''Sometimes, I stop and think to myself, 'Is this real?' When I came to this country, I spoke zero English. Now, I can read and write and say anything I want."

Born in Mexico and raised in Guatemala, Carlos Quib Maaz always dreamed of moving to the United States. At 25 years old, he took a leap of faith and made the journey.

When Carlos arrived in Boston, he didn't know a single person. While he was able to secure a job as a line cook at a local Italian restaurant, the language barrier remained a constant challenge, making it difficult for Carlos to communicate with his bosses and advocate for himself at work.

Carlos credits the moment he learned of Catholic Charities Boston's ESOL programs as a pivotal turning point in his life path, immersing him into a network of people who believed in his potential and were dedicated to his individual success.

"I worked hard every day," he said. "I studied hard because I wanted a better future for myself."

Catholic Charities Boston's Adult Education and Workforce Development programs have been helping people like Carlos to combat language barriers and create new pathways to self-sufficiency. Catholic Charities teachers and program staff are working to address poverty and the income gap by making high-quality education and job training more accessible to those in need.

With 21 percent of Boston's population being immigrants who contribute $103 billion annually to the region, the impact of these programs not only helps those most in need but strengthens the entire community.

Because of his experience taking ESOL classes at Catholic Charities' Laboure Center, Carlos says his day-to-day work experience at the restaurant has entirely transformed. No longer does he feel the need to rely on anyone to translate for him -- he speaks for himself -- and with his new English fluency, he feels confident he will continue to grow and gain new skills every day. Above all, he is grateful he was given the chance to achieve stability and economic independence in his new home.

Beyond offering life-changing ESOL classes, Catholic Charities offers Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide (NA/HHA), and Information Technology (IT) programs.

"Workforce development programs are a critical resource for immigrants in our community because they provide a reliable and consistent choice of career with a pathway of growth, and it allows us to help adjust labor deficiencies that are critical to the healthcare industry," said Antonio De Sousa Lobo, director of workforce development at Catholic Charities Boston.

Maria, who is 19 and immigrated from Venezuela a year and a half ago, recently graduated from Catholic Charities El Centro Adult Education Center in Jamaica Plain, where she not only became fluent in English but also discovered her passion for computer science and data analytics.

"I didn't know anything about it, but I thought, 'Let me try it.'" she said. "That class changed my life."

Maria, now preparing to begin a cybersecurity program at Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, recently shared her story with her fellow classmates at her graduation ceremony.

"Before I started at El Centro, I thought all my goals were so far away," said Maria. "I didn't think I could do it, but now, I really feel I am on my way to achieving my goals."

To learn more about Catholic Charities' Adult Education and Workforce Development programs, visit www.ccab.org/adult-education-workforce-development.

To find out how you can support Catholic Charities' students, like Carlos and Maria, visit our Ways to Give page at ccab.org.



Shannon Lyons is the PR and communications manager for Catholic Charities Boston.