Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency last August in response to an increase of migrants coming to Massachusetts, many of whom require housing under the right to shelter law. This law requires the state to provide shelter to any family with children or pregnant women.
The number of migrant families has substantially increased in recent months. In November, shelters hit their 7,500-family capacity limit, with the strict ceiling resulting in families and individuals not being granted entry. Overflow shelters have been opened in a former courthouse in Cambridge, a Roxbury recreational complex, and, soon, in a Fort Point office building.
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Below, we’ve created a list of resources and organizations in Massachusetts currently assisting migrant families in a variety of ways, ranging from providing food and clothing to finding housing. If you know of an organization or resource helping migrants that isn’t on this list, please fill out the survey below or e-mail us at community@boston.com.
Catholic Charities helps all those in need in Greater Boston, including migrants. One major way they help migrants is by providing them an apartment with basic necessities, as well as offering job placement services and English language classes. Catholic Charities accepts monetary donations as well as food and/or used vehicle donations.
The Center for New Americans is a Western Massachusetts-based nonprofit that provides many services to immigrants, migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees in the area. With locations in Amherst, Greenfield, Northampton, and Springfield, the organization offers free English classes as well as immigration legal services and citizenship support. The Center is accepting monetary donations.
The Family Welcome Center, located in Allston and Quincy, helps migrant families in Massachusetts with the initial transition to life in the United States. The centers are currently accepting donations of important items such as deodorant, diapers, baby formula, toothbrushes, and more.
This Natick church opened up its doors in last June to migrant families in need of housing, according to NBC Boston. Families living in the church have been placed in the church’s former Sunday school, which has been converted into temporary housing. The church can house up to two families at a time and since opening up the converted Sunday school, the church has provided housing to 22 families. The church is currently accepting monetary donations.
The Immigrant and Refugee Health Center at Boston Medical Center works to connect immigrant and refugee patients to primary care, medical specialty care, and other services designed to their needs. One of the programs housed at the Health Center is the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, which provides specialized mental health services and more to immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of torture and related trauma.
Located in Melrose, the Immigrant Support Alliance is a nonprofit that works with resettlement agencies to provide immigrants with housing, food, and social support. They also pair immigrants with host volunteers who welcome them into the community and help them to build a safe life, according to WBUR. The organization is currently accepting monetary donations on their website.
The International Institute of New England (IINE) gives refugees and immigrants opportunities that will help them succeed and contribute to New England’s growth and prosperity. IINE offers English and job-related classes, legal and language services, humanitarian relief and a variety of other programs to assist migrants. People can help IINE through monetary donations, volunteering needed services, donating goods, and offering housing such as apartments or second homes.
Working out of Lexington and surrounding towns, the Lexington Refugee Assistance Program (LexRAP) is a group of volunteers who work with refugees and asylum seekers to help ease their transition to life in the United States. LexRAP supports individuals and families in settling into their new communities, and connecting them with needed services. LexRAP accepts volunteers who can sign up for a specific task — from a one-time event to regular commitment — such as tutoring or driving someone to a medical appointment. LexRAP is open to accepting both monetary donations as well as laptop donations; the latter which is intended to help refugees and asylum seekers with finding housing and job applications.
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) is the largest immigrant and refugee advocacy coalition in New England and consists of over 140 organizational members with the common goal of promoting the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees. MIRA’s work ranges from policy analysis, organizing, advocacy, training and education, and strategic communications. You can volunteer to support one of their programs, including helping register new citizens to vote or providing your design or photography skills. The organization is also currently accepting donations.
The Massachusetts Immigration Legal Assistance Fund was created by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, or MLAC, in 2019 to provide funding to community organizations assisting immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The organization aims to protect the rights of these groups so that they can pursue a stable future.
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“That funding is essential for us to provide legal assistance to many of our clients,” said Maggie Morgan, the Immigration Unit Managing Attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, which provides legal assistance at no cost to those in the area who need it.
The Massachusetts Immigration Legal Assistance Fund was created by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, or MLAC, in 2019 to provide funding to community organizations assisting immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The organization aims to protect the rights of these groups so that they can pursue a stable future.
The fund has given over $3 million to 12 organizations which advocate for and provide direct legal services and community education to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, according to MLAC’s website. MLAC has two other funds dedicated to supporting migrants and refugees, including the Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund and the Afghan Refugee Project.
The Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative is a collaboration of 15 organizations in the state which provides financial assistance and resources to immigrant, migrant, and refugee community members. The Collaborative was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last three years, the collaborative has provided emergency cash assistance to 120,000 immigrants, distributed 4 million pounds of food, offered trusted access to COVID-19 vaccines to 5,000 people, and trained 300 youth in leadership and workforce skills, according to the website. The Collaborative is accepting monetary donations.
The Massachusetts Migrant Families Relief Fund is a partnership between United Way of Massachusetts Bay and The Boston Foundation to assist migrant families as well as community organizations helping these families. The fund raises money in order to provide financial assistance for shelter organizations in the state to provide migrants with essential needs (food, housing, hygiene items, etc.) and support other community organizations. Additionally, they help families with a range of tasks including healthcare, legal assistance, transportation and more.
The Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC) is a grassroots non-profit organization which supports immigrants and refugees in Boston, Lynn, and Worcester. The organization offers refugee resettlement services, counseling, outreach, education, and other social services, with an emphasis on fostering cultural development, socioeconomic growth, and self-sufficiency. RIAC’s mission is to create an environment of diversity and inclusivity, where immigrants and refugees can feel comfortable with who they are regardless of their background or origin, and have an equal opportunity to thrive in their new home. RIAC offers both employment opportunities and volunteer positions, and is accepting donations.