Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center

THE GREATER PORTLAND IMMIGRANT WELCOME CENTER SERVES AS A HUB OF COLLABORATION THAT STRENGTHENS THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY THROUGH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

THE IMMIGRANT BUSINESS HUB WAS CREATED TO HELP IMMIGRANTS UNDERSTAND, NAVIGATE AND THRIVE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MAINE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WE ARE BUILDING PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS OF NEW AND ESTABLISHED IMMIGRANT-OWNED BUSINESSES, ACCESS TO CO-WORKING SPACE AND OTHER GPIWC RESOURCES, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THE OTHERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AFTER COVID-19, THE BUSINESS HUB PIVOTED TO ASSIST BUSINESSES THAT WERE STRUCK WITH DIFFICULTIES DURING COVID PERIOD. 25 BUSINESSES WERE ASSISTED, WITH PPE, BARRIER SYSTEMS AND SIGNAGE. THE GREATER PORTLAND IMMIGRANT WELCOME CENTER WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORTLAND BUY LOCAL AND MAINE ACCESS IMMIGRANT NETWORK TO TRANSLATE PORTLAND BUY LOCAL'S CUSTOMER CONDUCT INFOGRAPHIC POSTERS INTO SIX LANGUAGES. THIS PROGRAM STARTED IN 2020 AND WAS ALSO SUPPORTED BY A DHHS GRANT. IN THE WINTER OF 2021, WE JOINED A PARTNERSHIP WITH DREAMXKIVA TO PROVIDE LOANS TO IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES AND ASSISTED CLIENTS IN ACCESSING OVER $75,000 IN BUSINESS LOANS. WE ALSO PROMOTED THE INDUS FUND, A LOCAL LOAN PROGRAM FOR NEW MAINERS. IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS WERE CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES TO ALLOW THEM TO REACH THEIR DREAM OF STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS.

THE IENGLISH PROJECT MET CONTINUED PANDEMIC RELATED CHALLENGES WITH THE DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM, AN INNOVATIVE MODEL THAT INTEGRATES ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS A TAILORED CURRICULUM AND SELF-PACED LEARNING PLATFORM. A DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT PROVIDES THE FLEXIBILITY NEEDED FOR ADULT LEARNERS WHO MUST WORK, RAISE CHILDREN AND LEARN NEW SKILLS. WE HAVE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MAINE HEALTH, THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN MAINE AND STARTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH FEDCAP IN THE FALL OF 2021. DUE TO THE CONTINUED CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, THE PROGRAM WAS ALTERED TO ALLOW LEARNERS TO ACCESS THE PROGRAM FROM HOME WITH OUR LENDING LIBRARY OF LAPTOPS AND DIGITAL ASSISTANCE FROM IWC STAFF. IN 2021, THE PROGRAM HAD 79 TOTAL LEARNERS ENROLLED IN THE CAREER BASED ENGLISH COURSES. IN OUR MAINEHEATH PROGRAM WE HAD 26 LEARNERS, WITH NORTHERN LIGHT WE HAD ONE LEARNER, WITH FEDCAP WE HAD 26 LEARNERS AND WE HAD 26 LEARNERS IN OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; MANY OF THE SCHOLARSHIP LEARNERS WERE ASYLUM SEEKERS.

THE GPIWC CO-WORKING SPACE PROVIDED A COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK AND SUPPORT TO MISSION ALIGNED ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH A PROFESSIONAL WORK SPACE, TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. AMONG THE ORGANIZATIONS USING THE SPACE OVER THE YEAR WERE: MAINE YOUTH ACTION NETWORK, MAINE EQUAL JUSTICE, PROJECT BAZIA, SAKALA INTERNATIONAL, WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, PRESENTE MAINE, LADDER TO THE MOON AND ANJAMBO AFRICA, PORTLAND HOUR EXCHANGE, I AM YOUR NEIGHBOR, MAINE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS, AND RWANDESE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF MAINE. IN ADDITION, WE SUPPORTED 3 IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES, HAGENIMANA LAW OFFICES, ONE LOVE HOMECARE, AND A TAX PREPARATION BUSINESS.