Check made out to Presente! Maine
Address to send check: PO Box 4202 Portland, ME 04101

Presente&rsquo;s lifesaving work is being seriously threatened. Nearly half of the funding we applied for in 2025 was cancelled due to federal cuts, and the resulting strain on the philanthropic sector means competition for grant and gift opportunities has increased exponentially. We were also forced to turn down sizable awards due to new federal requirements to monitor and report immigrants. Consequently, we have a budget shortfall of $600,000. We&rsquo;re making an emergency appeal&nbsp;to close this gap.&nbsp; The crisis in Maine is severe. Since Trump&rsquo;s re-election, we&rsquo;ve seen increased surveillance, policing, and fear in our neighborhoods. Black and Brown Immigrants are acutely isolated at home &ndash; missing medical appointments, work, and school because they are afraid to leave the house. They are also increasingly reluctant to call emergency services when needed, out of fear they will be taken or otherwise harmed.&nbsp; This fear is not unfounded. Natalie, an asylum seeker, was detained in Oxford County earlier this year after she pulled over to help when she witnessed a car accident. She was sent to a detention center across the country, separated from her community and support system. Natalie&rsquo;s story is not unique &ndash; it reflects a growing pattern of fear, criminalization, and displacement that our communities are facing across the state every day.&nbsp; Presente! is leading Maine&rsquo;s response to these attacks on civil and human rights. We co-founded the People&rsquo;s Coalition for Safety and Justice (PCSJ) to build a community defense ecosystem &ndash; a network of people, resources, and strategies that help targeted communities stay safe, informed, and cared for in the face of state violence, policing, and other forms of systemic harm.&nbsp; Here&rsquo;s what this looks like in practice: Coordinated Rapid Response and Protection<ol fr-original-style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-inline-start:48px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">The Maine ICE Watch Hotline (207-544-9989): A statewide hotline where people can report ICE and Border Patrol sightings, and where they can seek support and referral after someone has been detained</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">Detention Response: Local groups trained to provide accompaniment, legal referral, and social support, so that no one faces state violence alone</li></ol> Building Local Capacity and Skills<ol fr-original-style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-inline-start:48px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">The Verifier Program: Building a trained community of support to safely verify, witness, and document ICE interactions</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">Know Your Rights education: Empowering people to understand and assert their legal rights</li></ol> Strengthening Collective Infrastructure<ol fr-original-style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-inline-start:48px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">The Maine Solidarity Fund: A statewide fund that offers aid to Black and Brown Immigrants and Trans people who have been detained or discriminated against</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;" style="list-style-type: decimal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; box-sizing: inherit;">Mutual aid: Because safety also means access to food and stability, this defense is connected to Presente&rsquo;s Food Brigade and Food Hub, ensuring families have what they need to survive and thrive.&nbsp;</li></ol> This work is urgent &ndash; and unique. No one else in Maine is doing this kind of coordinated, on-the-ground defense work for these communities. Without it, families would have nowhere to turn when faced with raids, detentions, and disappearances. We are filling that gap. We work as cultural anchors, crisis responders, public health educators, community organizers, advocates, interpreters, and so much more. Safety is not given or guaranteed &ndash; we are building and defending it ourselves.&nbsp; This is what $600,000 protects. Will you help us keep it running? Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo. Only the people save the people. Note: Prefer to donate by mail? Please make your check payable to Presente Maine, PO Box 4202, Portland, Maine 04101!

Hello <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Much&iacute;simas gracias! Very many thanks! Your support means we can continue our lifesaving work at this historic moment. Mutual aid assumes we all benefit when everyone&rsquo;s needs are met, and that our own community is best positioned to meet those needs. This is at the heart of our mission. Your contribution is part of a proud tradition of solidarity and care.&nbsp; We wish you and yours all the best. Please do not hesitate to reach out at any time. We&rsquo;d be happy to connect you with opportunities to volunteer, or even just to chat! Adriana Ortiz-Burnham, Development Leadaortiz@presentemaine.org

Presente’s lifesaving work is being seriously threatened. Nearly half of the funding we applied for in 2025 was cancelled due to federal cuts, and the resulting strain on the philanthropic sector means competition for grant and gift opportunities has increased exponentially. We were also forced to turn down sizable awards due to new federal requirements to monitor and report immigrants. Consequently, we have a budget shortfall of $600,000. We’re making an emergency appeal to close this gap.  The crisis in Maine is severe. Since Trump’s re-election, we’ve seen increased surveillance, policing, and fear in our neighborhoods. Black and Brown Immigrants are acutely isolated at home – missing medical appointments, work, and school because they are afraid to leave the house. They are also increasingly reluctant to call emergency services when needed, out of fear they will be taken or otherwise harmed.  This fear is not unfounded. Natalie, an asylum seeker, was detained in Oxford County earlier this year after she pulled over to help when she witnessed a car accident. She was sent to a detention center across the country, separated from her community and support system. Natalie’s story is not unique – it reflects a growing pattern of fear, criminalization, and displacement that our communities are facing across the state every day.  Presente! is leading Maine’s response to these attacks on civil and human rights. We co-founded the People’s Coalition for Safety and Justice (PCSJ) to build a community defense ecosystem – a network of people, resources, and strategies that help targeted communities stay safe, informed, and cared for in the face of state violence, policing, and other forms of systemic harm.  Here’s what this looks like in practice: Coordinated Rapid Response and Protection<ol><li>The Maine ICE Watch Hotline (207-544-9989): A statewide hotline where people can report ICE and Border Patrol sightings, and where they can seek support and referral after someone has been detained</li><li>Detention Response: Local groups trained to provide accompaniment, legal referral, and social support, so that no one faces state violence alone</li></ol> Building Local Capacity and Skills<ol><li>The Verifier Program: Building a trained community of support to safely verify, witness, and document ICE interactions</li><li>Know Your Rights education: Empowering people to understand and assert their legal rights</li></ol> Strengthening Collective Infrastructure<ol><li>The Maine Solidarity Fund: A statewide fund that offers aid to Black and Brown Immigrants and Trans people who have been detained or discriminated against</li><li>Mutual aid: Because safety also means access to food and stability, this defense is connected to Presente’s Food Brigade and Food Hub, ensuring families have what they need to survive and thrive. </li></ol> This work is urgent – and unique. No one else in Maine is doing this kind of coordinated, on-the-ground defense work for these communities. Without it, families would have nowhere to turn when faced with raids, detentions, and disappearances. We are filling that gap. We work as cultural anchors, crisis responders, public health educators, community organizers, advocates, interpreters, and so much more. Safety is not given or guaranteed – we are building and defending it ourselves.  This is what $600,000 protects. Will you help us keep it running? Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo. Only the people save the people. Note: Prefer to donate by mail? Please make your check payable to Presente Maine, PO Box 4202, Portland, Maine 04101!

Only the People Save the People

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Presente Maine

### Context Profile for Presente Maine

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   - **Mission:** Presente Maine is dedicated to empowering and advocating for the Latino community in Maine. Their mission focuses on promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion, particularly for marginalized groups within the Latino population. They aim to amplify voices, foster community engagement, and create opportunities for leadership development.
   - **Cause:** The organization addresses systemic issues affecting the Latino community, including access to resources, representation, and social services.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - **Community Programs:** Presente Maine engages in various community-building initiatives aimed at supporting Latino families and individuals. This includes educational workshops, cultural events, and advocacy efforts.
   - **Events:** They organize events that celebrate Latino culture and heritage, providing a platform for community members to connect and share experiences.
   - **Advocacy Campaigns:** The organization actively participates in advocacy efforts to influence policy changes that benefit the Latino community in Maine.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   - The tone of voice on the Presente Maine website is **friendly**, **inclusive**, and **inspiring**. The language used is approachable, aiming to foster a sense of community and belonging. It emphasizes empowerment and collective action, encouraging individuals to participate and engage with the organization.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   - The website does not prominently feature emojis in its content. The communication style remains straightforward and professional, focusing on clarity and engagement without the use of emojis.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - **Founding Info:** Presente Maine is a new organization, and specific founding details are not extensively documented on the website.
   - **Scale:** As a new organization, they are in the early stages of building their community presence and outreach efforts.
   - **Impact Metrics:** Specific impact metrics are not provided on the website, indicating that they may still be in the process of establishing measurable outcomes for their programs.
   - **Volunteer Info:** There is no specific information about volunteer opportunities available on the website at this time.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - **Style:** Content should maintain a friendly and inclusive tone, reflecting the organization's mission to empower the Latino community. 
   - **Language:** Use clear and accessible language that resonates with diverse audiences, particularly those within the Latino community.
   - **Engagement:** Encourage community participation and highlight the importance of collective action in addressing social justice issues.
   - **Call to Action:** Include strong calls to action that inspire individuals to get involved, whether through attending events, participating in programs, or supporting advocacy efforts.

This context profile serves as a foundational guide for creating personalized content that aligns with the values and mission of Presente Maine, ensuring that communications resonate with their target audience and reflect their organizational goals.

Presente Maine

Only the People Save the People

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