BOSTON – United Way of Massachusetts Bay today announced it is deploying $575,000 in grants from its United Response Fund to support 36 community-based organizations providing emergency financial assistance for basic needs to individuals and families – many of them immigrants - at a time when many people are facing instability and crisis due to federal actions.
“United Way’s commitment to the most vulnerable individuals and families and to ensuring they can access basic needs is not new. But in this moment, the stakes are higher,” said Marty Martinez, President and Chief Executive Officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay. “The need to provide immigrants and their families with tangible relief so they can remain housed, stay in school, and access food and healthcare has never been greater. By mobilizing donors, corporate partners and other funders to meet the moment and support the United Response Fund, we are positioned to move quickly and get resources to the people who need them most.”
Funds will be used to deliver direct, flexible financial assistance to individuals and families facing sudden housing instability, food insecurity, lost wages, and legal and immigration-related costs.
United Way awarded the United Response Fund grants to 36 organizations reporting an immediate or near-term need for funds due to sharp increases in emergency requests. While the funding cannot reverse federal eligibility restrictions or replace lost federal dollars, it is intended to help stabilize families and sustain critical community responses as safety-net programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance face mounting pressure.
“East Boston families have long faced challenges such as overcrowded housing and higher food prices, and recent federal actions that impact their work hours have deepened that strain,” said Justin Pasquariello, Chief Executive Officer at East Boston Social Center. “Some working parents are afraid to access critical supports like WIC and SNAP, putting children and families at greater risk. United Way’s support helps fill urgent gaps to keep children and their parents stably housed and nourished to support their healthy growth and development.”
The FEFA grants support a wide range of strategies aimed at preventing crisis before it escalates, reaching high-need communities across the region, including Attleboro, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Quincy, Revere, Salem, and Taunton. Community needs that the grants will support include:
- Housing Stability: Providing rental assistance to prevent eviction and homelessness.
- Food Security: Responding to reduced or eliminated SNAP benefits through grocery gift cards and direct food assistance.
- Utility Assistance: Helping families cover heating and electricity costs.
- Legal and Immigration Support: Assisting with filing fees, lawful immigration petitions, and eviction defense.
- Childcare and Lost Wages: Supporting enrollment in childcare and out-of-school time programs, as well as addressing lost wages tied to immigration concerns or changes in status.
All organizations awarded funds serve low-income households experiencing multiple challenges. This includes immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ+ youth facing disproportionate housing instability, and individuals re-entering the community after incarceration.
United Way of Massachusetts Bay established the United Response Fund as an urgent call to action — not just to support, but to stabilize and strengthen the nonprofit sector that thousands of families rely on every day. In addition to providing emergency financial assistance to individuals and families, the United Response Fund is providing flexible operating funds to support local community-based organizations and the new, unexpected and emerging needs impacting them. These resources will enable them to focus on sustaining critical services and meeting the needs of their communities, despite stretched budgets and staffing resources.
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