Immigrant-Led Organizations Pooled Fund Grantmaking

Nov 12, 2021 – Maine Initiatives is pleased to announce a new round of grantmaking from the Immigrant-Led Organizations (ILO) Fund to respond to two critical and time-sensitive funding needs: Afghan refugee resettlement arrivals and a recent uptick in asylum seekers, mostly from central Africa, arriving in southern Maine. 

• Afghan Arrivals: Maine is currently welcoming over one hundred Afghan individuals arriving in our state through the US State Department’s Afghan Placement and Assistance Program. Several organizations in Maine are working around the clock to prepare for the Afghan refugees, many of whom have been housed on U.S. military bases while waiting to be allowed to leave and begin the process of settling into local communities.

• Asylum Seeker Crisis: Maine continues to receive a significant influx of migrants, individuals and families, many of whom are arriving in Maine after crossing the southern border with Mexico and requesting asylum. Due to the pandemic, which has limited the ability to shelter unhoused arrivals in congregate settings, families and individuals are being sheltered at hotels for health and safety. As of November 1st, approximately 119 families (~500 individuals) were currently staying in hotels across South Portland. These families are in need of food, medication, support with navigating the education, immigration, and public benefits systems, etc. With winter approaching, several organizations are planning to organize clothing drives to support families and individuals with winter appropriate shoes and clothes. This round of ILO Pooled Fund grants will ensure the ILOs have the resources needed to support the acute needs of these families and individuals. 

The ILO Pooled Fund is making rapid-response general operating support grants to ten (10) organizations that are leading the Afghan refugee resettlement and asylum seeker crisis efforts. These organizations include: 

• Maine Immigrant’s Rights Coalition
• Afghan Community of Maine
• Angolan Community Association of Maine
• Capital Area New Mainers Project
• Congolese Community of Maine
• Catholic Charities of Maine
• Hope Acts
• Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services
• Prosperity Maine
• Welcoming Immigrants, our Neighbors