Maine Initiatives is raising $500,000 to provide general operating support grants next month to approximately forty (40) immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations. 

Donate here to the Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund at Maine Initiatives.  

Here in Maine, we can sometimes feel removed from the many crises we see on our daily news feeds. War. Pandemic. Climate catastrophe. Gun violence. In the face of this turmoil it’s easy to feel confused and overwhelmed. We hear these questions daily: What can I do? What can we do? 

If you have been asking these questions, this message is for you. Maine is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis. Here is what you can do, right now, to address it.

For the past two decades, Maine has been the beneficiary of an incredible influx of immigrants who are contributing to and transforming our state in valuable ways. In recent months, Maine has seen an uptick in people arriving seeking asylum: individuals fleeing violence and persecution in search of safety and security here in Maine. 

These new arrivals need housing, food, assistance, and other direct services. The organizations on the front lines of this response are a network of immigrant-led and -serving organizations stepping up to meet the needs of this crisis. They are providing leadership, resources, community, and direct support to asylum-seeking individuals and families. And they are asking for our support. 

This is where you come in.

Here is how you can help:

DONATE: The Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund will provide direct funding to approximately 40 immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations that are leading our community’s response to this humanitarian crisis. Help us support these organizations by making a donation today.

LEND YOUR VOICE: The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition is calling for increased direct action, coordination, and support from all levels of government. Learn more here and lend your voice to this call to action. 

With gratitude,

Shima Kabirigi
Director, ILO Program
Coordinator, Maine Immigrant & Refugee Funders Collaborative