A big kiddush Hashem was made by Mr. Leon Goldenberg, Shomrim of Staten Island and the Masbia Relief Team at La Colmena.

La Colmena is a NYC-based charity organization with a mission to empower the immigrant community through education, organizing, culture and economic development. La Colmena provides educational opportunities that teach soft and hard skills, most notably construction site safety classes known as OSHA 30 + SST 10.

On Sunday, November 13, about 30 adults, asylum seekers who settled in New York City, graduated from the Occupational Safety and Healthcare (OSHA) 30-hour + Site Safety Training (SST) 10-hourcourse (the 40-hour requirement to be on a construction site). The certification and the boots will prepare them for the construction workforce.

The Masbia Relief Team, with the sponsorship of Goldmont Realty Corp., provided all graduates of La Colmena with brand new steeltoe OSHA-approved construction boots on Sunday.

“It is extremely important to give people back their dignity. They came to the U.S. to pursue the American dream and helping them enter the labor force so that they can fend for themselves is a basic human right,” said Mr. Leon Goldenberg of Goldmont Realty Corp, “I am proud to sponsor those OSHA approved boots,” he added.

“When you speak with people who are newly arrived, their response is, ‘I am here to work to provide for my family and contribute to society.’ This is why we partnered up with MASBIA, to provide them with the tools and resources so they can advocate for themselves,” said Yesenia Mata of La Colmena.

“The more people donate, the more the Masbia Relief Team can share with the asylum seekers. Especially now, during the giving season, it’s important to make sure your dollars make an impact. Please go to www.masbiarelief.org/Asylum-Seekers,” said Mr. Alexander Rapaport, executive director of Masbia Soup Kitchen Network.

Appeared in the November 23, 2022, print edition as ‘Jewish And Latino Community Groups Help Asylum Seekers Join The Workforce’.

To help Asylum Seekers click here.