Mass. communities worry about strain on local resources as they welcome migrants

Thousands of migrant families continue to arrive in different cities and towns in Massachusetts, now calling the Commonwealth their home.

One community north of Boston is getting ready to welcome hundreds of them with shelter and food and they’re not the only ones.

Tuesday Gov. Maura Healey said they’ve secured $2 million from FEMA to help aid the new arrivals, but she says Massachusetts needs more federal help, like expediting work authorizations.

“Everyone we’ve talked to is ready to work, wants to work and is coming to this country and state, with skills and talents that will benefit so many industries across this state," she said.

Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin said they are preparing for an additional 100 migrants to arrive in the city in the next few days, many from Haiti. He's concerned about the strain on the city, but said state law requires them to find housing for these migrants.

Local organizations and churches like Woburn United Methodist Church are lending a helping hand.

“We try to be open during the day so people can drop donations off, we have a big hall here. Folks are bringing in clothing, toiletries and baby items," Pastor Bill Hoch said.

He tells us that they’re not only helping the migrants with donations, but also spiritually. They're picking them up at the local hotels to bring them to Sunday service.

“Probably 100 of them were here for a Haitian Creole worship service. So the fact that so many came lets me know that that was important to them to be together," Hoch said.

Vitale Memeus is one of the volunteers.

“I think it took a load off their shoulders knowing there is somebody here who can understand them," she told NBC10 Boston.

She works for a local organization in Woburn and she’s been helping with translations at the church.

“If you were in their shoes, with the situation that people are living in Haiti, you would want to leave as well.”

Woburn isn’t the only city dealing with this situation.

In Quincy, Eastern Nazarene College opened a welcome center in partnership with Bay State Community Services a few weeks ago to help the incoming families. Right now, there are 58 spaces available in the shelter on campus, according to Bill McCoy, the vice president for academic affairs.