(Boston
Orange 摘譯) 麻州緊急援助總主任Scott Rice宣佈，麻州政府和麻州聯合路 (United Way of Massachusetts Bay）合作，將在麻州的緊急避難所系統達到容量上限時，設立一個500萬美元的補助計畫，為沒有其他避難所選擇的家庭和孕婦提供過夜安全網庇護所。
這計劃將由
United Way 管理，為地方上的社區組織、信仰團體和志願者組織提供資金，以建立短期過夜避難所。Scott
Rice總主任說，麻州處於管理緊急庇護系統的新階段，而且麻州在竭盡所能的確保家庭的安全及福祉。
這項目由針對創新居屋和庇護所計畫的現有聯邦經費支持。麻州聯合路有更多資訊可供有意申請的組織查詢。聯合路的移民紓困基金持續支持移民家庭的基本需求，包括臨時住所，食物，衣服，尿片，衛生用品，交通，醫療篩檢，還有ESOL10
，法律援助。這筆經費從8月初推出以來，已募得140萬元。
麻州的緊急援助 (EA)
家庭庇護所，已經以無法持續的速度擴大，過去一年來個案量增加了不只一倍。上個月，奚莉州長宣佈，麻州沒有足夠的避難單位、服務供應商，或者經費來在大約7500家庭之外，繼續安全的並負責的拓展庇護所能量。估計本週三或週四，舊會達到這數目。目前在全州各地已登記進緊急庇護所的家庭已達到大約7439家。
給家庭的額外支援
除了安全網的庇護所選擇外，麻州位於奧斯頓
(Allston) 和昆士市 (Quincy) 的家庭歡迎中心將持續提供包括熱時，以及尿片、保暖衣服、套裝衛生用品等服務，
健康及人民服務長Kate
Walsh表示，麻州的家庭歡迎中心對家長及兒童來說是個重要的資源，家庭可以得到更多幫助，包括瞭解諸如SNAP、WIC等滿足基本需求的福利。
麻州州長奚莉 (Maura
Healey) 已經啟動75名以上的國家衛隊，在緊急庇護所提供基本服務，支援即將和美國國土安全局合作的工作授權門診。此舉使得動用的國家衛隊人數增至375人，其中包括派到鱈魚角聯合基地的50人。
工作許可和員工培訓
原定於 11 月 13 日這一週與國土安全部合作的工作授權門診，將從 11 月 27 日開始，另外延長一週，以因應更多的庇護所居民，並幫助盡可能高效地處理更多的工作授權。
這法律門診建立在目前由麻州經營，為EA家庭提供法律援助，以幫助庇護所居民開始工作。過去幾星期來，在庇護所系統中有將近300人已經登記進「麻州聘僱(MassHire)」，並參加了準備就業服務，英語作為第二語言課程，職業工作坊等。許多人也已經和諸如鄧肯圈(Dunkin
Donuts)，市場籃(Market
Basket)，沃爾瑪 (Walmart)，Sysco食品分銷商，Yankee
Candle 和北安普頓的Cooley
Dickinson醫院等僱主建立了聯繫。
勞工及人力發展廳廳長Lauren Jones 表示，在把庇護所中的移民和就業準備項目及資源連結起來上，奚莉政府感謝和麻州聘僱人力委員會及執業中心的夥伴關係，
As Emergency Shelter
System Reaches Capacity, $5 Million Grant Program Created
for Local Organizations and Community Partners to Stand
Up Short-Term, Overnight Sites
BOSTON – Today, Emergency
Assistance Director General Scott Rice announced a partnership
between the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the United Way of Massachusetts
Bay to support overnight safety-net shelter for families and pregnant
individuals with no alternative shelter options. As the state’s emergency
shelter system reaches capacity, the partnership
will create a $5 million grant program, administered
by the United Way, to provide funding to community-based organizations,
faith-based groups, and volunteer organizations to stand up
short-term, overnight shelter sites.
“Massachusetts is in a new phase
of managing our emergency shelter system, and we are doing
everything possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
families,” said General
Scott Rice. “We are
grateful for this partnership with the United Way and hope that our
community partners take advantage of
this financial support to stand up safety
net shelter sites in this time of great need.”
“In an ideal world, our shelter
system can do just what it has done – flex to accommodate a wave of people
seeking shelter – but the reality is our state cannot meet the current demand,”
said Bob
Giannino, President and Chief Executive Officer at United Way of Massachusetts
Bay. “We have
seen the many ways that community-based organizations have stepped up to
respond to this crisis and are proud to partner with the Commonwealth to
amplify its efforts to find additional, temporary safety-net shelter
accommodations and ensure everyone in Massachusetts has a safe place to stay.
Our next challenge is to develop the affordable housing we need across the
state.”
“The Administration is tapping
all available resources to support families in need of
shelter, but we can’t do this critical work alone,” said Secretary of Housing and
Livable Communities Ed Augustus. “We
are grateful to have such an exceptional partner in the United Way, not only
for their existing efforts on the Massachusetts Migrant Families
Relief Fund, but also for their continued leadership today
to administer this safety net shelter grant program.”
The new grant
program is being implemented as the winter months
approach to support families on the waitlist who do not
have overnight shelter alternatives. Community-based
organizations, faith-based groups, and volunteer
organizations will be able to apply for funding through
an application process administered by the United Way that
will be made available soon.
Prospective safety net
shelter sites include communal gathering spaces with restroom
facilities and heat, such as community centers, school
buildings, and places of worship. Grant funds could be used to
support eligible uses that include, but are not limited to, facilities
staff, supplies such as cots and blankets, and food.
This grant program is being
supported by existing federal funds targeted at innovative
housing and shelter initiatives. More information will be made
available by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay for organizations looking to apply.
In addition, the United Way’s Migrant Relief Fund continues to support the
essential needs of migrant families, including temporary accommodations, food,
clothing, diapers, hygiene items, transportation, health screenings,
translation services, ESOL classes and legal assistance. The fund has raised $1.4
million since it was launched in August.
The state’s Emergency
Assistance (EA) family shelter system has expanded at an
unsustainable rate, more than doubling caseload over the past year. Last
month, Governor Healey announced that the state does not
have enough shelter units, service providers, or funding to continue to safely
and responsibly expand shelter capacity beyond approximately 7,500
families – which is expected to be reached
by this Wednesday or Thursday. There are currently 7,439
families enrolled in emergency shelter across the state.
Additional Support for Families
In addition to safety-net
shelter options, the Family Welcome Centers in Allston and
Quincy will continue to offer services, including hot meals
and basic necessities like diapers, warm clothes, and hygiene
kits. They will also work with families on a case-by-case basis to
determine safe housing alternatives and connect them with
community-based services and behavioral health supports.
The Executive Office of Health
and Human Services will also continue its efforts to connect families
with support. That work includes providing access to food assistance programs,
mental health resources, and developing new guidance for hospitals working with
families experiencing homelessness.
“Our Family Welcome Centers are
an important resource for parents and kids throughout the
Commonwealth. Our FWCs remain open and their teams
committed to serving families who need assistance to rebuild their lives in our
state,” said Secretary
of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh.
“Families can count on the FWCs to go the extra mile to help meet their
needs—from complex benefits navigation like SNAP and WIC to fundamental needs
like diapers and winter clothing.”
Governor Healey
is also activating 75 more members of the National Guard to provide
basic services at emergency shelter locations and support the upcoming work
authorization clinic hosted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. This brings the total number activated to 375, which includes 50
at Joint Base Cape Cod.
Work Authorization
and Employee Training
The work authorization clinic with the Department of
Homeland Security, scheduled for the week of November 13, will
be extended to another week beginning on November
27 to accommodate more shelter residents and help process more work
authorizations as efficiently as possible.
The legal clinic builds on
programs currently operated by the state to provide legal assistance to EA
families and help shelter residents start working. In the last few weeks,
nearly 300 people in the shelter system have enrolled in MassHire and
participated in work readiness services, ESOL
classes, and career workshops. Many have already been
connected with employers like Dunkin Donuts, Market Basket,
Walmart, Sysco food distributors, Yankee Candle and Cooley Dickinson
Hospital in Northampton.
“The
Healey-Driscoll Administration appreciates our partnership
with MassHire workforce boards and career centers as we connect
immigrants in shelter with work readiness programs and resources,” said Labor and Workforce Development
Secretary Lauren Jones. “The
upcoming clinic will be an incredibly valuable tool to expedite work
authorization for individuals, and as a result, open more pathways and job
opportunities for newly arrived talent with employers looking for skilled
workers.”
