About the Organization
Giving+Learning (G+L) is a nonprofit organization that provides a link to connect volunteer mentors with new Americans. G+L pairs new Americans with volunteer mentors in the Fargo-Moorhead community to practice a variety of English skills, such as reading, writing, listening and speaking.
G+L works to help individuals practice English, adapt to an unfamiliar culture and way of living, and provides the structure for connecting a new American asking for help with a volunteer mentor. Mentors are asked to give one hour per week to help new American adults with their English.
G+L helps each new American to attain personal goals: skills for education, work force and community accomplishments include driver’s license, citizenship test passing, and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA and Certification) class completion to name a few.
Our Goal
Our goal at G+L is to help adult new Americans learn the necessary English literacy skills to obtain employment and to successfully integrate into a new culture. A volunteer mentor commits to one hour – one hour! – a week to help somebody on their road to self sufficiency not only for themselves but their extended family. New American refugees want the same things we as an established community want:
- Employment for self-sufficiency
- Health for their families
- The opportunity to practice their religion without being persecuted or killed
- To be a member of their adopted community.
Here in Fargo, we’re slowly, but surely, welcoming the cultural diversity that these new Americans bring to our community. To learn how you can get involved, contact Rachel Mertz at or .
Our Mission
Giving + Learning strives to build a healthy community through providing new Americans with mentors necessary for them to succeed in a new culture and community. Through communication practice and pairing of new Americans with mentors that will help them work toward goal achievement, the Giving + Learning program provides each individual with the resources required to achieve both short and long term goals.
G+L Featured in News
G+L featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered”
National Public Radio (NPR) aired a segment on Giving+Learning January 17th, 2011. This segment highlights the tireless efforts of our amazing volunteers and the impact mentors have had on the lives of the new Americans in the area. The text and audio of the segment can be found at the NPR site:
Awarded Purpose Prize
A feature on Michele McRae, who was awarded the 2008 Purpose Prize for her tireless efforts at Giving + Learning.
