MCFS POYS Students

Natalia Guillen Selected as MCFS Youth Summer Internship at Graham Partners

On May 21, 2011, Mr. Steve Graham,Senior Managing Principal at Graham Partners, an investment firm in Malvern, Pa and a financial supporter of MCFS since its founding in 2003, served as the keynote speaker at the Multicultural Community Family Services (MCFS) Celebrating Success Achievement Dinner in Upper Darby, Pa.
 
During his speech, Mr. Graham brought everyone to their feet, and many to tears, when he graciously announced that he will be donating 50,000 to MCFS, and offered to provide summer internship opportunity annually for one graduate or under graduate student who was sponsored and associated with the MCFS for the next five years.  Mr. Graham was accompanied by his wife Christina and friend, Ostoja Marko.And now, one year later, as pledged, the Graham Partners has offered a 6-week Summer I nternship to Ms. Natalia Guillen.  Natalia will be working under the leadership of Graham Partners Senior Associate, Natasha Sunderam.

Natalia  hails from Costa Rica.  Natalia became known to MCFS in August of 2010, at which time she became 1 of 20 older youth who enrolled in a program known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Youth Summer Job Readiness Program.   MCFS obtained a summer job placement for Natalia at Marshall Department Store in Upper Darby.

 As a participant, Natalia benefitted from older youth support group services,  job placement services, English as a second language learning and WorkKeys  Career Ready Study Activities.  Natalia successfully passed the WorkKeys examination and achieved a “Silver Level “ National Career Readiness Certificate.

MCFS posed the following questions to Natalia:
MCFS:  What do you think about the opportunity to work at Graham Partners? 
Natalia: It’s a great opportunity, as I will be able to improve my skills, and apply everything I learned in my country and at the Philadelphia University. Working at Graham Partners will also provide me with a very good work experience and provide me with quality accounting training in a great company.

MCFS:  What would you like to say to Mr. Graham?
Natalia:“I think of Mr. Graham as a person with a very good heart, and an excellent perspective about helping the youth. He is giving an opportunity to young people to work and improve themselves and also to immigrant youth so that they can have the chance to work and develop their skills”.
Mr. Graham is a caring person who is always looking to help our organization, and by doing that, he’s doing a great job to help the community.

Is there anything you would like to tell Mr. Graham?
Natalia: I want to tell him thank you for the opportunity to work in his company.  I am very excited and will do my best! 

MCFS:  How has MCFS supported you?
Natalia:  Oh MY! Multicultural has helped me a lot!   I came to the “ARRA” (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) Program at MCFS where I got preparation and job skills training and a certificate. The organization then got me a job, and that was my a big step to develop myself in the job market. And since then, I have not stopped working hard and I have also ade some very good friends.  

Mr. Graham’s generous donation to MCFS greatly increased MCFS general operating capacity,  and further enable MCFS to implement itshome care program that (1) provides low cost, non-medical home care services for seniors and others who are physically or intellectually challenged  (2) provides home care employment for more than 20 home care aides who provide personal, daily living support and companion care for seniors and the physically challenged in the comfort of their own homes and (3) provides a moderate source of funding support for MCFS educational, job readiness, counseling and recreation programs.

In an era where many small, not-for-profit organizations are closing their doors due to lack of funds resulting from massive government funding cutbacks for social and educational  programs,  the generous support from Steve Graham, and the Graham Partners, have greatly contributed to keeping MCFS Doors Open, and allowing MCFS to continue to serve the community! 
THANK YOU, Mr. Graham!   

 

MCFS Launches Its Home Care Credentialing Program for Older Youth

MCFS is excited about its new Home Care initiative and the added opportunities it provides for older youth. Two older youth are currently pursuing a dual credentialing GED and home care aide program. The youth, Nicola, of Jamaican origin and Suwah of Liberian origin study for their home care aide certification on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and for the GED certificate on Wednesdays and Fridays. Both older youth had this to say about the program:

Nicola: "I feel privilege being enrolled in the program at MCFS. I feel privileged because of the teachers, the support I received during the regular school hours, after school, and the tutoring, and the support and dedication that I get from my teachers. I am happy about the feedback I get from my classwork. I feel as though when I get my GED, it will gave me a start up in life and the home care is a start-up for me to go into the medical field and study to become a nurse and after that, in the future, 10-15 years from now, to see if I can become a doctor, so I can be financially prepare for life.”


Suwah: "I like the program here. I feel good about what is offered to me, and I feel at home with my teachers and class members and I feel pleased. I want to take my GED so that I can go to college and study nursing. By studying for my home care aide certificate it will help me to gain knowledge to help others in need. Getting my GED and homecare aide certificate will better help me to get a job and will help me to know how to maintain and sustain the job I get."

Back to Programs and Services >