Ascentria Care Alliance

We are thrilled to announce that our newest board member, Barry Maloney, has been recognized by Worcester Business Journal as a 2025 Business Leader of the Year! This well-deserved honor highlights his dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to making a difference in our community. Barry has been president of Worcester State University since 2011, focusing on student success, affordability, and campus development. Under his leadership, the university has improved graduation rates, doubled fundraising, and tripled its endowment. Our CEO, Angela Bovill, shares: "We are incredibly proud of Barry for this recognition. His passion and leadership have been instrumental in driving positive change, and this award is a testament to his hard work and vision." Please join us in celebrating this incredible achievement!

In these challenging times, we are especially grateful for the opportunity to share some good news! We are proud to share that Jessica Pelletier, Esq., Director of Ascentria's Immigration Legal Assistance Program, was the grantee speaker at the Massachusetts Bar Foundation's Annual Meeting on March 11. The event brings together a community of fellows, donors, grant recipients, and friends to celebrate all that has been accomplished over the last year in efforts to increase access to justice in Massachusetts. Jessica's commitment to providing essential legal services to immigrant communities is truly inspiring. Reflecting on her transition to Ascentria, she shared, "I couldn't get those images out of my head," referring to the harrowing scenes of Afghan citizens during the country's collapse, which motivated her to join the organization. Despite funding challenges, Jessica and her team remain dedicated, emphasizing their "ethical and moral responsibility not to abandon clients." Partnerships with funders like the Massachusetts Bar Foundation are utterly essential to our mission, enabling us to provide safety, stability, and self-sufficiency to those they serve. To learn how you can help fund essential programs for our community, reach out to us at https://lnkd.in/gAfxtgRN or hit the donation button on our website.

We are writing to share a difficult but necessary update. As we continue to navigate the challenges brought on by the new administration’s policies, we have had to make some incredibly hard decisions. Due to the halt in refugee resettlement, the freezing of federal funding, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding governmental support for immigrants, we are facing significant constraints that directly impact our ability to serve. As a result, we have been forced to make layoffs within our programs that assist refugees and immigrants. This decision was not made lightly. The staff affected by these cuts are deeply dedicated individuals who have spent their careers walking alongside refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives. Losing them is not just a loss for Ascentria—it is a loss for the communities we serve. These are heartbreaking times, and though we are forced to scale back, we will not stop caring. We are exploring every possible avenue to continue providing critical support to those who need it most and assisting impacted team members in finding new career opportunities, both within and outside of Ascentria. We have been able to place half of the affected employees within other divisions of our agency, and we continue to work with partners, faith communities, and supporters like you to find sustainable solutions. Now, more than ever, we need your voice. If you are able, please consider advocating for policy change or reaching out to your networks to spread awareness about what is happening. Together, we can ensure that New England remains a place of refuge and hope, even in the face of adversity. We will continue to keep you updated on our next steps and ways you can support this work. Thank you for standing with new neighbors, for believing in our mission, and for your unwavering support in these uncertain times. To learn more about the challenges refugee resettlement agencies are facing, please visit https://lnkd.in/enmK3Nva

Sick of hearing about Medicaid? So are we; despite advocacy efforts, Congress continues to consider cutting Medicaid funding, which would have a devastating effect on communities across the United States. The House is voting on a stopgap funding bill TODAY, meaning time is of the essence to contact your representatives via phone and urge them not to cut, cap, or block grant Medicaid. Find your representative's phone number at the link below (select "Call" under the Act Now! Headline) and follow our handy phone script: https://lnkd.in/gHD5--aU Every voice counts!

🏥 Medicaid: A Critical Lifeline for Long-Term Care Medicaid supports over 60% of nursing home residents, covering nearly half of all long-term care costs—but it’s severely underfunded and demand is only expected to grow. Over the next five years, the U.S. population of individuals aged 80 years and older is expected to increase by more than four million people to 18.8 million. Facilities are reimbursed only 70-80% of actual care costs, and proposed Medicaid cuts could make the crisis even worse. Advocate now to protect Medicaid: https://p2a.co/c6kkyze The Impact? >Nursing home closures are on the rise, especially in rural areas. >Demand for long-term care is increasing due to an aging population, yet many facilities can’t afford to stay open. Without Medicaid, more are likely to close. Congress must protect Medicaid funding to ensure seniors and people with disabilities continue to have access to the care they need. Let’s stand up for our parents, friends, and neighbors! #MedicaidMatters #LongTermCare #ProtectOurSeniors

Advocacy in Action: We are thrilled to share that a federal stop-work order on legal services for unaccompanied minors has been reversed. This decision restores critical legal representation for thousands of vulnerable children, ensuring they are not left to navigate complex immigration proceedings alone.   The stop-work order, issued on February 18, 2025, would have halted legal services for approximately 26,000 children nationwide, including hundreds in Massachusetts. The Unaccompanied Children Program has provided legal representation to these children for over two decades, protecting them from trafficking, ensuring due process, and helping immigration courts function more efficiently. Without attorneys, even infants and toddlers could have been forced to face immigration court alone, dramatically increasing their risk of exploitation, further trauma, and wrongful deportation.   This reversal is a powerful reminder that advocacy makes a difference. Your voices helped protect these children from harm. Keep speaking up, engaging with lawmakers, and standing up for those in need—together, we create real change. Thank you for your continued commitment.   #AdvocacyWorks #YourVoiceMatters

The recent freeze on federal funding for resettlement agencies has left vulnerable families without critical support. As our President & CEO Angela Bovill shared with New England Public Media: "For someone who arrived on January 16th, there is no money for housing or any of the services they were supposed to receive when they arrived for the first three months." Now, we’re leaning on our communities, volunteers, and faith partners to help continue welcoming and supporting new Americans. "This idea that some people are acceptable and some are not, some are worthy and some are not—fundamentally, that needs to be rejected." Said Angela Bovill. Refugees deserve stability, not uncertainty. Join us in standing for welcome. Subscribe to our Advocacy newsletter today: https://lnkd.in/giqEd_Ke #RefugeesWelcome #FaithInAction 🔗 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gKqu6h6Y

Who would be affected by Medicaid cuts? Our neighbors, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. People like Samantha from Quaboag Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center. Many people mistakenly believe #Medicaid only serves the unemployed, but a vast number of recipients are low-wage workers without employer-sponsored insurance, children, and people with disabilities and chronic health conditions. It covers millions of low-income adults, families, and seniors needing long-term care. In total, Medicaid cuts would impact: Approximately 3.2 million people covered by Medicaid in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. 👶 40% of American children 👵 6/10 older adults in nursing homes 👩🦽 10 million people with disabilities 👨👦 99% of foster care youth Advocate today to protect Medicaid: https://p2a.co/c6kkyze It's not too late to make a difference in our communities.

Ascentria Foster Care continues to host Refugee & Immigrant Foster Care Info Sessions on the last Wednesday of every month, online via Zoom. Our next info session is next Wednesday, February 26th at 6 pm. Anyone who is curious about foster care for our unique population of unaccompanied children and unaccompanied refugee minors is welcome to attend. Register to join us on Zoom: https://lnkd.in/gjGHdGVC #AscentriaFosterCare #FosterCareFriday

We need your help today to protect Medicaid from devastating cuts and caps. Recent updates from the House and Senate Budget Committees indicate plans to implement deep cuts to #Medicaid and other essential domestic programs before the end of February. Join us in calling on Congress to oppose legislation seeking to cap, cut, or block grant Medicaid. These changes would undermine a lifeline for millions of neighbors who need assistance to live and make ends meet. Advocate today: https://p2a.co/c6KkYzE