The Marshallese Diaspora

We rarely ask for help, but this Giving Tuesday, we are reaching out to you with an important request for your generous support of our General Fund. This fund is vital in sustaining the programs that serve the Marshallese diaspora every single day.

Your contributions will enable us to cover essential operational costs, such as staff salaries, office supplies, and other necessary expenses that ensure our organization can function effectively. By supporting the General Fund, you provide us the flexibility to tackle unexpected challenges and embrace new opportunities within our community.

On March 9, 2024, President Biden signed H.R. 4366, the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024—an important piece of legislation that garnered bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House.

This law has classified citizens from the Compacts of Free Association (COFA)—specifically, individuals from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau—as noncitizens eligible to receive crucial federal public benefits.

This groundbreaking change enables COFA citizens to access essential programs, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as food stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and FEMA Individual and Household Programs. Moreover, Medicaid eligibility for COFA citizens was reinstated in 2020.

Since Marshallese became eligible to apply on October 1, our organization, the Marshallese Educational Initiative (MEI), has been dedicated to helping numerous community members in Arkansas and beyond navigate their applications for vital federal public programs. Unfortunately, our capacity to help is limited without adequate funding. We are committed to providing significant time and resources to help our community access essential resources, but the Act does not provide the necessary financial support for our critical efforts.

The lack of federal applications available in the Marshallese language adds another complexity to our mission. Our dedicated staff tirelessly assists community members who often struggle to understand English, guiding them in filling out applications and submitting them on their behalf. While some federal applications have been translated, many AI-generated translations are incomprehensible, making it challenging for even fluent Marshallese speakers to comprehend. The COFA itself remains untranslated, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive outreach efforts at local, regional, and national levels.

These efforts are essential to effectively convey the significance of COFA and the federal benefits it offers. In addition to assisting the Marshallese diaspora, we are committed to helping the citizens of Micronesia and Palau, who face similar challenges and urgently require our assistance. Unlike the Marshallese, these populations do not have nonprofits to rely on to meet their needs in their native languages; we strive to fill that gap.

MEI is committed to addressing our communities' challenges over the long term, recognizing that federal resources are crucial and ongoing.

Your support today can make an immediate impact! With your help, we can hire additional help, translate critical federal applications, ensure COFA is accessible, expand our outreach efforts, and simplify the navigation of life in the U.S. for our communities.

Your generosity this Giving Tuesday will enable us to continue this essential work and create meaningful change in the lives of those we serve.

Thank you for considering a donation this Giving Tuesday!

All donations are tax-deductible.