Posted by Mary, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Jul 4, 2007 at 10:32 am

Would you please tell us more about this program? How does this work? Dinners where?

Thank you.

Posted by A Neighbor, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Jul 4, 2007 at 7:11 pm

This is in response to a letter in the PA Daily today (7/4), and it reminded me that a couple of years ago a dinner was hosted for a group from our French sister city in the lobby of City Hall.

Posted by South Palo Alto neighbor, a member of the Gunn High School community, on Jul 5, 2007 at 1:03 pm

No, I think Neighbors from other countries should see the REAL world, not indulging in a beautifully catered dinner at the expense of Palo Alto's citizens money.

Have a pot luck dinner, let them enjoy the homemade goodness dishes from the kitchens of the organazation members. That is much more meaningful. Serving them a first class dinner is out of contex of what they could expect from living here for the first year of arrival ....... Give them a lesson on how Palo Alto treats their homeless and underprivileged by letting them dine on the food that is given away at the church on Hamilton Ave.'s food closet. Food there is what they probably have to struggle for back home to put on their plates. That's reality. Giving them first class treatment is like them living a dream, the bubble will burst.

Sending them back to their country with the talk of our "streets made of gold", etc, will be a total falcehood with the people there trying to come here "for the American dream", only to possibly end up being on our welfare rolls AND into our housing programs that should be for people already here. "Nice place to visit, but go home and make something for your own country." That is what should be passed on. We are too crowded here in Palo Alto already!