August 2020
Greetings!
On August 5 the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center (IWC) was happy to announce the appointment of Shima Kabirigi, founding member and most recently Board Co-Chair, as interim executive director of the IWC.

Kabirigi, a program officer at Maine Initiatives and an AmeriCorps Vista alumna, attended Pennsylvania State University and the University of Southern Maine. She has served on the board of the Community Development Block Grant and the New England Arab American Organization.

Read the full announcement on our website HERE and our press release in the Portland Press Herald HERE.

We look forward to sending you updates about the IWC and the work being done in the weeks and months ahead.
Happy Birthday to Us!
July 31, 2020 marked the 3rd anniversary of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center. Staff, former staff, volunteers, and IWC Board Chairs celebrated the day with dinner at David's Restaurant in Portland. We were hoping to celebrate our 3rd anniversary in a much bigger way, but as one does these days we adapted to commemorate the day under pandemic conditions. We enjoyed conversation, shared memories, and community. Next year we hope to celebrate our anniversary with you!
Staff and volunteers after dinner
Highlights from the past three years
  • Doubling the size of IWC office space on October 26, 2018.
  • Launching the iEnglish Project: Digital Language Literacy program in January, 2019.
  • Launching the Immigrant Business Hub in the summer of 2019.
Office Reopening Plans
The IWC has been working on a plan to reopen our office safely. This will be a phased reopening to transition from remote working, starting with staff returning to the office before the end of the month. The next phase will be the co-working space reopening to members and guests by appointment only, and the final phase will see our doors back open to the public.

Health and safety protocols have been created following CDC guidelines and reviewed by HR professionals to ensure a safe transition back to office work. Thank you for your patience during this time.
The Future of the IWC
While this year has been a turbulent one for all, the IWC is still as committed to our mission as we were when our doors opened three years ago:

"The Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center serves as a hub of collaboration that strengthens the immigrant community through language acquisition, economic integration and civic engagement".

Our three program pillars that directly correlate to our missions are:

As everyone has had to adapt their lives to live safely in a pandemic, we too have adapted and are continuously updating our programs to fit the current climate. Keep an eye on your email inbox and our social media pages for program updates in the coming weeks.
Remembering Alain Jean Claude Nahimana
On May 31, 2020 IWC Co-Founder and Premier Executive Director, Alain Jean Claude Nahimana, passed away much too soon. We thank you who shared messages, videos, and letters of condolence, those who've made donations in his memory, and everyone who has promised to honor his legacy by continuing the work he started here in Maine. Alain was a visionary who got things done. He is very much missed and the IWC is dedicated to working towards his vision and making him proud.
Highlights of the memorial services for Alain Nahimana, created by Egide Images.
Many Thanks