La Casa Hogar

Citizenship Education and Legal Services La Casa Hogar is a recognized Department of Justice (Executive Office for Immigration Review) Organization and employs DOJ-accredited staff. The Citizenship program educates eligible lawful permanent residents about the process for naturalization and obtaining citizenship. Adult Immigrant students learn civics and history of the United States and how to engage civically in their local Yakima community. They build a strong sense of belonging, and an awareness of the rights and responsibilities related to being a citizen of the United States of America. In addition, the organization completes N400s, the naturalization forms that individuals need to submit successfully to obtain citizenship. Program staff offers trauma-informed legal services and case management from application to oath ceremony to hundreds of immigrants each year.

Early Learning Center (Escuelita) - Early Learning Center (Escuelita)offers a bilingual (Spanish/English) school readiness program for children, ages 3 - 5, who otherwise would not have preschool education. The Escuelita uses the linguistically and culturally competent, "Creative CurriculumX and measures children's development across six developmental domains: linguistic, cognitive, mathematics, literacy, social emotional, and physical. Parents are incorporated in their child's learning experience through parent teacher conferences, volunteering, and parent-education and training classes in topics such as ACEs, methods of positive discipline, STEM and rights/responsibilities within the school system. In 2020, La Casa finished it's capital campaign and construction to build La Escuelita, a one-room early learning center building, in the backyard of La Casa's property. This space increased the number of families and children served annually.

Adult Education The organization offers pre-GED education, technology literacy, parent advisory and civic engagement groups, English-Spanish language exchange classes, leadership development, and six levels of English as a Second Language classes. Each Year, the Adult Education Program alone serves approximately 200 families. Leadership development is a core element of this program and La Casa supports adult immigrant students to develop the confidence and skills to pursue positions of leadership at local organizations, businesses, boards, committees, and within La Casa Hogar itself.