BRATTLEBORO-Light pours in through ample glass surfaces at the newly opened Multicultural Community Center (MCC) at 28 Vernon St.
On any given day, the MCC, a service sponsored by the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), welcomes new Vermonters of all ages from countries all over the world to the cozy and inviting community space, which is clean and sunny with cultural icons, bright wall hangings, and cheery carpets and furniture, most of which was donated.
The organization intends to offer even more programming than it has in the past to new Vermonters, of which more than 400 have been resettled in southern Vermont.
ECDC is subleasing from the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, which plans to use the space to expand its programs; thus, the MCC has a secure home there at least until September, says Site Manager Jenn Mapescouture.
“We really jumped on the opportunity because it’s such a great location and we’re wanting to build up programming — to get the community involved in what we do,” she said.
Mapescouture brings a lot of the festive decor in “because I just enjoy it and I want people to feel at home.” An uplifting touch is the art of refugee children hanging on walls here and there, too.
The MCC previously operated from sites on Birge Street and at the School for International Training (SIT).
“We are more determined than ever to provide all the services we can to help new community members feel welcomed and cared for,” said Mapescouture, acknowledging “all the budget cuts and with staffing cuts this past year.”
To help new Vermonters build their new lives successfully, the ECDC seeks support from volunteers, who go through background checks before beginning to serve.
“One of the things we want to stress to the community is that, as a resettlement agency, we can’t be the end all and be all,” Mapescouture said.
“We literally resettle people, and obviously people need a lot more resources than just the basic 90-day case management that they get through resettlement,” Mapescouture said. “We want people to have those services, so that’s why we call out to the community and ask for support.”
That support, she said, comes in the shape of goods, funds, and, especially, volunteer hours.
“While the federal model for resettlement is 90 days, we do offer support outside of the 90 days for people who qualify,” said Mapescouture, who has office hours at the MCC, and is often joined by her ECDC colleagues who offer case management there.
“We technically will help people for up to five years after arrival with services as needed, but the bulk of resettlement happens within the first three months.”
Connecting new Vermonters with support and community
The MCC aims to address several key areas of refugees’ needs as gleaned through a survey conducted in 2024 by the University of Vermont.
Among those needs: child care at the MCC, conversation partnering, support for families with kids in summer camp, assistance in navigating health systems, job and career advising, and legal preparedness support to ensure access to legal representation and advocacy support.
In addition, the MCC offers sewing instruction led by a volunteer skilled seamstress, Deb Rowe.
”That’s a staple and something we really want to grow, given it not only teaches new skills, but also offers opportunities to socialize,” says Mapescouture.
Art programs for children are offered, too, through River Gallery School’s Art for All program, whose manager, Kirsten Martsi, is credited with program development and with scouting the current MCC space.
As word gets out that the MCC is available to new Vermonters, the number served will grow, said Mapescouture. “This is a relatively new space, so people are still learning about it.”
Many of the MCC clients live nearby, some within walking distance, to the center. And, she added, most are working.
“The intent with this space is to have it open to the entire community — not just for our new Vermonters, but also for those who serve this population,” Mapescouture said. “Volunteers are in and out for various reasons: connecting on efforts, developing and coordinating programs, and just growing community.”
While ECDC covers costs of various programs’ supply needs, much of what is needed will be sought as donations.
Mapescouture said MCC lists approximately 130 area volunteers who “have been long-standing in support of this center.” ECDC relies on this community and beyond for donations of goods, as well as for assistance with transportation to appointments, hosting events, being conversation partners, and teaching people to drive.
“And we’re partnering closely with St. Michael’s Episcopal Refugee Ministry, whose volunteers are stepping up to help make the MCC a success,” Mapescouture added.
“When we had the opportunity to open in this location, our partnership with St. Michael’s was a key element in planning sustainable programming and services,” she said. “I can’t overstate my gratitude for that partnership and for the hope and excitement in the vision we share for the space.”
Mapescouture said that “regardless of how long we are in a particular building or location, this is an amazing opportunity to create the community we want to be a part of, and I see this center as a chance to grow momentum for the work we know is so important to help make our community thrive.”
‘Work of the heart’
Having moved to Vermont four years ago from Nashville by way of a three-year stop in North Carolina, Mapescouture began “volunteering in the community just to learn more about it.”
“I never really worked in a nonprofit, and I’ve never worked in a refugee resettlement, but I became very involved as a volunteer when I first got here,” she said.
She was exposed to area refugee resettlement efforts through her new neighbors, parishioners at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.
Mapescouture eventually took a staff position at ECDC as a domestic health assessment navigator, “which literally brought people to their first health exams when they came into the country.” After a year, she started working at the SIT multicultural center.
“This is really the work of the heart, you know, providing this kind of space for people and additional programming and additional support when they need it,” she said. “What I love about Brattleboro is how dedicated the community is to justice, diversity, and caring for our neighbors.”
Mapescouture said that “the landscape for refugees in America is constantly changing,” but the multicultural center will be “here to serve whoever determines they need to be here.”
“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do that,” she said. “We’re looking at the long game, and we want to be here regardless of what’s happening on the political landscape.”
Despite that political landscape including sustained occupation of cities in Minnesota, Maine, and Illinois in recent months by officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, Mapescouture says “honestly, a lot of the fear that I’ve heard is from long-term Vermonters who are concerned about their neighbors.”
Volunteers from Brattleboro Indivisible and the Windham County Action Network have been monitoring the environment and are working to avoid misinformation, rumors, and panic. They post updates on ICE sightings nationwide every four hours.
“We just did a training on this last week,” Mapescouture said. “So whenever someone has a question or they hear a rumor, they go directly to that site (4thbranch.us).”
With a clear sense of calm and mission, she said she focuses on the work at hand.
“Everyone we work with is legally here, but we are going to offer trainings on the paperwork that they need to fill out just in case, and what documents to have on your person. Know your rights. What to answer and what you don’t have to answer,” she said.
“But you know, right now, people feel pretty safe in this space,” Mapescouture observed.
For more information on volunteering and on how new Vermonters can gain access to MCC programs, write Jmapescouture@ecdcus.org.
This News item by Annie Landenberger was written for The Commons.