COMMUNITY-CENTERED CRISIS RESPONSE

MASSACHUSETTS MIGRANT FAMILIES RELIEF FUND

A PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT NEW MASSACHUSETTS FAMILIES

The Massachusetts Migrant Families Relief Fund was a partnership between United Way of Massachusetts Bay and The Boston Foundation launched in 2023 to address the acute humanitarian crisis faced by migrants seeking asylum in Massachusetts, while also supporting the local, trusted community-based organizations directly serving new arrivals in our region.
As the number of families being housed in shelter or motels rose sharply, and will continue to rise in the coming weeks, the Commonwealth’s shelter system was taxed in unprecedented ways. Cities and towns across the state hosted families as part of the Commonwealth’s emergency assistance program, providing shelter and services to individuals and families displaced from countries such as Haiti and Venezuela by political turmoil, socio-economic instability and ongoing humanitarian crises. In Massachusetts, they saw a promise of hope and support, and we wanted to live up to that promise. We raised and deployed over $1.3 million to 32 community-based organizations to provide emergency financial assistance and help ensure individuals, children, and families could access essential needs such as temporary accommodations, food, clothing, diapers, hygiene items, and transportation. Funds raised also provided operating funding to local community-based organizations providing direct services on already-stretched budgets and staff resources.

About The Migrant Families Relief Fund

The Massachusetts Migrant Families Relief Fund was a partnership between United Way of Massachusetts Bay and The Boston Foundation to address the acute humanitarian crisis in 2023-2024 faced by migrants seeking safe haven in Massachusetts, by supporting the local, trusted community-based organizations directly serving new arrivals in our region. This partnership leaned into the strengths of both organizations to maximize the mobilization of resources and enable swift distribution of funds across the state.
United Way has an established track record of distributing more than 40 million in philanthropic and federal/state relief throughout the Covid-19 crisis. This includes partnerships with more than a dozen cities and towns including Chelsea, Haverhill and Lynn, to provide local response efforts, as well as a partnership with the Department of Early Education and Care to distribute more than $20 million for school-community Summer Step Up programming. With both an existing network of community-based organizations as well as the ability to partner with United Ways across the Commonwealth for statewide reach, United Way of Massachusetts Bay served as fiscal agent for the joint fund to both accept donations and swiftly deploy funds. The Boston Foundation is a leader in emergency relief philanthropy, having stood up funds for Haiti, Puerto Rico, COVID-19 relief, and a relief partnership in support of Chelsea, (Mass.) organizations, among others. With both an existing network of community-based organizations and a statewide reach, the Boston Foundation is prepared to facilitated fundraising and lent its extensive experience and deep community connections to the joint fund to both accept and distribute donations quickly and judiciously.

Migrant Fund in the News

News
Dec 1 2023

UWMB, Boston Foundation celebrate strength of public support for migrant…

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Sep 25 2023

UWMB and The Boston Foundation award $570,000 from the Massachusetts Mig…

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Aug 8 2023

Boston Foundation and United Way of Massachusetts Bay create Massachuset…

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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE FUND