Mentors help immigrant partner families bridge two worlds La Crosse Area Habitat for Humanity in Wisconsin has had an active mentoring program for years. Lately, however, it has found mentors to be even more valuable for immigrant families transitioning into Habitat homeownership. About 60 percent of the affiliate’s current partner family applicants are members of the Hmong ethnic group, a group that originates in the mountains of several southeast Asian countries. The Hmong population in La Crosse has grown so much recently, executive director Cori Skolaski says, that it’s not unusual to live in a neighborhood with Hmong neighbors, whether you live in a Habitat house or not. Given the intensive nature of Habitat’s education process, with required home maintenance, credit counseling and budget classes, mentors can serve a valuable role in answering questions and providing the families with a familiar, stable point of contact throughout the partnership process. Also, the mentor can help bridge relationships between the immigrant family and the larger community. “Hmong families tend to be quite large, and the extended families are even bigger, so often they don’t look beyond the family for community,” Skolaski says. Mentors offer a chance to develop an intercultural friendship and practice language skills. If you are interested in serving as a mentor to an immigrant partner family, contact your local affiliate by calling (800) HABITAT or search by ZIP code at www.habitat.org for opportunities in your area. |