NEWS from ACTION, INC.

March 1, 2002

On behalf of Governor Jane Swift, Jane Wallis Gumble, Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) awarded Action, Inc. of Gloucester $10,000 to expand its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program.

A community meeting between Action Inc. and Gloucester’s growing Brazilian and Spanish-speaking community last December led Action to develop this series of ESOL classes, funded by local businesses and other major donors to Action.

Beginning March 4, the DHCD grant will double the size of the English program to 30 students. Classes meet three evenings a week at Action’s Compass Youth Program in Brown’s Mall, downtown Gloucester. Another 25-35 people are on a waiting list for additional classes that will be formed as soon as additional funds are raised.

Each group of students has two classes per week in language skills and is taught by Elizabeth Williams, Action’s English as a Second Language coordinator. The third evening is spent learning computer skills. The first round of classes is scheduled to continue until June.

The classes are divided about evenly between Portuguese-speaking native Brazilians and Spanish-speaking people from other parts of Latin America, including Mexico. There is also one native Korean-speaking student.

Bill Rochford, Action’s executive director, said the other major donors to the program include First National Bank of Ipswich, the Forest Foundation, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Citizens Bank, Gloucester Bank & Trust Co. (now BankNorth Massachusetts), Gloucester Co-operative Bank, Ryan Associates Inc., and Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc. Varian donated computers used at Action’s Employment Training Facility.