First United Methodist Church
Reedley, California

C.A.S.S.
Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships

GROUPS
  Admin Council
  Bible Studies
  CASS
  Music
  Prayer Group
  Staff-Parish
  Trustees
  UM Women
  UM Men

MISSION
 Food Pantry
  Love INC

HOME

The Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships is a US-AID program which brings students from Central America and the Caribbean to study at Reedley College and 13 other community colleges throughout the United States.  The young men and women selected for this program must be from low-income families, but excellent students academically. 

 The students study Agriculture at Reedley College.  They live with host families for the first school year.  After they graduate, they do an internship of 120 hours, and then return home.  They are supposed to remain in their own countries for two consecutive years before leaving.

 Our church interacts a lot with the CASS students.  Often we have a Welcome Dinner for them, and they are always invited to our Hanging of the Greens.  CASS students are required to do a certain amount of community hours, and they quite often do their hours at our church.  They decorate our Christmas trees at the Hanging of the Green, move books during our book sale, and help with our Plant Give & Take and our Spring Garden Tour.  They even installed a sprinkler system for us.

 Everyone in our church has a great appreciation for the CASS students!