For Immediate Release

September 17, 2013

Pro Bono Net                                    

CONTACT:

Karin Romans, Pro Bono Net

212-760-2554 x496 | kromans@probono.net

National Citizenship Day Event Celebrates New Americans

New and Aspiring Americans, Business Leaders and Immigration Advocates Highlight Citizenship and Prosperity

Pro Bono Net's Mark O'Brien Part of National Press Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 17, 2013) -  This morning, aspiring Americans, immigration advocates and business leaders gathered at the Hyatt Regency Washington -- a few blocks from Capitol Hill -- to celebrate National Citizenship Day with a press conference on the clear connection between citizenship and prosperity for immigrants, their communities and the nation's economy.

The event, one of several dozen planned nationwide for National Citizenship Day by the New Americans Campaign, highlighted how local and national service providers are leading the effort to integrate eligible immigrants through programs such as The Bethlehem Project and CitizenshipWorks.

Business leaders, service providers and immigration reform advocates shared the ways in which they seek to provide solutions to the issue of immigrant integration. Aspiring Americans receiving assistance with their citizenship applications will share their stories on why they are pursuing citizenship and how the New Americans Campaign integration programs are helping make that dream a reality.

Following the press conference, media have the opportunity to ask questions and conduct one-on-one interviews with national service providers, participants and business executives in Spanish and English. They will also have the opportunity to view a citizenship session at 1 p.m. EDT and 3 p.m. EDT.

Pro Bono Net's Executive Director, Mark O'Brien, will present on the intersection of technology and citizenship services.

"Taking the first step towards citizenship - finding out if you're actually eligible and how to move forward - can be daunting," says O'Brien. "Immigrants are often early adopters of technology, which is why CitizenshipWorks provides easy-to-use online tools to help low and moderate income individuals answer important questions about their eligibility, better understand the process and prepare for their citizenship tests."

This work is made possible by the collaboration of the national New Americans Campaign

funders: The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Grove Foundation, The Evelyn and Walter

Haas, Jr. Fund, The John S. & James L. Knight Foundation,

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About Pro Bono Net

Pro Bono Net is a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to justice for the disadvantaged by transforming the way legal help reaches the underserved.  For nearly 15 years, Pro Bono Net has worked to narrow the justice gap through innovative uses of technology and increased volunteer lawyer participation.  Pro Bono Net uses innovative web-based platforms?www.probono.net, www.lawhelp.org and www.lawhelpinteractive.org ?to recruit and support volunteer lawyers and provide direct information and tools for self-representation to low-income communities, working with hundreds of legal services organizations, major law firms and courts around the country.   Pro Bono Net also developed Pro Bono Manager, pro bono practice management software that helps firms increase pro bono participation, manage pro bono caseloads more efficiently and raise internal and external awareness of pro bono efforts.  For more information, please visit www.probono.net.