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Wow, what a month—and what a summer—it has been! We’ve had an amazing time celebrating community spirit and engaging with you through our recent events.
While we usually spotlight these incredible events at the start of our newsletters, our programs have been equally active this summer and are gearing up for an exciting season ahead. We’ll dive into this month’s program updates first—we just can’t wait to share them with you!
From launching fresh projects to expanding our support for New Mainers, the Business Hub, Women Lead, iEnglish, and Community Integration teams are preparing some exciting initiatives. Here’s a closer look at what’s on the horizon—new efforts that are set to strengthen our mission.
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Coming Soon!
Our Business Hub, through the support of the City of Portland’s Community Development Block Grant program, will be announcing a new funding opportunity for immigrant-owned Portland businesses.
The goal of the funding is to provide a ‘spark’ for start-up or existing, low to moderate income, immigrant-owned businesses that will increase opportunities for growth via new products or services, or help to build credit and increase access to future capital for business growth.
Interested? Keep your eye out for our upcoming announcement on our socials and/or sign up for the Business Hub email list. If you have any questions, please email Stella at bizhub@welcomeimmigrant.org.
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As part of their commitment to economically empower immigrant women in Greater Portland, Women Lead is excited to announce the launch of their first entrepreneurship cohort, Starting a Small Business, beginning this fall.
This program is designed for immigrant women in the Greater Portland area who aspire to start and own their own businesses.
Email womenlead@welcomeimmigrant.org or call the Women Lead team at 207-870-7673 to learn more.
Also, check out the latest episode of our Welcoming Voices podcast, where the Women Lead team and past participants discuss their experiences and the impact of the program. Click the button below to listen.
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The iEnglish team is gearing up for a busy month ahead with thirteen English classes scheduled at the center each week. In addition to these in-house classes, they’re working with five community partners across Greater Portland to provide English language instruction at various locations.
If you’re interested in joining a class, come by our first floor on Monday mornings between 10:30 and 11:30 for a brief placement test. The center will also be open for walk-in English classes on Fridays.
The team is excited for a productive back-to-school season!
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On Monday the 26th, our Community Integration team organized a tabling event with MaineHealth on our first and third floors to provide valuable health information directly to our clients.
With the assistance of a French translator, MaineHealth representatives discussed their Access to Care program, which offers medication and health visits at reduced prices or sometimes for free. They also explained how MaineCare works, including coverage requirements and the differences between standard and emergency MaineCare. Clients left with a clearer understanding of their healthcare options and how to access these important resources.
Looking ahead, the Community Integration team has more initiatives and activities in the works. Find details about some of their upcoming events further down in this newsletter!
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Help us Build our Children's Storytime Library
We’re thrilled to launch a new volunteer-supported Children’s Storytime as part of our iEnglish program! To enhance this initiative, we’re seeking donations of children’s books to create a diverse library for young learners.
What We Need:
- Books for all ages (from picture books to early readers)
- Culturally diverse stories
- Gently used or new books
How to Donate: Please drop off your donations at 24 Preble Street, Portland, ME 04101, first floor, from September 3rd to September 23rd.
For more information on how to donate or get involved, contact our Volunteer and Intern Program Manager, Shukria, at shukria@welcomeimmigrant.org.
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Join Us for “What's Your Vote Plan?”
In partnership with COA and Gateway Community Services, our Community Integration team is hosting three interactive discussions on community issues, voter turnout, and election and foreign policy.
- September 5th, 3-5 PM: Voting plans discussion at Gateway Community Services, 501 Forest Ave, Portland, ME.
- September 19th, 3-5 PM: Election and foreign policy discussion, same location.
- Lewiston Event: Voting plans discussion on September 19th, 3-5 PM at 155 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME.
All events are open to everyone. Please RSVP below.
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For August's Soccer Saturday, our friends at Portland Hearts of Pine brought in a coach to mix things up, teaching the kids new drills to improve their soccer skills. The court was filled with kids hopping, dribbling, and kicking soccer balls. Later, we shifted to soccer games, wrapping up the day with a fun final match in the evening.
We appreciate the support from those who provided snacks and equipment, making the day even more special for the participants. Check out photos from the games below, and stay tuned for more information about September's Soccer Saturday!
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Final Thoughts on our African Summer Series
This summer, we continued our collaboration with Friends of Congress Square Park to bring you African Summer, part of our New Mainers on Stage series.
We’ve spent the past few months enjoying performances from artists representing Maine’s African immigrant communities. These artists, celebrated in their countries of origin, often have limited chances to perform in the U.S., but this series brought their music to the heart of downtown Portland, free for all to enjoy.
In June, we kicked things off with Rwandan singer and superstar, Clarisse Karasira. Although the weather didn’t fully cooperate, with rain cutting her performance short, Clarisse returned to join us for an incredible encore at our World Refugee Day open house. What an honor to have such an amazing show right in our center!
July’s concert featured a Congolese Extravaganza led by Nkumu Katalay—a singer, dancer, drummer, and guitarist—along with his soukous band and dancers. The energy was electric, with Nkumu and his team keeping the crowd engaged long into the night. The evening started with a powerful set from our very own Digital Literacy instructor, Marcel, also known as Mister Trecy, a vocalist and rapper from Brazzaville.
In August, we wrapped up the series with a performance by Angola’s “King of Kuduro,” Tony Amado, who brought a DJ, a crew of talented young dancers, and guest appearances by renowned gospel singer Irmã Sofia and poet Issac Kinzambi. The entire crowd was on their feet, dancing until the end—a perfect conclusion to an incredible summer series.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for these performances. The joy and connection we felt together was truly special, and we can’t wait to dance with you all again soon!
African Summer was supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Morton Kelly Charitable Foundation, and the Onion Foundation.
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Contribute to IWC Today
Your support transforms lives at the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center!
Your donation empowers us to provide essential resources like English language classes, job training, and civic initiatives, enabling New Mainers to thrive and contribute meaningfully to our community. Join us in building a more inclusive and vibrant city by donating today.
Thank you for being a part of our mission.
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