Yarmouth is being praised for its response to the influx of migrants who were sent there last fall as the state's shelter system ran out of space.
The migrant families that were housed in a motel on Route 28 for seven months have been relocated to other facilities better able to care for them. The town’s Zoning Board of Appeals ruled last month that the Harborside Suites, where the migrants were housed, could no longer be used as a shelter because a town bylaw limits motel stays to no more than 30 days.
At the April 23 Select Board meeting, Yarmouth’s Director of Public Health Jay Gardner said the town responded well to the arrival of migrants despite some confusing information from the state.
Gardner visited the motel often and said he was impressed with the work of town departments, faith-based groups and other agencies, as well as residents, often in the face of opposition from some in the community.
"There was a lot of misinformation, even in public health," Gardner said. "There was talk about tuberculosis and things of that nature; things that never happened. Public safety issues. Additionally to be commended is our police chief, fire chief and superintendent of schools. They all went above and beyond to make sure the individuals that were here for only seven months were considered residents and were well cared for."
Janet Emack of the volunteer organization Building a Bigger Table, which assists migrants and asylum seekers, said she was inspired to see people from Haiti, Honduras, Puerto Rico and Sudan living side-by-side without problems. Some of the people who came to the motel had been unhoused in Boston. Others were migrants.
"This was not a very homogenous group. They were quite mixed. And they got along like a beautiful little model community," Emack said.
"There was an incredible, consistent outpouring of generosity to the hotel. Faith communities came and brought things, individuals brought things. They brought clothing and toys and books."
There was also an English language program which many of the motel residents attended.
Emack said MassHire, a state agency, prepared the migrants to work in the community by helping them to write resumes.
"A good number of the people are working in the community right now. Every one of them has a work permit and a Social Security number. There is nobody who is undocumented, or what somebody might call 'illegal.' "
Emack said they are all advancing their cases through the immigration system.
"They are moving on to new shelter systems, but the hope is they are moving on to the next step of being able to me more independent."
Sue Gubbins, who volunteered at the motel, said the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District acted quickly to get the migrant children into classes. She said the school district is trying to get the students to finish the school year and make plans to continue their education.
