Refugee and Immigrant Services
At FCS, we have a commitment to providing safe and accessible services to all victims of domestic violence, regardless of the victim's primary language or country of origin.
Our daytime hotline and outreach services can access Pacific Interpreters, an over-the-phone interpreting service, at a moments notice. The caller needs only to identify the language they need spoken. The advocate will put the caller on hold while they call Pacific Interpreters on a second line. Once the interpreter is on the line, the advocate then conferences the two lines together. We also work closely with local interpreting services (ASL and spoken language interpreters). With some notice, we can also have an interpreter available for in-person meetings.
All of our staff and volunteers receive training around the unique barriers faced by victims of domestic violence who are also refugees or immigrants, as well as how best to work with interpreters. Every staff person is required to educate themselves about the diverse communities in our local area, so that we are able to provide culturally-sensitive and culturally-aware services.
Because Portland is a refugee resettlement area, our city has many, many different languages and cultures represented. We work to have a representative from FCS present at every Refugee Resettlement Orientation (for those persons who have just arrived in Portland) who will discuss domestic violence, in general, and the services that we provide. We provide materials that are translated into each language spoken by the persons present.
Related Services
Language and Educational Services
Women In Need Industries
477 Congress Street
Ste.401
Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.761.9464
www.wini.us
Information center for refugees, immigrants and women in Maine. Offers programs, trainings, and information to help immigrants and refugees recover from past trauma and gain personal independence and economic self-sufficiency.
English as a Second Language
Portland Adult Education
57 Douglass St.
Portland, ME 04102
PH: 207.874.8155
ESL classes and multilingual daycare
Portland Public Schools
Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Programs
171 Auburn St.
Portland, ME 04103
PH: 207.874.8135
www.portlandschools.org/schools/multilingual
Provides services to Non-English language background students and their families. English as a second language program K-12. Parent involvement: education and information to help parents learn about schools and the community. Free citizenship classes.
Translation Services
Catholic Charities
PH: 207.523.2726
Tengo Voz
156 High St.
Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.553.2252
Legal Assistance
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
309 Cumberland Ave., Suite 201
PO Box 17917, Portland, ME 04112
PH: 207.780.1593 or Toll Free Hotline: 1.800.497.8505
Email: info@ilapmaine.org
www.ilapmaine.org
Advocate for and to improve the status and well-being of Maine's low income non-citizens by providing affordable legal services.
Cumberland Legal Aid
50 Exeter Street
Portland, ME
PH: 207.780.4370
National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
PH: 617.227.9727
www.change.org
Employment Services
Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services
PH: 207.871.7437
Employee development and placement services.
Tengo Voz
156 High St., Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.553.2252
Employment and housing assistance, help with family problems and domestic abuse, Latino Women's Focus Groups, spiritual guidance, cultural support, recommendations and connection to social services. For individuals from the Hispanic community.
Career Center
185 Lancaster St., Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.771.5627 or 1.877.594.5627
Offers numerous workshops including, among other things, resume writing and building interview skills. They have listings of job openings and computers on site available to do job searches or resume writing.
Community and Religious Organizations and Contacts
New Mainer's Domestic Violence Collaboration
Sudanese:
Sudanese Development Institute
Contact: Dominic @ 207.450.2377 (cell)
Somali:
United Somali Women
Contact: Fatouma @ 207.753.0061
Spanish:
Contact: Sister Patricia Pora @ 207.615.2522
Contact: Reverend Virginia @ 207.807.3066 or vrincon@aol.com
Roots and Fruits PreSchool and Education Center
16 Vannah Ave., Portland, ME 04103
PH: 207.347.7274
www.rootsfruits.org
Founder/Director: Virginia Dearani
Roots and Fruits is a nonprofit organization that promotes social change within institutions and communities through education rooted in peace, pluralism, and partnership. R&F houses a cross-cultural preschool/daycare that serves children ages 3-5, teaching them about the "Roots" of who they are and their "Fruits", or gifts they have to offer to the world around them.
Tengo Voz
156 High St., Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.553.2252
Employment and housing assistance, help with family problems and domestic abuse, Latino Women's Focus Groups, spiritual guidance, cultural support, recommendations and connection to social services. For individuals from the Hispanic community.
Counseling/Case Management
Community Counseling Center
343 Forest Ave.
Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.874.1030
Community Counseling Center - Refugee and Immigrant Case Management Program
PH: 207.874.1030 or 207.874.1043 (TTY)
The Refugee and Immigrant Case Management program works with children who may be identified with having emotional and/or behavioral difficulties due to transitions, trauma history or other adjustments and are not receiving culturally relevant services. Case management staff are multiligual and can provide case management services in Somali, Swahili, Sudanese, Arabic, Acholi, French, Lingala, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Spanish and Kingazidja (Comoros Islands). Community Counseling Center will provide interpreters to work with families who may speak other languages.
Health Services
Maine Medical Center, International Clinic
Dr. Nathaniel James, Director
22 Bramhall St., Portland, ME 04101
PH: 207.871.2911