Meet Estela Estela came to St. Helena from Mexico in 1993 to join her husband, and has worked as a farmworker for the past 28 years. The couple brought four of their five kids from Mexico to live with them. In 2015, Estela's husband passed away. Adding to her feelings of loss, Estela missed her son who still lived in Mexico. That's when she reached out to the family center to apply for citizenship. While Estela felt it was important to petition for her son, she worried about passing the citizenship test. As the oldest child of eight, she worked from a young age to help the family, stopping school in second grade. In order to prepare for the citizenship test, Estela attended weekly classes in the evenings -- despite being exhausted after long days of work in the fields. Her dedication paid off. Estela passed her test, became a US citizen, and was able to petition for her son! Contact our office for more information about becoming a US citizen at (707) 965-5010. Our immigration services are generously supported by the Napa Valley Community Foundation's One Napa Valley Initiative, the California Department of Social Services, City of Calistoga, City of St. Helena, Silverado Farming Company's One Percent Fund, and individual donors. | |
Brighter futures with Lending Circles! We are inviting community members to join our next Lending Circles formation taking place this summer. Lending Circles is a social loan program with zero percent interest, managed by the Mission Asset Fund (MAF), that helps working families to save money while building or improving their credit. As a licensed Lending Circle provider, the UpValley Family Centers will provide direct and ongoing support to participants, supplemented by financial education and other resources. MAF will provide loan servicing and technical support. Those interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at (707) 965-5010 or lendingcircles@upvalleyfamilycenters.org. | |
