Maine's Congressional delegation announced Friday that the city of Portland, Preble Street Resource Center and the Jewish Community Alliance will receive nearly $900,000 in federal funding for the aid that they provided to hundreds of asylum seekers who arrived in Maine this summer. The bulk of the funding is being awarded to Portland's family shelter.
"We thought it was kind of a long shot, given that we're not one of the southern border communities,” says city spokesperson Jessica Grondin. “So the fact that we did receive it is excellent, it means that that donated money can go to additional things, and to our additional community partners."
Grondin says the federal funds will allow the city to disperse more of the private donations it's received to other organizations who also provided aid.
"We'll be reimbursing expenses that we've had on the city level. We'll be using it to make sure that these asylum seekers not only get temporary housing, but are able to find permanent housing."
Grondin says the city is finalizing an application process to disperse those funds.
Originally posted 2:33 p.m. Oct. 12, 2019
