Doantrang Marguerite Nguyen knows the importance of welcome. She, her husband, and their children were no longer welcome in their homeland after the fall of Saigon.

Following a long, painful, and uncertain wait lasting two decades, Doantrang Marguerite, then a widowed Vietnamese refugee with four young daughters found welcome in America.

Upon arriving in America, she volunteered at a prison and in her parish, spent time with her grandchildren, and brushed up her French on the internet. When she wasn’t doing that, Doantrang Marguerite worked as a Job Developer in the Catholic Charities Senior Aide Employment Program, offering welcome and support to low-income, unemployed adults aged 55+.

Doantrang Marguerite helped them identify their strengths, build on past job experiences, and stay positive in their search for work. Her kindness, patience, and determination were not lost on people who were, at times, without hope. She mentored and encouraged them to develop new skills and confidence to re-enter the job market.

Doantrang Marguerite was encouraged by her daughter to enter our Catholic Charities senior aide program where she felt welcome. Willing to learn and eager to improve her English language skills, she advanced to her current position. Her welcoming message to other older adults was based on her own experience. The United States is a land of opportunity. Here you can learn at any age as long as you have faith in yourself and don’t give up.