Welcoming the Stranger Announces Fund in Founder’s Honor

Langhorne, PA, June 15, 2021 - Welcoming the Stranger, an educational non-profit that offers free classes in English as a Second Language (ESL), computer skills, and United States citizenship exam preparation to adult immigrants and refugees in Bucks County and surrounding areas, has announced the formation of the Rev. S. Sturgis Poorman, Jr. Fund in honor of its founder. The fund has been seeded by a major gift from a close relative of Sturgis Poorman who has pledged to match the contributions of individual donors to the fund through the end of June.

Welcoming the Stranger was founded in 1999 by Rev. Sturgis Poorman, Jr., a Presbyterian minister who saw the need for free English classes in the immigrant community. Since then, WTS has taught nearly 5,000 adult students from 104 countries. Mobilizing up to 100 volunteers, the nonprofit typically offers about 30 daytime and evening classes each term. During the pandemic, classes have been conducted online. WTS also provides immigrants with workshops and connections to community resources related to jobs, housing, childcare, healthcare, and other essentials.

The Rev. S. Sturgis Poorman, Jr. Fund has been established by the late Rev. Poorman’s cousin, Julie Jensen Bryan, and her husband, Robert Bryan. The fund will provide valuable professional support for the nonprofit’s volunteer teachers by underwriting the salaries of a small, expert cadre of ESL educators to be employed by WTS. These professionals will train and mentor the volunteer teachers and coordinate the ESL program.

In addition to their seed donation, Julie and Robert Bryan will match individual donors’ contributions 2-to-1 until June 30, 2021. Donations can be made online at www.welcomingthestranger.org or by calling (215) 702-3445.

“The creation of this fund and a triple match for donations received this month has the potential to make a dramatic difference,” remarks Bill Kennedy, president of WTS’ Board of Directors. “We’ve seen that language learning is the key that unlocks so many doors for immigrants and refugees, and now we’re poised to reach even more students, train more volunteers, and enhance instruction.”

Sturgis Poorman likely could not have foreseen how crucial his work would become for immigrants today who are navigating an unfamiliar culture during a global pandemic.

“During a year of uncertainty, WTS classes have been a lifeline for immigrants; a place of instruction and belonging where diverse people advocate for one another, support one another, and learn from one another’s wide range of experience and knowledge to make our neighborhoods stronger, healthier, and more vibrant,” Kennedy says.

About Welcoming the Stranger:
Welcoming the Stranger (WTS) is a 501(c)3 organization that mobilizes volunteers to educate adult immigrants and refugees living in the metropolitan region north of Philadelphia. Through free year-round classes in English, citizenship preparation, and computer skills, WTS’ purpose is to equip students with the skills they need to survive in a new land and become self-sufficient and successful members of their communities. For more information, please visit www.welcomingthestranger.org.