ABOUT US
Mohamud Barre
Executive Director
mohamud.barre@main1.org
(207) 233-6014
I would like to welcome you to the State of Maine and to the programs we provide here at Maine Access Immigrant Network (MAIN).
I remember clearly how difficult it was when I first came to America to navigate the health care and social services systems. I was fortunate in finding community people here in Portland willing to help me. My passion is to help others in the same way that others helped me.
Our organization works hard to build a stronger multicultural community in Portland by addressing refugee/asylee health literacy, health care enrollment, and coordination of health care services. Our team of Community Health Outreach Workers provide resource and referral information in their native languages; Arabic, French, and Somali.
Our goal is to ensure equal access to programs and services for New Mainers from Africa and the Middle East.
Welcome to MAIN!
Our Team
MAIN has a team of five community health workers who provide bridging services to mainstream resources. Our team is comprised of Certified Application Counselors who help individuals navigate the American Healthcare system, including marketplace enrollment and informational workshops about the Affordable Care Act. The staff provides care management and case management.
Sanaa Abduljabbar
Community Health Worker
sanaa.abduljabbar@main1.org
(207) 331-6132
Languages: Arabic, English
Mohammed Hassan
Community Health Worker
mohammed.hassan@main1.org
(207) 331-6133
Languages: Somali, English
Christian Bisimwa
Community Health Worker
christian.bisimwa@main1.org
(207) 331-6134
Languages: French, English
Sana Osman
Community Health Worker
sana.osman@main1.org
(207) 331-6138
Languages: Arabic, English
Sabine Kangombe
Community Health Worker
sabine.kangombe@main1.org
(207) 331-6995
Languages: French, Lingala, Swahili, English
Who We Are
Maine Access Immigrant Network (MAIN) bridges access to health and social services for immigrants and refugees in Portland Maine. Our organization works to build a stronger multicultural community in Portland, and to address refugee health literacy, health care enrollment, and coordination of health care benefits and non-clinical care. MAIN provides resource and referral information that is culturally and linguistically appropriate in English, Arabic, Somali, and French to ensure equal access to programs and services for new Mainers from Africa and Middle East.
Funders & Partners
We are supported through grants from the Office of Refugee Resettlement Ethnic Community Self Help Grant, Maine Health Access Foundation and the Maine Community Foundation. MAIN has many partners, including the Greater Portland Refugee and Immigrant Health Collaborative, University of New England CHANNELS Project, Care Partners, MaineHealth, Mercy Hospital, and others. Our partners play an important role in providing support to our developing programs.
History
MAIN was originally founded in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) by Mohamud Barre and the resettled Somali community. The organization was initially named Somali Culture and Development Association and its mission was to embrace the vision of a free standing community center with staffing to support all Somalis for access to information, resources and services. It was formally renamed to Maine Access Immigrant Network in spring 2014. MAIN has since expanded to serve other African groups, including South Sudanese, Rwandan, Burundian, and Congolese, and continues to expand with services to Middle Eastern and other refugee groups.