WICHITA, Kan. – Do you have your green card? Are you ready to become a U.S. citizen? As a social service outreach of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services is pleased to offer Citizenship Classes in our efforts to provide help and create hope to people of all faiths and nationalities. Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services is offering Citizenship Classes on Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m. starting June 8.

Participants may start classes anytime beginning June 8 through Dec. 7 and complete four consecutive weeks of the class completed. Registration is just $5. The classes themselves are free and are held at Catholic Charities offices at 437 N. Topeka.

To become a citizen you must be at least 18 years of age, have been a lawful permanent resident for at least the last five years (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen). You must also have a “green card”, and be able to speak, read, and write ordinary English. Citizens of the United States of America get to vote, have a U.S. passport, can petition for green cards for close relatives, and cannot be deported or lose citizenship unless a misrepresentation is used to gain citizenship or ineligibility occurs.

Find out more about what you can achieve and how you can accomplish it with citizenship. To learn more or to register for classes, call Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services at 264-0282. Response to the classes by current clients has been strong.

The goal of this project is to reach 90 legal immigrants and help them become citizens of the United States. Funding for this project is made possible by a Naturalization Capacity Initiative grant from the American Dream Fund of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

About Catholic Charities
Established in 1943 as a social service outreach of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Catholic Charities has served the community for more than 65 years. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), Catholic Charities works to ensure efficiencies and effectiveness of its program – striving for quality. Since its beginning, Catholic Charities has helped people of all faiths and backgrounds, “demonstrating the Gospel values of love and justice through service, education, advocacy, and collaboration.” While the programs and services have changed to meet community needs, the goal of Catholic Charities remains – to make a positive difference in the lives of people of all faiths.
For more information about Catholic Charities please visit www.catholiccharitieswichita.org.

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