Resettlement re-cap: a periodic report from the Cuban Refugee Center, June 1966

              SPONSOR CUBAN REFUGEES
Fulfill Their Faith in Freedom
JUNE 1966
RESETTLEMENT RE-CAP
FOR   ADMINISTRATIVE    USE
A PERIODIC REPORT FROM THE CUBAN REFUGEE CENTER — FREEDOM TOWER, MIAMI 32, FLORIDA
U.  S.   DEPARTMENT OF  HEALTH,  EDUCATION, AND  WELFARE     —    WELFARE  ADMINISTRATION
U.S.  CUBAN  REFUGEE  PROGRAM JOHN FREDERICK THOMAS, Director, Washington, D. C.
HOWARD  H.   PALMATIER, Assistant  Program  Director
MARSHALL WISE, Director of Center HARRY B.  LYFORD, Editor
MOTHERfS IN THE MIDDLE!
A Cuban crush of emotion was caught by an
alert cameraman in Charleston, W. Va., when
Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Diaz stepped from a plane
to be greeted by their 17-year-old son,
Thomas J.  Parents and son had been separated four years.  Son reached for both parents,
father reached for son, and mother was caught
in the middle, at the risk of momentary suffocation.  In all the excitement father clung
to a magazine.  The picture below gives evidence that each came through the big hug intact, son with eyeglasses in place and his
parents wiping away their tears of joy.
Young Diaz came to Charleston in 1962 to live
with the J. L. Kellers, as a result of an acquaintance with the Diaz family that started
when the Kellers visited Havana pre-Castro
and had Mr. Diaz as their taxi driver-guide.
The Americans welcomed the Diaz son to their
home when his parents worried about the future under the communist regime.  Their own
coming now, they feel, is an "unbelieving
dream." -- Photos Courtesy Charleston
DAILY MAIL, Chester Hawes, photographer.
FACTS ABOUT THE CUBAN REFUGEE PROGRAM
STIR INTEREST AND ACTION IN RESETTLEMENT;
BACK NUMBERS OF RE-CAP, FACT SHEETS, AND
OTHER PRINTED MATTER AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
T DIPLOMAS OF GRATITUDE1 AWARDED BY DENVER CUBANS
"Diplomas of Gratitude" are a grateful way Cubans have of telling
American friends how appreciative they are for all that has been done
for them in their exile.  The Cuban Circle of Denver developed the
idea and wrote President Johnson about it, expressing hope that he
might join them May 22 when they observed the Cuban Independence Day
and awarded diplomas to their Colorado friends so they 'will know our
thankfulness for welcome and opportunities given us." The President
was further told:  "We are paying back these opportunities by being
respectful, thankful, and doing our best to deserve all the good
things received from your people and your government." Abraham U.
Broche, the Circle's President, signed the letter.  Colorado Cubans
had been requested to name Americans meriting the diplomas, and 250
diplomas were given out.  Juan F. Alonso-Barrios, reporting for the
Circle's board of directors, states that more than 1,000 persons attended the ceremony, the event was well covered by Denver newspapers
and "as a result some new opportunities of employment for Cubans have
been opened up, and a very deep understanding and friendship has been
established between Colorado people and the Cuban community."
The Denver ceremony was one of many scheduled in the U.S. by Cuban
groups in memory of their homeland's long struggle for enduring democracy.  The gatherings also emphasized the continuing need for Cubans to be helping Cubans as the U.S. airlift from Cuba brings more
and more refugees.  Already this assistance, linked with the helpfulness of American sponsors and employers, has played a significant
part in the success of resettlement since the family reunion phase of
the Cuban Refugee Program began late in 1965-  Arrivals in late weeks
have brought numbers of less closely related Cubans, indicating a
gradual change-over from the top priority immediate relatives of refugees now in the U.S. to persons not so immediate in relationship,
yet in many cases still "blood-related." The so-called A priority
refugees have continued to be mixed in with the next category cases.
CATHOLIC AGENCY COMPLETES PERSONAL VISITS TO MAJOR AREAS
From its offices in Washington and Miami the National Catholic
Welfare Conference has in recent weeks had personal contacts with
its Resettlement Officers in all major resettlement areas of the
nation.  Official visits were made and future plans dicussed by
John E. McCarthy, Washington, National Director; Hugh McLoone,
Director at the Miami Center; and Pedro Pelegrin, Resettlement Officer for NCWC at Miami.  Representatives of major resettlement
areas, New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles have also visited
Miami and surveyed first-hand operations that bring hundreds each
month to their areas.  They are: Msgr. Patrick J. Trainor, executive director of Associated Catholic Charities at Newark, Rev-
Daniel G. Babis, Diocesan Director of the Resettlement Council,
Rockville Centre, Long Island, N.Y., and Mrs. Edmond Kirsnis,
Volunteer Director of Resettlement in the Los Angeles diocese. To
the Newark area NCWC has sent 800 refugees since the beginning of
the airlift.
SAVINGS BOND BUYING RECORD AT CENTER PLEASES DIRECTOR
Program Director John F. Thomas has written the Cuban Refugee
Center:  "I am very happy to learn that employees of the Center
have done so well in the U.S. Savings Bond campaign.  To move
from a 2 percent participation to 92 is indeed a remarkable record.  This is further proof of our Cuban friends' belief in the
democratic way of life."  (Most Center employees are bilingual
Cuban refugees.  Some have attained permanent resident status;
some have become citizens.)
SCHOOL VACATION TIME IS A TIME FOR MORE RESETTLEMENTS; ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHILDREN ARE EASIER