A Promise Fulfilled: The Launch of a Program Rooted in Care

At Friends House, the heartbeat of our mission has always been grounded in people – their stories, their journeys, and their contributions to our community. In 2025, we take a bold and beautiful step forward by launching the Friends House Citizenship Program, an initiative designed not just to support but to honor the journeys of our employees seeking U.S. citizenship.

This program is about more than documentation. It’s about belonging. It honors the courage of those who’ve built lives here, who show up every day to serve with grace and dignity, and who now dream of taking one more step toward home.

Why This Program Matters

For many of our team members, the path to citizenship is not just a legal process – it’s a deeply personal quest. It represents stability, opportunity, and acknowledgment. It’s the moment when years of service, struggle, and hope converge into a single, powerful declaration: You are a part of this place. You are valued. You are home.

Too often, the path to citizenship is filled with obstacles that seem insurmountable, whether that be financial, educational, or legal. It can be overwhelming and isolating. But Friends House is choosing a different way forward. A way that reflects who we are: a community that walks alongside each other.

The Heart Behind the Program

The Citizenship Program is born from listening. It emerged from conversations in break rooms, from heartfelt stories shared during quiet moments, and from a clear understanding that many of our colleagues carry a dream that feels both urgent and out of reach.

We asked ourselves: What if we could help?

What if we didn’t just cheer from the sidelines, but stepped onto the path together?

What unfolded was not a policy. It was a promise.

A promise that says: if you’ve given your time, your talents, your care to this community, then this community will return that investment with respect, resources, and relentless encouragement.

The Citizenship Program reflects the spirit of equality and community that runs deep in the Friends House mission, part of the SPICES values that guide our purpose every day.

Building Bridges with Education and Mentorship

One of the most moving aspects of this initiative is the way it invites our whole community to participate. Residents, staff, and volunteers are stepping into roles as tutors and mentors, bridging generations and cultures with compassion.

Imagine a retired teacher sitting across from a caregiver, helping them review questions for the civics test. Picture shared laughter over flashcards, quiet moments of encouragement, and the pride in someone’s eyes when they master a new phrase or answer a tough question correctly. These are more than study sessions. They are moments of mutual respect and connection.

This is what community looks like when it’s alive with purpose.

Celebrating Every Step

We often celebrate big accomplishments – graduations, weddings, retirements. But becoming a citizen? That deserves a celebration all its own.

With the Citizenship Program, we’re creating space to mark every milestone: from the first tutoring session to the moment someone takes their oath of allegiance. These aren’t private achievements – they are shared victories.

There will be stories told, songs sung, hands held, and perhaps even tears shed – because these are not just administrative benchmarks. They are emotional transformations. They represent the culmination of years of hope, patience, and perseverance.

And in these celebrations, we all grow closer.

Our Residents: The Heartbeat of Support

The response from Friends House residents has been extraordinary. Many have shared how honored they feel to walk beside our employees on this journey. Some have told their own stories of immigration, remembering when they, too, stood at the threshold of a new chapter. Others have never had that experience but are eager to stand in solidarity, offering their time, their wisdom, and their words of encouragement.

“I feel incredibly honored when members of our team become U.S. citizens. It’s a testament to their resilience, dedication, and strength. They bring invaluable experiences to our community, and witnessing them reach this milestone is both inspiring and humbling.

For many immigrant employees, securing U.S. citizenship isn’t just a personal achievement—it represents long-term stability, family reunification, and full participation in American life.

As an immigrant who walked this road myself, it brings me great joy to see others claim their place in the American story. Their success is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when determination meets opportunity.”

– Elizabeth Nicely, Director of Human Resources

This collaboration between residents and employees is one of the most touching aspects of the Citizenship Program. It strengthens our shared values and deepens our bonds as a multi-generational, multicultural family.

This Is About More Than a Piece of Paper

Citizenship means different things to different people. For some, it means finally being able to vote. For others, it’s a sense of permanence. For everyone, it’s a powerful affirmation of place and personhood.

At Friends House, we believe that citizenship isn’t about where you’re from – it’s about where you belong.

And we want every employee to know: you belong here.

This program is a recognition. It reflects solidarity and respect. And it’s not just a path – it’s a bridge we’re building together, one person, one story, one step at a time.

The Power of Storytelling

Throughout this year, we’ll be sharing the personal journeys of those who choose to participate in the Citizenship Program. These stories are raw, real, and radiant with courage.

We’ll hear about long nights of study after long days of work. About fear turned into confidence. About the joyful moment of swearing allegiance to the country they’ve already called home in their hearts.

These aren’t just success stories – they’re reminders of what happens when community steps in, when systems shift, and when hearts open.

A Model for the Future

The Friends House Citizenship Program isn’t just a project. It’s a model for what’s possible when institutions choose inclusion, when leadership invests in people, and when neighbors become family.

We hope this inspires other organizations to consider how they can support the dreams of those who make their communities whole.

Because at the end of the day, citizenship isn’t just a legal status. It’s a declaration of belonging. And when we say “you belong,” we mean it – with our actions, our policies, and our hearts.

A Call to Hope

This program is a celebration of hope in action. It’s about imagining a future where every employee, regardless of where they started, can fully participate in the civic and cultural life of this nation.

And it’s about recognizing that sometimes, the most radical thing we can do is stand beside someone and say:

I see you.

I believe in you.

Let’s walk this road together.

The Journey Ahead

There’s no roadmap for what comes next. Each journey to citizenship is as unique as the person walking it. But with the Friends House Citizenship Program, no one has to walk alone.

We’re offering more than tutoring, more than support – we’re offering a home along the way.

To every employee who has dreamed of becoming a citizen: this is your time.

To every resident, tutor, donor, and supporter: thank you for making this possible.

To our broader community: may this story inspire you to act with courage and compassion, wherever you are.

At Friends House, we don’t just talk about inclusion. We live it. And in 2025, we’re proud to take that commitment one step further.

Because everyone belongs.