Greetings!
Winter, with its short days and snowy nights is upon us. The darkness of its long nights can remind us of the cruelty of our world in its indifference to the plight of treatment of the displaced and uprooted people forced to leave their homelands and arriving in Maine. All the reasons why we are called to show compassion and be kind during the season of celebration and giving. Thus, we’re reminded of the Japanese proverb, "One kind word can warm three winter months."
And the giving and kindness is what we at IWC have been witnesses during the past month: Mainers giving generously to make it possible for us to support and assist those arriving and calling Maine home.
We have offered to teach English at no cost to the non-English speaking Afghan refugees and the asylum seekers staying in shelters and hotels while applying for asylum. We have been supporting immigrant-owned businesses to survive the pandemic, thrive, and expand. We are humble enough to understand it is your support that makes it possible for our efforts to continue. Thank you.
|
|
Quick facts:
- In November, we accepted 14 new learners into our iEnglish program,
- the learners' first languages include French, Arabic, Portuguese, Lingala, Pashto, Oshiwambo, and Korean, among others,
- last month, our students studied for 44.45 hours and completed 926 English activities,
- we are now teaching a total of 30 scholarship students!
Highlights:
On November 14th, we hosted our first in-person welcome sessions for new English learners to help them access the online platform and troubleshoot device related issues. Several new students attended and have been engaged in their lessons ever since! Our iEnglish staff is working to make personal connections with our learners so they feel supported and can engage fully in remote learning. We have lent out all of our available laptops and accessories to our learners. With support from you, we can purchase additional tablets to reach more learners!
|
|
The Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center is happy to announce that 14 immigrant-owned businesses have received $78,000 of interest-free DreamXAmerica loans from Kiva through our outreach and application assistance efforts. Here is what we have been up to:
- More businesses are in the DreamXAmerica application process and we are continuing to help new businesses apply for this opportunity,
- Monitoring business grant opportunities at the local, regional, and state levels to ensure that immigrant-owned businesses are informed,
- Promoting the locally run Indus Fund and actively reaching out to the immigrant business community to assist them with this low interest loan opportunity.
|
|
Citizenship and Civic Engagement |
|
Deqa Dhalac points to members of the audience after she was formally seated as mayor of South Portland, Maine’s fourth largest city, during a ceremony in the Lecture Hall at South Portland High School on Monday. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer Portland Press Herald. |
|
Monday, December 6, 2021, proved to be a day to feel proud to be a New Mainer! A day to be remembered by New Mainers when history was made, and the day when Maine, as a state, became the model of inclusion by selecting a Muslim Somali American woman, a proven leader, to become the state’s fourth-largest city, South Portland's mayor. Deqa Dhalac, the new mayor of South Portland has been an ally of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center (GPIWC). The news of her becoming a mayor made national headlines while proving that our ongoing efforts to encourage New Mainers to become naturalized citizens, register to vote, and run for public office, all as part of GPIWC’s Citizenship and Civic Engagement, are meaningful and impactful, for we believe the American democracy is stronger when more citizens participate. |
|
Emerge Maine: Celebrating 15 Years:
Emerge Maine whose mission is “To increase the number of Democratic women leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office through recruitment, training and providing a powerful network,” had its 15th anniversary celebration on December 9, 2021. Since the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, as part of its Citizenship and Civic Engagement Program, supports a number of different community efforts and resources providing support to New Mainers interested in running for public office, we invited members and leaders, including elected officials, of the immigrant community to attend the celebration. The speakers included Hon. Governor Janet Mills and Deqa Dhalac, Mayor of South Portland.
|
|
Marpheen Chann and Reza Jalali pictured with Hon. Janet Mills |
|
From Left to Right: Blythe Thompson, Abigail King, IWC intern, Reza Jalali, IWC executive director, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Dr. Rojin Mansouri, USM, Ashley McCurry, Emerge Maine executive director
|
|
|
|
Carolina Escobar (She/Her/Ella) is a sophomore at Bowdoin College planning to major in Sociology and Government. Given her background, Carolina has always felt a passion for helping marginalized communities in various capacities. In the past, Carolina has volunteered with the Tahirih Justice Center and the Children's Defense Fund. She is looking forward to channeling her passions into all the great work the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center has to offer. |
|
|
|
Afia Oduro-Manu (She/her), originally from New Jersey, is a sophomore at Bowdoin College planning to major in Asian Studies and Government and Legal Studies. As a Ghanaian-American, Afia is no stranger to the issues that immigrants face in this country. Thus, she is excited to bring experiences from her personal life, as well as her Department of State EducationUSA Lagos and Stop Modern Day Slavery internships to the projects that she undertakes at the IWC. |
|
The IWC Welcomes Labina Faizizada! |
|
|
|
Labina Fiazizada is an Afghan-American, who has lived in Maine her entire life. She is currently in her senior year at the University of New England. Her major is medical biology with a minor in women and gender studies. She works as the Community Navigator supporting immigrant owned businesses, as well as doing community outreach. She is excited to be working with Afghan refugees to welcome them to their new home and help them access community resources and opportunities.
|
|
Welcome to Our New Board Members |
|
|
|
Inza Ouattara, Ed.D., MPPM, LSW.
With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, a Master of Public Policy and Management and as a Licensed Social Worker, Dr. Ouattara currently works as the State of Maine Refugee Health Coordinator. Inza Ouattara has 21 years of experience working with refugees and immigrants in Africa and in the United States. In his current position, Dr. Ouattara oversees the domestic medical screening of refugees, asylees, and other ORR eligible populations in Maine. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Southern New Hampshire University.
|
|
|
|
Arthur Sabiti
Arthur Sabiti brings to the IWC board several years of financial, business, and technical advising expertise; non-profit fundraising and program development; and grant management experience. Arthur is originally from Rwanda and holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the Université National de Rwanda and a master’s degree in International Economics and Development from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. He held positions in banking, the financial sector, USAID and with the United Nations in Rwanda. In Maine, Arthur was Executive Director for the Intercultural Community Center, a Community Economic Development Specialist for the Cooperative Development Institute and is currently a Loan and Investment Officer at CEI.
|
|
Thank You for Supporting Us |
|
We are humbled to receive
generous gifts from our friends!
A donation from the South Freeport Congregational Church to support "newly arrived folks from Afghanistan. . . Thank you for all you do for our new neighbors."
Honoring our Executive Director, Reza Jalali, "In recognition of the amazing work you have done with New Mainers, students and now stepping into big shoes at the IWC. Well deserved." - Pamela Cleghorne
"On behalf of the Falmouth Lions Club, I would like to thank the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center for your continuing efforts to serve the newest community members. . . we are proud to help you serve our new neighbors."
To all of our friends and supporters, we appreciate that you contributed to the IWC in our efforts to provide needed services to New Mainers. We know that during these dark days of the pandemic, it can be especially challenging for many of us and we are grateful.
If you haven't had a chance to give, it isn't too late! Click below to make a gift to the IWC today!
|
|
There is a new opportunity for charitable giving that can be beneficial to both the IWC and you!
Here are some FAQs about stock donations
Q: How do I save on taxes by donating stock?
A: First, if you’ve owned your stock for more than a year and it’s gone up in value, you’ll avoid paying a capital gains tax. A capital gain is the difference in the price you paid for your shares and the price they’re valued at now. For example, if you donate Apple shares worth $500 and they were $100 when you bought them, you’d have a capital gain of $400. When you donate, you wouldn’t have to pay taxes on that $400, making your gift more valuable at no cost to you. Plus, you can take a charitable deduction for the current value of the stock, saving you even more when you file taxes this year.
Q: If I want to write off this year’s gift on my tax return, when should I donate?
A: It’s important to make sure you give a stock that’s going up in value, so keep an eye on the stock market. However, for your gift to be eligible for this tax year, you’d need to transfer your stocks by December 31st.
|
|
Fundraiser at Flatbread Pizza |
|
Please support Immigrant Welcome Center by dinning at Flatbread Pizza, located at 72 Commercial Street in Portland, on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 from 5-9 PM. IWC will receive a percentage of sales. We are grateful to Flatbread Company for their support of our work in the community.
|
|
|
Check out this recent Portland Press Herald article featuring the IWC! |
|
South Portland selects the first Somali-American mayor in U.S. |
|
Pictured are, from right to left, Safiya Khalid, City Councilor, City of Lewiston, Maine, Deqa Dhalac, newly elected Mayor of South Portland, Fatuma Hussein, executive director of Lewiston-based Immigrant Resource Center of Maine, and Reza Jalali, executive director of Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center. |
|
If you are interested in supporting our efforts to elevate New
Mainers through language acquisition, economic integration
and civic engagement, please click below! Thank you.
|
|
Find us on social media or visit our website: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
