid response phase of 2-3 months, our legal team spearheaded a legal coordination effort that resulted in successfully reuniting a total of approximately fifty family members for all seven immigrant workers through various means–emergency visitors’ visas, humanitarian parole, and advance parole, among others. Our efforts allowed family members to travel to, from, or within the U.S. so that they could grieve the loss of their loved ones and comfort each other during this most difficult time. We continue to provide legal support to these family members, providing and coordinating immigration legal services.
Bedford and Victoria Station Tenants Reach Historic Settlement with Apartment Owners
After more than a decade of struggling to improve conditions in their apartments, tenants of Bedford and Victoria Station Apartments, together with CASA and attorneys from Nidel & Nace, PLLC and The Donahue Law Firm, LLC, reached a settlement with then-owner Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., an out-of-state investment firm.
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The settlement will bring to a close what started as a rent strike in October 2020. Across four years, a dedicated group of tenants, including a core of 20 leaders, met biweekly to organize their neighbors into the fight for better living conditions and to stave off eviction. The settlement will compensate all of the tenants of the almost 600 unit building who “opted-in” to the class action and lived through the abhorrent living conditions from 2018 to 2021.
Originally constructed in 1950, Bedford and Victoria Station Apartments spans 23 acres and several square blocks of Langley Park with 587 units across 35 buildings. Its pivotal location between two future purple line stations made it the target of predatory ownership for decades as owners sat on deplorable conditions waiting for steep increases in property value.
Notable Service Highlights
Non-partisan Voter Registration
CASA kicked off its non-partisan voter engagement in 2024 by running a voter registration drive in the Pennsylvania counties of York, Lancaster, and Dauphin that resulted in over 600 community members registering or updating their registration to vote ahead of the Primary Elections in April. From first-time voters who have never cast their ballot before, to voters who had moved from Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and needed their registration updated to vote as Pennsylvanians, CASA’s talented canvassers, hired from the communities they cover and speaking Spanish, French, or Haitian Creole respectively, met them where they were. CASA canvassers engaged people at grocery stores, bodegas, restaurants, medical clinics, gas stations, and shopping plazas in community neighborhoods.
Canvass Manager Noelia Veloz had this to say during the campaign: “Many people are changing their political party because they want to vote in the primary and are not aware of Pennsylvania’s closed primary policies. This really confirms the lack of knowledge that the community has about voting and how confusing it can all be. This is why what we do is so important.”
CASA hosted Fall and Spring Festivals in Virginia
The Fall Festival was held on October 21st at CASA’s Woodbridge Welcome Center and featured a variety of fall activities and free services, including health screenings, bounce houses, apple cider, kettle corn, face painting, pumpkins and pumpkin painting, music, and a CASA Membership raffle.
Even bigger than the fall event, CASA partnered with another non-profit organization Villa in Bloom to host a Spring Festival on May 18th. The spring festival included a total of 80 vendors with lots of free services and spring fun. During the event, participants received health screenings by the Sentara Family Connection van, updated COVID-19 vaccines by the local department of health, eye health/vision screenings, baby clothing and other supplies provided by Villa, haircuts, a moon bounce, face painting, a Spider-Man display, music, an art exhibit showcasing the immigration journey experienced by several CASA staff and Members, and of course lots of food. In total, more than 600 community members participated in the Spring Festival! This achievement speaks volumes about the impact we can make when we come together with a shared purpose and unwavering commitment to our community.
Legal Immigration Seminars
CASA continued to play a vital role in educating the community about immigration law through our Legal Immigration Seminars in Georgia. These seminars provided over 100 attendees with valuable information on various immigration topics and other legal issues, such as wage theft. By offering these educational opportunities, we empower our membership to navigate the complex immigration and legal systems with greater confidence and understanding. View the full panel video here!
Maryland Lt. Gov Aruna Miller Awards CASA with Governor Citation for Citizenship Clinic
In 2023, CASA’s Immigrant Integration Program, supported by its Maryland AmeriCorps program of 21 members, received renowned admiration and recognition for its work in helping community members become US citizens. On October 21st, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller awarded CASA with a Governor Citation at CASA’s Citizenship Clinic held at the Multicultural Center in Langley Park, Maryland.
“This is a citation from the Governor, myself, & Secretary Susan C. Lee. Be it known because of your demonstration of high integrity and ability, marinating our great trust and respect, we are most pleased to award you the governor citation, in appreciation of your outstanding services to the citizens of this state,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. Secretary of Service and Civic Engagement Paul Monteiro, Jr., Sen. Malcolm Augustine, and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles had the opportunity that day to hear directly from CASA members who were newly naturalized citizens.
CASA Member and newly naturalized citizen, Gabriela Hernandez, was joined by her children and father, who also recently became a citizen. Gabriela commented, “CASA was with me from the start to the end of the process. We are now motivating other members of our family and friends who are eligible to also apply for citizenship. Now we are able to vote; we can spread our voice; and we can always motivate and help each other.”
Sonia Cartagena, an AmeriCorps member who serves with CASA’s program, stated, “From the moment people call us, we hear their stories and we want to help them reach their dream of becoming a U.S. Citizen. We provide information, help them with their application, and help them take the classes to know all the citizenship test questions.”
While CASA holds citizenship clinics monthly, the October clinic was one of CASA’s largest citizenship clinics in Maryland in 2023, with roughly 80 people with lawful permanent residency seeking naturalization, featuring more than 40 volunteers.
