Are you looking for a way to support immigrants and farmworkers in Maine? Consider a donation to Mano en Mano! Mano en Mano works to help farmworkers and immigrants thrive in Maine. They were created by and for the community, with a vision for a stronger, more inclusive Downeast Maine, where the contributions of diverse communities are welcomed, access to essential services, education and housing are ensured, and social justice and equity are embraced. Learn more about the amazing work they do in our state.
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This harvest season, our Farmworker Unit has had to rethink how we reach out to migrant workers because of the pandemic. But this isn’t the first barrier to outreach we’ve encountered. In the 1990s bosses at the DeCoster egg farm in Turner threatened, intimidated, and harassed Pine Tree staff and tried to bar farmworkers from accessing legal aid. Twenty five years ago, Pine Tree brought this to the Maine Attorney General’s attention. The ensuing lawsuit resulted in a historic ruling by the Maine Supreme Court affirming that legal aid workers are permitted access to labor camps.
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In our last newsletter, we asked readers: What are the biggest challenges you expect to see in the next phase of the pandemic? See what some members of our community had to say.
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"I see the next phase of COVID-19 as being a series of rolling waves of infection throughout 2021 until a vaccine is widely distributed. For my organization, Volunteers of America Northern New England, we anticipate this to mean continued social distancing in our residential care centers. The lack of visitors and human contact will equate to further social isolation, anxiety, and fear for the 450+ seniors in our affordable housing communities. I worry about their emotional and psychological needs as well as their physical health due to a lack of interaction with others. Our staff does an incredible job to maintain communication and contact, but their social interactions are diminished and not every older Mainer enjoys using technology to connect with others." - Rich Hooks Wayman, President and CEO of Volunteers of America, Northern New England
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"As some people start getting used to COVID-19, one of the challenges will be convincing them to continue observing social distancing and the wearing of masks in public spaces and during their interpersonal interactions.
Access to useful resources such as libraries, soup kitchens, food pantries, internet access, transportation, and access other social services like care management, etc, will be another big challenge to low/no income and immigrant communities and elderly population.
As many in-person appointments (doctor's appointments, all support system) have shifted to virtual visits, many people among low income/no income or immigrant population are struggling to get used to it and I suspect that the learning curve will be so long and tough.
Due to this shift to virtual world, I anticipate that many of the low income and immigrant people, who do not have a phone or a computer or do not even know how to use one, won't be able to connect to necessary resources that they need and/or won't be able to meet the deadlines set in different settings (Courts, healthcare) due to the lack of knowledge of how to use the technology and/or equipment to meet the requirements of the new normal." - Constant Kabuyenge, Medical Interpreter, Coach, and Administrative Specialist; PTLA Board Member
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What we're reading/watching/listening to:
Watch the recording of our most recent Coffee and Conversation: An Update on the Eviction Crisis in Maine
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Join PTLA as a volunteer. Students, Attorneys, Community Members, and Other Professionals: find out how to get involved today.
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Copyright © 2020, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, All rights reserved.
Pine Tree Legal Assistance is a non-profit, is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated on June 14, 1966. Our tax ID number is 01-02 79387. Pine Tree Legal Assistance is funded in part by the Legal Services Corporation (“LSC”). As a condition of the funding received from LSC, Pine Tree Legal Assistance is restricted in certain activities in all of its legal work, including work supported by other funding sources. Pine Tree Legal Assistance may not expend any funds for any activity prohibited by the Legal Services Corporation Act, 42 U.S.C §2996 et. seq. or by Public Law 104-134. Public Law 104—234 §504(d) required that notice of these restrictions be given to all funders or programs funded by the Legal Services Corporation. For a copy of these laws or any further information, please contact: Executive Director, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, PO Box 547, Portland, Maine 04112; Tel. 207-774-4753.
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