Mano en Mano Launches Estamos Aquí Mutual Aid Fund for Immigrants and Farmworkers in Maine

Immigrant and farmworkers in Maine have already been affected by lost work hours or being laid off completely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Others are on the front-lines as Essential Workers helping keep all of us safe, healthy, and fed during the emergency.

While governments are providing unemployment assistance and economic impact payments, many community members are not eligible for these supports, and need your support today. Despite the public health emergency, families still need to pay rent/utilities, buy groceries, and more. Families without health insurance are worried about how to receive care.

Mano en Mano's Estamos Aquí Fund is a mutual aid fund to support immigrants and farmworkers in Maine with financial challenges associated with COVID-19, especially those who are not eligible for government support right now. Community members can request and receive direct funds for whatever immediate needs they are facing including housing, utilities, food, and more. Awards will be made on a first-come/first-serve basis and we will continue to fundraise until all awards have been fulfilled.

Please join all of us at Mano en Mano today to support Immigrants and Farmworkers across Maine!

• Community Members: contact a Mano en Mano staff member that you trust and we will complete an application over the phone. No documentation is required.

• If you are able to, you can donate to the Fund here. 100% of donations received will go directly to community members within 2 weeks of being received. #PledgeMyStimulus

• Private Foundations and Donor Advised Funds: You can award funds today to Mano en Mano (EIN: 01-0836208) and we will release payments to community members as soon as you confirm the award (we do not need to wait for payment to arrive).

• Partner Organizations and Volunteers: If you know immigrants or farmworkers in Maine who aren’t able to receive unemployment or economic impact payments, you can complete an application for them. We honor and trust your relationships. Contact us at info@manomaine.org or (207) 546-3006 for the application link.

Thanks to the support of several donors and private foundations, we are opening the Fund today with an initial commitment of $15,000.

FYI: The recently passed CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) allows individuals who do not itemize on their taxes to deduct up to $300 in charitable contributions for 2020, individuals who do itemize may now deduct contributions up to 100% of their Adjusted Gross Income, and businesses and corporations may now deduct charitable contributions of up to 25 percent of their 2020 taxable income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this fund only open to Latinx people in Maine?

A: No - the Estamos Aquí Fund is open to anybody who identifies as an immigrant from any country, or a farmworker, including seafood workers.

Q: Are all immigrants and farmworkers eligible?

A: No - the Fund is only open to people who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 in Maine. Priority is for people who are currently unable to work and not eligible for unemployment or IRS economic impact payments. We don't anticipate being able to award funds outside the priority group at this time.

Q: Who should I contact to request funds?

A:

• If you have a relationship with Mano en Mano, contact the staff member that you trust to request funds with. We are not able to receive applications from community members that we do not have a relationship with already.

• If you don't have a relationship with Mano en Mano, contact an organization that you currently have a relationship with in Maine, and they can request funds on your behalf. They should email info@manomaine.org for more information.

Q: How will you decide who to award funds to?

A: Applications will be awarded on a first-come/first-serve basis based on the priority requirements and availability of funds.

Q: Is there a max award?

A: Currently, we are able to make awards of $250 per person up to $500 per family. You should still apply for the amount you need and we will keep the request active if additional support is received.

Q: How will funds be distributed?

A: We can send a check or money order to you or somebody that you trust who has a bank account, a prepaid credit card, or electronic transfer like Paypal, MoneyGram, or Venmo.