Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was joined by Lawrence leaders to announce $300,000 in federal funding for the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council. The federal funding provided by USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program will expand the Lawrence organization’s range of citizenship preparation services. This grant is the first of its kind to be awarded to an organization in the Third District.

“As the granddaughter of immigrants, I’m committed to ensuring that immigrant families here in Lawrence and across our district have the support they need. The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council has been doing remarkable work to support immigrants who want nothing more than to build a better life for their families. I couldn’t be prouder to deliver this federal funding, which will bolster their efforts, build upon this great City’s long, rich history of welcoming immigrants,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council is an invaluable partner as we work to make this city and this Commonwealth a better place to call home, and I couldn’t imagine a more deserving recipient of this first-of-its-kind federal funding in our district.”

Trahan was joined for the event by Evelyn Friedman, Executive Director of the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Mayor Brian De Peña, State Representative Estela Reyes, and City Councilors Marc La Plante and Stephany Infante.

“We are so excited and pleased to accept this award. With it we will be able to assist more residents of our community to understand the citizenship process and to actually become citizens thereby reaping all the benefits being a citizen provides. Thank you to Congresswoman Trahan and the USCIS for trusting us to do this work,” said Evelyn Friedman, Executive Director of the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council.

“As an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, I see first hand the need and importance of assisting lawful permanent residents on the path to citizenship, and be equipped to embrace the rights and responsibilities that citizenship involves,” said Mayor Brian A. DePeña. “On behalf of the city of Lawrence, I am incredibly grateful to Congresswoman Lori Trahan for her dedication and work to reduce barriers to citizenship.”

The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council provides a multitude of services to over 25,000 clients including education support, economic and social services, child care, health, housing, youth development, immigration, and tax assistance. This grant will specifically support the organization’s citizenship preparation services available to lawful permanent residents and those with a pathway to lawful permanent residency.

Since she was first sworn into office in 2019, Trahan has been a strong supporter of the work being done at the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council. In 2020, Trahan announced a five year, $5.6 million federal Head Start grant for the organization that serves hundreds of preschool and Early Head Start eligible children across four centers in Lawrence and one in Methuen. She also supported the awarding of $400,000 in federal grant funding from the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services to the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council to help build a new child care facility in Lawrence.

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