By Michelle Xiarhos Curran
Senior Writer

Increasingly disruptive immigration policies continue to take a toll on individuals, families and communities right here in Essex County. And the recent termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for several countries – including Haiti – is the latest example in a series of actions placing nonprofits at the epicenter of an evolving humanitarian and economic crisis.

Thousands of Haitian TPS holders were estimated to be living in Essex County on Aug. 5, 2026, when protections for Haitians and Syrians officially expired. Now, they not only face fear and uncertainty, but unemployment (Haitian TPS holders make up a very visible part of Massachusetts’ workforce, particularly in the healthcare industry), legal battles and potential deportation.

In response, Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) is distributing $500,000 in grants to 22 nonprofits through its Community Response and Racial Equity & Social Justice funds. The grants fund increased access to legal services; community education, organizing and advocacy; mental health and wellness supports; and basic needs.

“These two funds serve different purposes, but they’re deeply connected,” said Stacey Landry, ECCF’s senior vice president of philanthropy and COO. “The Community Response Fund is built for moments when nonprofits need philanthropy to move quickly and with flexibility so they can respond to urgent needs, while the Racial Equity & Social Justice Fund is both responsive to the moment and takes the longer view, investing in organizations that are advocating for the most impacted communities and reimagining the systems and structures that sustain inequities.”

“Equity and justice work, by its very nature is long-term work, and is at the heart of meaningful social change,” said Hehershe Busuego, ECCF’s vice president of equity initiatives. “And though we’ve been living in a period of polycrisis, these challenges have not come out of nowhere. They’re actually the result of choices and investments that have shaped the conditions and systems we experience today. Addressing them requires sustained commitment.”

The current round of funding from the Community Response and Racial Equity & Social Justice funds – which rely on the pooled resources of many donors – stands alongside a recent tranche of nearly $120,000 in individual giving to related causes through ECCF Donor Advised Funds.

“We are incredibly grateful for every donor and fundholder who is engaging with ECCF right now, asking questions and being curious about how they can help our friends and neighbors navigate this fear and uncertainty,” said ECCF President and CEO Stratton Lloyd. “Our role as a community foundation is to connect that desire to do good with the real-time needs of our 34 cities and towns.”

To do that efficiently and with the greatest impact, ECCF shows up to learn alongside our partners and donors. On Aug. 11, the community foundation gathered a panel of organizations that work with immigrants for a community conversation that focused on how recent actions by the federal government are impacting our local cities and towns.

The panel included:

• The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
• The New American Association of Massachusetts (NAAM)
• The Lynn LUCE Hub
• Northeast Arc

MIRA set the stage by offering a brief history of TPS, and panelists described what it’s been like every day to sit across from individuals and families whose lives are being upended.

Dr. Scune Carrington, chief clinical officer and wellness clinic director at NAAM, described how, for her clients, fear had become a barrier to care and support, and how her organization pivoted to provide services and information in new ways. Jo Ann Simons, CEO of Northeast Arc, spoke about the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities of a nonprofit organization that employs Haitian TPS holders. And Alba Torres, mutual aid lead for the Lynn LUCE Hub, talked about how the emotional toll, misinformation and fear is impacting community members and how advocacy by a local coalition of grassroots organizations led to a legal defense program in partnership with the City of Lynn.

Still, Torres added, “We know that need will exceed capacity. And as a coalition, we are committed to continuing to engage in the work to figure out ways to bring more resources where we see this great need.”

It’s that same commitment that ECCF makes to our communities every day – now and for the future.  And engaging in learning opportunities, like this one, plays a huge role in that commitment.

“Our role as a community foundation is to activate philanthropy, because it has a very important role to play in how we navigate challenges and address the region’s greatest needs,” said Landry. “And we start right here, by building a collective understanding of what’s happening on the ground, so that we can move forward together.”

For anyone that’s asking themselves what role they can play, Landry encouraged people to find organizations that speak to them. “Learn about them. Be in partnership with them. Ask what they need and how you can show up,” said Landry. “Don’t stop this process of understanding.”

And, as a reminder, she added that people are always encouraged to reach out to ECCF to learn more about what’s happening in our communities and opportunities to help. “We’re not here just for this moment. We’re here for the long term.”

Learn more and donate to ECCF’s Essex County Community Response Fund and the Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund to contribute to ECCF’s efforts to help nonprofits focused on immigrant support meet the moment and prepare for tomorrow.