13 languages are spoken by agency s staff me

Access California Services founder Nahla Kayali, left, applauds with Anaheim City. Councilwoman Gail Eastrn an during the celebration at the agency's new headquarters. The organization has grown dramatically since its humble beginnings about 15 years ago. Executive Director Nahla Kayali started the agency with a grant in 1998, renting a small room for SI50 amonth that she furnished with a desk she found outside by the trash. She signed up two clients her first month Kayali has grown Access into a well-known service, earning an imitation to the White House for a Ramadan event, where she spoke directly to President Barack Obama, who sat at her table. She also attended his inauguration. Access new office takes up much of the space on the bottom floor of a complex among a row- of Brookhurst Street businesses. The hallways, with mostly pale lime-green paint, lead to offices for everything from housing vouchers to classes teaching beading or childcare licensing. Thirteen languages are spoken by staff membeseparate entrance goes to the mental-health clinic, a requirement for refugees who come through California s Refugee Resettlement Program. Many refugees suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder,having seen family members killed in front of them before fleeing their home countries. Each one, they have a very' fragile case, Kayali said. Access also serves as a home away from home for many clients. Hazem AlBustani, originally from Iraq, called the office when his mother was dying in the hospital. He had no other relatives in town, so he said that Access was his family. Access ended up helping with funeral costs. AlBustani, a refugee who moved to the United States five years ago, also took citizenship classes for about seven months, taking his oath of citizenship earlier this month. He was one of about six clients who were honored at an event for those who recently passed the citizenship test or had taken the citizenship oath. It makes you feel richness in this country, beg a citizen. Like, we are within this society. They really help people a lot. Access holds citizenship celebrations every semester to show immigrants how to integrate in the United States, inviting public officials to speak. Anaheim Councilwoman Gail Eastman spoke about how she got involved by trying to get streetlights in her neighborhood. We are in an election year, so you chose the right time, Eastman said. About 20 clients go through the citizenship process at any time. Many come from non-Democratic countries and are distrustful. We want to teach them more what a citizen is,