O.C. Plan Tries to Bring English Home

"If you don't have English competency, your chances to be self sufficient and live [well] in our society are very difficult," said Michael Metzler, president of the business group.

By July, the chamber expects to begin bringing more than 500 instructors into neighborhoods to teach English to at least 50,000 adults over the next five years.

Dubbing the program a "Marshall plan for English," the chamber likens English Works to the massive U.S. effort to help rebuild Europe after World War II.

English Works is estimated to cost $20 million; the business group has collected $400,000 so far.

It is just one of several major chamber projects underway.

The chamber is also raising $750,000 to open a vocational technology school -- possibly in conjunction with the Santa Ana school system -- in the fall of 2007.

And the group is exploring ideas on improving housing in a city where 20% of residences are considered substandard.

"We not only want to help our people, but these are things that just make good business sense," Metzler said.

These are not unattainable dreams, officials said. The chamber has already raised $900,000 from 65 corporations this year to support several projects, including $200,000 for English Works. Among the contributors are some of the city's large employers, such as First American Corp., Crevier BMW and technology products distributor Ingram Micro Inc.

"Ingram Micro values the power of education and we support the chamber's effort to enhance the future of this dynamic vibrant community," said Ingram spokesperson Chris Kelly.

English Works is getting positive reviews.

"We have so many English learners that anything that the business community and other partners can do to promote English is to be commended," said City Councilman Jose Solorio. The chamber hopes the city will make a major contribution as well.

English Works seeks to make residents English proficient, not necessarily fluent. The chamber has been crafting the program for months with help from the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which gave $200,000 for the effort.