by | Sep 2, 2020 | Newsletter
Thanks to the generosity of Kordestani Foundation and Goodarzi Foundation, Pars Equality Center (Pars) recently reviewed student applications and awarded the following scholarships:
Pars Youth Grant /The American Dream (supported by the Kordestani Foundation): Pars received 50 applications from low-income students graduating from high schools in California with specific plans to continue their education in a California college or university. After extensive review by the Scholarship Grant Committee, 4 qualified applicants were awarded the Pars Youth Grant, each receiving $8,000 toward their tuition. This is the sixth year of Pars Youth Grant initiative which has been made possible by the generous contribution of the Kordestani Foundation.
The Goodarzi Scholarship Grant: For the second consecutive year, Pars has been instrumental in assisting the Goodarzi Foundation provide financial assistance to students of Iranian descent who, within the last seven years, have migrated to the United States. Five students were selected among 37 applicants. On August 21, 2020, scholarship checks totaling $32,396 were awarded during a ceremony at our Los Angeles center.
As the pandemic continues to cause unprecedented turmoil and profound financial hardship, Pars strives to support the community through the foregoing initiatives and similar support programs.
by | Sep 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
Below, please find a quick summary of temporary changes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in response to COVID-19:
- Planned furlough of 13,400 USCIS employees temporarily halted
- Field offices have started reopening and resuming some interviews and other in-person services with social distancing and other health & safety precautions
- Throughout closures, Service Centers and lockboxes have continued to accept applications
- During office closure USCIS was re-using some biometrics (fingerprints) but as Application Support Centers (ASCs) reopen, USCIS will stop doing this
- Copies of signatures accepted in place of original, “wet ink” signatures
- USCIS is allowing extra time to respond to Requests for Evidence (RFEs), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs), and other responses
- COVID-19 and public charge: As of August 31, 2020, USCIS has not indicated whether it plans to partially implement the new public charge rule everywhere except New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, after the Second Circuit narrowed the injunction during the COVID-19 public health emergency to just the Second Circuit
- USCIS’ Contact Center, reachable online at https://egov.uscis.gov/e-request/Intro.do and by phone (800-375- 5283), is supposed to be available for emergency requests for service, including requests to schedule Infopass appointments in time-sensitive, urgent situations, for instance emergency advance parole.
If you would like to find out more about these updates or need assistance with your immigration case, do not hesitate to contact our offices in San Jose (408-261-6405; [email protected]) or Los Angeles (818-325-7551; [email protected])
by | Aug 6, 2020 | Newsletter
As we continue to face unprecedented challenges in these tumultuous times, we want you to count on Pars Equality Center as a reliable resource for many of your essential needs. Here are some highlights of our COVID-19 related services and outcomes provided at our centers in Los Angeles and San Jose:
- Assistedclose to 2,000 unemployed individuals by filing for their unemployment benefits
- Served 141 members by offering career development and job placement services with at least 25 members finding employment through our program
- Educated 1,909 community members by conducing 57 webinars on changes to immigration policies as a result of the pandemic and ensuing Presidential Proclamations
- Distributed $40,000 in financial assistance to low-income households whose incomes were affected by the pandemic
- Fedmore than360families as part of “The Emergency Food AssistanceProgram”
- Launched bi-weekly grocery shopping and delivery program for at-risk elderly community members
- Continued to provide tax filing services during shelter-in-place, helping 568 low-income families and individuals file their income taxes
- Transitioned regular in-person classes to online offerings and added COVID-19 specific webinars includingCovid-19 and your mental health,Job searchstrategies in Covid-19 daysandResources for individuals and small businesses in COVID-19
- Designed weekly virtual programs including yoga and meditation techniques, healthy and easy to follow cooking classes, singing, Tonbak and piano lessons to help seniors stay aware, engaged, and healthy amid the ravages of the pandemic
- CreatedCOVID-19 resource guides and PowerPoint presentations in Persian language with more than 16,000 views on Pars Equality Center’s social media platforms
We remain resolute in serving our community no matter the obstacles. If you needassistance,please don’t hesitate tocontact us. We’re eager to serve.
by | Aug 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
Congress has recently introduced legislation in the House and Senate standing up for the civil rights and civil liberties of Iranian Americans! Read more about this historic resolution here.
by | Jul 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today, House Democrats passed legislation to reverse President Trump’s executive order banning entry of people from several mostly Muslim-majority countries, widely known as the Muslim Travel Ban.
Although the No Ban Act passed in the House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will likely refuse to bring the legislation up for a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate, blocking the possibility for the bill to become law under the Trump administration.
Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, recently announced that if elected president, he would reverse the ban “on day one.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Pars Equality Center’s Immigration Services:
408-261-6405 (San Jose Office) / 818-325-7551 (Los Angeles Office)
[email protected] / [email protected]
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