BOSTON — United Way of Massachusetts Bay today announced a first round of grants totaling $130,000 from its United Response Fund, reflecting the organization’s commitment to respond quickly to urgent needs while protecting and advancing progress in the region. Launched earlier this summer, the United Response Fund is helping to stabilize community-based organizations, strengthen the safety net and sustain the impact of the nonprofit sector amid sweeping federal policy changes.
The initial round of funding underscores United Way’s commitment to address emerging needs by catalyzing collective action and partnerships. The grants will also provide emergency financial assistance to individuals and families facing urgent challenges meeting essential needs like food, housing and utilities.
“The changing federal landscape is creating significant disruption for families and the support systems they depend on,” says Marty Martinez, President and CEO of United Way of Massachusetts Bay. “Through these investments, we’re responding to emerging needs now and investing in coordinated strategies to ensure timely, targeted support for affected communities. These grants represent more than funding — they’re an investment in resilience and innovation.”
The first round of United Response Fund grants will support 1) reimagining the ESOL delivery system and connecting immigrant workers to employment opportunities that meet workforce needs: 2) expanding Know Your Rights programming to early education center-based programs and family childcare providers; 3) supporting a city-wide effort in Lawrence that is responding to federal changes to safety net benefits and 4) providing immediate financial assistance to individuals and families already impacted by federal actions, particularly in the immigrant community.
The United Response Fund was created to mobilize collective action in the face of federal decisions that are reducing access to jobs, benefits for essential needs like food, health care and housing, and vital community resources for already vulnerable populations. Over the past several months, United Way has convened hundreds of nonprofit partners, business leaders, government officials, and funders to share updates and insights in real time and to inform United Way’s response to emerging community needs.
United Way is today announcing the following grants from its United Response Fund:
- $30,000 to support a collective response effort led by Jewish Vocational Services and a coalition of partners to reimagine the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) system and expand access to job training programs to meet labor market demands. JVS Boston is leading a coalition of partners, including SkillWorks, English for New Bostonians, MIRA, Lawrence Community Works, QCAP, and employer partners to meet emerging workforce needs stemming from federal changes to immigration status and work authorizations.
- $40,000 to expand Know Your Rights programming into early education settings, equipping families, children, and educators with critical tools to prepare for shifting immigration enforcement. The effort will be led by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, a coalition of more than 140 organizations. With schools and childcare settings no longer classified as “sensitive locations” protected from immigration enforcement, people and communities need clear information about their status, rights and how to respond to enforcement – so families can feel secure sending their children to early education and care programs.
- $30,000 to advance the comprehensive approach of We Are Lawrence, a coalition of 70 partners in Lawrence anchored by Lawrence CommunityWorks to mitigate harmful effects of federal policy changes in cities by strengthening community-wide support systems through advocacy, training and resources, creating a model that can be replicated statewide.
- $30,000 to provide funding for emergency financial assistance to the Brazilian Workers Center, Immigrant Family Service Institute and Lawrence CommunityWorks to ensure individuals and families can meet essential needs like food, housing and utilities in the face of widespread changes impacting access to critical safety net programs, as well as needs emerging from the immigrant community arising from federal policy actions and increased detention activity.
Partner quotes:
“At JVS, we have long been proponents of vocational ESOL that prepares job seekers to move into and up in the labor market,” said Kira Khazatsky, President and CEO at JVS Boston. “We are privileged to work with amazing partners: SkillWorks, English for New Bostonians, MIRA, Lawrence Community Works, QCAP, and so many employer partners, who are committed to addressing this need in the workforce. Job seekers, employers, and our Greater Boston economy will benefit from increased access to vocational ESOL services. I want to say a heartfelt thank you to United Way, our long-time partner and supporter, for the investment through the United Response Fund — it will lead to transformational impact not just in the lives of individuals, but for families, companies, and the entire Massachusetts workforce.”
“As ICE continues to ramp up arrests across Massachusetts, it is critically important that young immigrants, students and parents understand their rights when questioned or detained by immigration authorities, said Liz Sweet, Executive Director at MIRA. “Educational partners must understand the steps they need to take to protect students and keep parents informed. We are incredibly grateful for this funding from United Way of Massachusetts Bay to expand Know Your Rights programming in early education settings. We firmly believe that equipping students, parents, and educational partners with the knowledge and resources they need to assert their rights will allow everyone in school to focus on what matters most: Learning.”
"Immigrants are the lifeblood of our hard-working community, and we are so grateful to the United Way and its partners for helping our collaborative to support and stabilize the families that make our community great,” said Jess Andor, Executive Director of Lawrence CommunityWorks. “In Lawrence we have a tradition of uniting to face adversity, and together we will work to overcome the challenges in front of us."
More information on the United Response Fund can be found here.