Portland awards funds to 11 groups that helped asylum seekers
Eleven nonprofit and government organizations including the Maine Emergency Management Agency and Wayside Food Programs have been awarded a total of $104,000 by the city of Portland for providing help to asylum seekers last summer.
The city announced the awards Tuesday as reimbursement for assistance during what it called an unprecedented influx of asylum seekers.
MEMA lent a hand by providing cots and blankets for individuals and families housed at the Portland Expo building. Wayside delivered 7,000 hot lunches, milk and other food, in partnership with the city, to provide a safe and welcoming environment to the families.
“Although many of our community partners came to the aid of asylum seekers with no expectation of being reimbursed for costs incurred, on behalf of the City Council, I’m pleased we are able to award these funds as reimbursement to the nonprofit entities who assisted us,” said Portland City Manager Jon Jennings in a statement. “This opportunity has been made possible by the generosity of more than 4,000 donors.”
The city operated an emergency shelter at the Portland Expo between June 9 and August 15, taking in almost 450 people.
During that time, the city was able to house more than 200 people with additional families being placed in host homes and others staying at the city’s family shelter until housing units could be found and arranged. The use of the Expo was the first time the city had run a 24/7 emergency family shelter operation.
Portland said it received more than over $900,000 in donations last summer to help provide assistance to the asylum seekers as they arrived and settled in Maine.
In October, the federal government reimbursed the city's family shelter and two nonprofits a total of $893,000 for costs they incurred while caring for asylum seekers.
Organizations interested in receiving information on future reimbursement opportunities should send an email to ASDonations@portlandmaine.gov, including the name of the organization and a contact person.
Award recipients and amounts
- Catholic Charities of Maine, $5,675
- Greater Portland Health, $4,671
- Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, $4,900
- Greater Portland Transit District - METRO, $6,075
- LearningWorks, $480
- Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, $6,178
- Maine Emergency Management Agency, $11,946
- Portland Public Schools, $15,108
- The Emergency Action Network (TEAN), $11,765
- Town of Brunswick, $70,000
- Wayside Food Programs, $5,000
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments