Working Together

By Hillary Buzaid With the cold weather upon us and the recent school cancellations due to extreme weather, I have been sure to ask clients if they have the proper winter attire when I see them. Fortunately, Taller de Jose has a few different ways that we can help clients get winter coats, so I…

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Accompanying New Citizens

By Joan Stopka Some of the accompaniments that have impacted me the most are the trips I have taken to USCIS, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. We accompany individuals there for a variety of reasons, including interviews for those applying for residency or citizenship. I recently accompanied an elderly woman who was ready to…

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Waiting

Acela was a friendly older woman referred to us by Esperanza Health Clinic, a local clinic in Little Village that provides quality bilingual, bicultural medical services to the community.  When she arrived at Taller de Jose, she already knew where to go.  “Cook County,” she said, “Last time they wouldn’t see me.”  It was my…

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A Beacon of Light

This Thanksgiving, I have been thinking about how grateful I am for the relationships I’ve formed with clients and all that they’ve taught me. One such client is Juana, who came to Taller de José looking for help as she applied for U-VISA immigration status, a special visa available to those who have been victims…

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Walking Together

As I near the completion of my first month volunteering at Taller de José, it is amazing to think of how many diverse cases I have faced with clients in such a short amount of time. This past month has shown me how the ministry of accompaniment impacts our clients and the way that we…

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