Lawmakers hear support for continued state funding for Maine Multicultural Center in Bangor area

Senator Mike Tipping opened LD 783’s public hearing by asking the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee to continue state support for the Maine Multicultural Center (MMCC), an organization that coordinates volunteers and paid staff to help newly arrived immigrants and refugees integrate into Greater Bangor.

“LD 7 83 would continue that funding and allow them to continue their important work,” Senator Tipping said. He described MMCC as a volunteer-driven organization that used last year’s one‑time state allocation to hire a program manager and two outreach coordinators and to leverage additional private and federal funds.

Pamela Pru Curry, executive director of the Maine Multicultural Center, told the committee the organization now serves families and individuals across roughly 21 communities in Greater Bangor and acts as a resource for nearby towns organizing similar programs. “The Maine Multicultural Center was founded in part to address an increasing labor shortage in our region,” Curry said, explaining that volunteers and a small staff help match newcomers to jobs, housing and training. Curry provided several program metrics: MMCC is currently working with 99 immigrants, comprising 41 families and 13 single individuals; about 84 of those individuals are ages 25 to 64; in 2024 the organization reported roughly 75 volunteers contributing what MMCC estimated as the equivalent of 2.3 full‑time employees, alongside three paid FTEs.

Volunteers and local officials described concrete outcomes they credited to MMCC’s work. Volunteer Lisonbee Barkley, who helps clients with job searches, said refugees often arrive with marketable trades and that volunteer help with onboarding and English-language tutoring helps them find work quickly. “A refugee is the best vetted person in the entire world,” Barkley said, describing the extensive screening refugees undergo before resettlement. Volunteer employment‑navigator examples included placing a tailor and a caregiver with local employers and helping a family that opened a restaurant.

Pamela Curry and other witnesses cited published economic research to illustrate the broader fiscal impact of immigrant households in Maine: testimony cited figures attributing roughly $2.2 billion in household income to the state’s 56,300 immigrants, and $625.8 million in taxes paid (including $248.9 million attributed to Social Security and $69.1 million to Medicare), with a reported post‑tax spending power of about $1.6 billion. Curry said those immigrants comprise roughly 4% of Maine’s population and 4.5% of the workforce.

Representatives from education, agriculture and local volunteer groups also urged continued funding. Orono High School student Aaliyah Meritz testified on how MMCC services help immigrant parents obtain employment that supports students’ stability and school success. A dairy farm owner and other employers said MMCC helps fill labor shortages in the region.

Committee members asked for clarifications about the immigration statuses of clients. Senator Tipping and Curry distinguished three broad client categories that MMCC serves: refugees (vetted and resettled through federal programs), asylum seekers (who apply after arrival and may receive parole and a work permit after about 150 days), and voluntary migrants with work visas. Committee members also requested documentation on program outcomes and continued fundraising plans for the organization.

Supporters said two years of state funding enabled MMCC to professionalize volunteer training and operations, resulting in measurable placements and business starts in the Bangor area. No organized opposition appeared during the hearing. The committee closed the public hearing and signaled a work session to review fiscal details and funding sources.