(Portland, ME) United Way of Southern Maine received notice that they will receive $5.4 million over the next two years through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) to help noncitizens recently released from DHS custody and awaiting their immigration court proceedings.
“Our community’s most vulnerable members face the interconnected challenges of food insecurity, housing instability, and lack of transportation,” said Liz Cotter Schlax, President and CEO of United Way of Southern Maine. “United Way is grateful to be able to access these Federal resources on behalf of our neighbors and the organizations serving them directly.”
The funds, made available through FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will provide critical resources to partners providing service and support including food, shelter, acute medical care, and transportation.
United Way convened and collaborated with four partners from across Southern Maine to develop an application vetted by a group of community volunteers who made the final recommendation for the application submitted. UWSM will bring partners together, offer technical assistance, act as a fiscal agent, and provide administrative support for processing funds. Additional details of the grant are forthcoming.
About United Way of Southern Maine: United Way mobilizes communities to action so all can thrive. With deep local roots in Southern Maine, United Way sees how our community’s greatest challenges like food insecurity, housing instability, and lack of access to child care and health services are connected, and how we can bring people and resources together to address them. Learn more at uwsme.org.
