The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) officially opened its new Somerville office to the public on Thursday, May 23, 2024, welcoming more than 100 community members, public officials, partner organizations, and MAPS staff, volunteers, and friends to the new space on 362 Somerville Ave. which hosts a variety of free health and social services to Portuguese-speakers and others by appointment only.
Addressing the many guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, MAPS CEO Paulo Pinto, MPA, reminded them of MAPS’ long history in Somerville, where SPAL (Somerville Portuguese-American League), one the organizations that merged to create MAPS in 1993, was founded more than 50 years ago.
“We are very proud of our partnership with Somerville, right from our organization’s infancy,” said Pinto. “Thanks to the City’s belief that organizations like ours play a critical role in helping integrate our immigrant communities, we were able to greatly contribute to the development and progress of the city and make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of immigrants and their families over the years.”
“I’m so deeply grateful for MAPS’ work here in this community,” said Massachusetts State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven, one of several public officials at the ceremony. “You welcome thousands of immigrants, meeting them where they are, speaking their language. All these services are fundamental, and I am forever grateful for your work with our Portuguese-speaking immigrants.”
Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, whose administration supported MAPS’ relocation and renovation work in the new space with an ARPA grant for $103K, highlighted Portuguese-speaking immigrants’ role in the success and vibrancy of the city.
“For nearly a century, the Portuguese-speaking community has been an integral part of Somerville’s rich and diverse tapestry, making it such a special place to live in,” said Mayor Ballantyne. “MAPS has been the cornerstone of success and development for more than 50 years and has provided invaluable support, resources, and advocacy for our Portuguese-speaking residents.”
In addition to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the new office, guests were also introduced to the organization’s Somerville staff, learned about MAPS’ many free health and social services, and enjoyed the lively rhythms of local drums group Grooversity.
The new MAPS office in Somerville assists community members by appointment only (617-764-2091) and through regularly scheduled clinics and drives. Some of the services offered include Immigrant Integration (assistance with daily issues, access to public benefits, citizenship applications, health insurance assistance, etc.), Child and Family Clinical Services, HIV/ STI Prevention and Screening (testing for HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and HEP C, and access to HIV prevention medications such as PrEP), and MAPS’ court-mandated programs.