Community Corner

Framingham Emergency Relief Fund To Help Support Refugee Families

City officials and the Community Foundation For MetroWest have partnered to activate the relief fund. Here's what it will do.

This comes after city officials announced they would reopen donations for refugee families as more have moved into hotels in Framingham.
This comes after city officials announced they would reopen donations for refugee families as more have moved into hotels in Framingham. (Neal McNamara/Patch)

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Community Foundation for MetroWest and City of Framingham have partnered to activate the Framingham Emergency Relief Fund, a way for the partnership to collect cash donations to help organizations supporting 0ver 50 refugee families now living in Framingham.

Specifically, officials said, the Framingham Emergency Relief Fund will provide emergency grant funding to nonprofit organizations addressing the most pressing needs during broad-based community emergencies. This includes natural disasters, financial or social crises and public health emergencies.

This comes after city officials announced they would reopen donations for refugee families as more have moved into hotels in Framingham.

Find out what's happening in Framinghamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Framingham officials said that, as of Sunday, more than 40 refugee families are living in three hotels across the city. On Aug. 13, the city had 12 families living in one hotel. As of Sunday, that number has increased to at least 40 across two more hotels.

Read more: More Than 40 Refugee Families Now In Framingham, City Takes Donations

Find out what's happening in Framinghamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We are extremely grateful to the Community Foundation for MetroWest for re-activating this fund so we can help the families that have been placed in hotels by the Commonwealth. I convened a task force meeting last week of all the social service organizations in the City and in MetroWest to work together to help these asylum-seeking families,” said Mayor Charlie Sisitsky.

“There are many hands trying to deal with this humanitarian crisis but these organizations could use financial resources and this fund will provide grants to these nonprofits.”

To donate to the Framingham Emergency Relief Fund:

  • Make an online donation, visit www.communityfoundationmw.org/... and choose "Framingham Emergency Relief Fund" in the dropdown menu
  • Send a check to the Community Foundation for MetroWest at 3 Eliot Street, Natick, MA 01760 - checks can be made out to The Community Foundation for MetroWest with "Framingham Emergency Relief Fund" in the memo line
  • If you need support to donate, please call 508-647-2260 or email info@communityfoundationmw.org

This comes after Gov. Maura Healy declared a state of emergency in an attempt to address a state family shelter system that is so over-capacity, thousands of migrant and homeless families have been placed in hotel rooms across the state due to a shortage of shelter beds and affordable housing units.

Recent state Division of Housing Stabilization data said just under 1,400 families were being sheltered in hotels and motels across the state, with the state projecting that number could grow to 2,800 by the end of August. There are an estimated 5,555 families — a total of 20,000 individuals — in the entire state shelter system, including hotels.

Read more: Healey Declares State Of Emergency Over Strained Family Shelter System


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