Supporting Families at Acton's Emergency Family Shelter
Update
Part of Minuteman Inn off Route 2 in Acton is designated as an Emergency Family Shelter. The first families moved in at the end of November 2023, the shelter is now at full capacity with 27 families (91 people), all with kids. Families move out when they found a job and affordable housing, and then new families move in.
There are currently 89 people from which 46 kids (16 kids age 0-4 (quite some newborn babies!), 14 age 5-8, 10 age 9-13, 6 age 14-17). 27% of the families are Spanish speaking, 27% are local Massachusetts residents - English speaking and 46% are Haitian Creole speakers ( many also speak French, Spanish and/or Portuguese).
Ways to Help
Volunteers are offering English language lessons at the shelter 5 days a week (Mon-Fri) (no more volunteers needed), First Connections is going weekly and a few volunteers offer occasionally children's activities at the shelter (the kids typically have nothing to do on Saturdays and vacation days so we would welcome more volunteers to run activities / play soccer! More info here).
No home cooked food is allowed in the shelter as all food served in the shelter needs to have official nutrition and ingredient labels.
The shelter residents are free to leave the shelter and go participate in community events or private initiatives (as long as they're back before the curfew). If you want to advertise an event or initiative, you can bring a flyer (ideally in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole or French) to the Minuteman Inn office (71 Hosmer Street, Acton). In some cases transportation will need to be provided.
All the residents received their work permits, we are looking for local job opportunities . If you have a job posting, please fill in this form. If you have any leads for Spanish-speaking and Creole-speaking residents, you can email abrc@abuw.org.
Donate Goods
A-B United Way is coordinating donations through AB Resource Center. It’s important that all donations go through the AB Resource Center (15 Charter Road, Acton) as the shelter itself does NOT have space to accept/sort donations.
You can find what the shelter and the AB Resource Center needs and directions for donations here . You can also order from the AB Resource Center's Amazon Wish List (which has items both for the shelter and the AB Resource Center)
Thanks so much !
Opportunities to Learn
Cultural Humility: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Integrating Haitian Migrants in New Communities - A workshop presented to Acton town and school employees and local social service providers, November 1, 2023.
Migrants, Immigrants, Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Parolees: Understanding the Key Differences - September 2023 blog post by International Institute of New England
Haiti’s harrowing humanitarian crisis remains at the top of the United Nations’ agenda [UN.org, July 2023]
Original Announcements
11/2/2023 - ABUW Community Letter: "Planning for the Emergency Shelter in Acton"
10/23/2023 - Acton Town Manager's Update: "Planning for an Emergency Shelter in Acton"
10/18/2023 - Superintendent Peter Light's Memo to School Committee: "Migrant Shelter Status & Planning"