Our Mission
Presentation Lantern Center is a drop-in center offering hospitality, educational opportunities and advocacy to adult immigrants, especially women, who are striving to better their lives.
Statement on re-opening
The Presentation Lantern Center will remain closed, because Dubuque County is still a designated “red zone” for COVID-19. We will continue to operate in alternative ways to keep our students, volunteers and staff as safe as possible. Therefore, we will continue to welcome, educate and assist local immigrants and support our volunteer tutors with online tutoring. Many of our students have been severely impacted financially by COVID, so we have been delivering emergency food assistance, diapers, rental assistance and more. You can help with this kind of assistance by contacting the Lantern Center.
While we would love nothing more than to reopen our physical space to the public, we will only do so when it is safer.
Megan Ruiz, executive director can be reached at Megan@thelanterncenter.org or by leaving a voicemail at the Center, (563) 557-7134. To help us continue carrying out our mission consider a donation by clicking “Donate” above or sending a donation to:
Presentation Lantern Center
900 Jackson St. Suite LL1-5
Dubuque, IA 52001
Watch Lighting the Lantern on Facebook
What we’re doing now
Check out the Telegraph Herald’s article about what we’re doing during the pandemic!
At Presentation Lantern Center visitors are greeted by staff and volunteers. They receive a tutor with whom they study English; they learn practical life skills to use in a new country; they meet many people from other countries of origin; they share their stories and cultures; and they experience so much more … and all are blessed by their coming.
Hospitality
The Presentation Lantern Center opened in 2002 to welcome individuals from around the neighborhood and from across the globe. Services are free.
Educational Opportunities
Students work one-on-one with volunteer tutors to learn English and to prepare for the citizenship test.
Advocacy
The center empowers individuals to be advocates for themselves and their families and connects them to community resources.
Multilingual COVID-19 resources
Iowa’s multilingual COVID-19 hotline: (877) 558-2609
Guidelines for self-management and self-isolation
Dealing with stress and isolation
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
HOW YOU CAN HELP
• Donate. Click here or mail a check for “immigrant financial need” to Presentation Lantern Center at
900 Jackson St.
Ste. LL5-1
Dubuque IA 52001
• If you know an immigrant in need, call (563) 557-7134 or email megan@thelanterncenter.org. If urgent, call or text (563) 513-8646.
• Volunteer. Apply to be a tutor here. If you can volunteer with relief efforts, please call and leave a message at (563) 557-7134.
• Our partner VIATS is picking up and dropping off food and supplies for immigrants in need. Learn more here.
