Programs
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
We are dedicated to meeting the needs of our local immigrant community, but it is also important for us to lift up and empower those who need it. Our goal is to make people feel safe, welcome, and happy in their community. If you are a part of the South Georgia immigrant community and you need help, MESE is here for you. Please reach out to us so that we can provide the assistance you need.
Below, you can find information about how we have made impacts in the community and the types of things we are fighting for!
MUTUAL AID
It is our priority to help those in the immigrant community with any problem they are facing. You are not alone! We have a food pantry, clothing closet with all sizes, children’s toys, and toiletries that are available for anyone in the immigrant community who needs the extra help. We also have a financial assistance program for first time applicants in the area.
In addition to all of these physical and financial needs, we are also here to help you get connected to a lawyer you can trust if that is necessary. We also have been a part of successful fundraising efforts to assist people with medical expenses and legal fees.
If you are a community member in need of any kind of assistance, please contact us with the following form!
STAYING INFORMED AND EMPOWERED
We know that it is important to stay informed and empowered. MESE strives to empower our local immigrant community and give them the tools they need to express their own strength. MESE periodically organizes ‘Know Your Rights’ canvassing sessions in immigrant neighborhoods, going door to door to give community members information about their rights and what to do if immigration services knock on their door. This is important information that can really make a difference in communities where people might not know their own rights.
MESE also has an active health education initiative, striving to bring healthcare equity to the immigrant community with language accessibility in mind. During COVID, MESE partnered with local health organizations to organize vaccination events to protect our community against coronavirus. More information about our initiative towards public health can be found in the “public health” section of this page.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
MESE knows that in order for change to take place, we must encourage people to be a part of their community and vote. This is why we are passionate about getting out into the community and promoting civic engagement in our neighborhoods. To date, our volunteers have knocked on over 6,400 doors while canvassing to spread nonpartisan awareness of upcoming elections. We have reached 17 counties and handed out more than 8,000 pieces of literature informing those in the community about how they can make a difference.
In addition to in-person canvassing, we have also sent out close to 90,000 text messages to those in the community, informing them of how they can help push for a change, and we have talked to over 6,000 members of the community urging them to vote.
PUBLIC HEALTH
During our time as an organization, MESE has participated and created 16 health related events to help those who might need medical information and/or assistance in the community. During the COVID pandemic, we also helped aid in the mission to get people vaccinated, handed out 500 masks to those who needed them, and distributed 1,000 COVID tests.
One of our main goals is making sure that people are not suffering because they are unable or scared to seek medical assistance.
We are working towards making health care more accessible to the immigrant community and are hoping to eventually be able to have a portable medical bus that can provide basic health screenings and services to those who need it.
EDUCATION ADVOCACY
Here at MESE, we understand that the youth is our future and it is important that they are able to learn in a safe and helpful school environment. It is the responsibility of every school to empower students and encourage them to be successful. We are currently working towards more education advocacy for parents and students that are struggling within the school system.
We are working alongside parents in the community to help fight for their rights to be involved in their child’s learning process and also to make sure their children are receiving the quality education they deserve.
We also see a big lack of funding and resources for ESOL departments in many of the school systems in the area. This is something we are actively working towards fixing and because the immigrant community is only growing, we know this is an important thing to work on.