BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor Police Department recently responded to a rumor that a bus of migrants was headed to Bangor. The rumor was false, and no migrants arrived.
With a national border crisis and southern Maine receiving refugees earlier this year, Bangor is prepping itself for a possible influx of migrants.
When Patty Hamilton, director of Bangor Public Health and Community Services spoke with NEWS CENTER Maine, she outlined the challenges of such an event.
"Initially, we could certainly rally together and support people for a week or two. That is actually probably the easier part of our work. I think the harder part would be the longer folks were in our community, we would have to think of other things beyond their initial needs. So their culture, how do we integrate them into our communities, how do we help them get work, how do we fill out paperwork, how do we help them get food," Hamilton stated.
City hall also states there are other factors to consider when prepping for possible migrants.
"It could depend on time of day, you know month, all those kings of things," said Hamilton.
Business owners have also weighed in on the situation.
"One of Timber Hearth's missions is to very simply like leave this neck of the woods a little bit better than we found it. So, like, these people needed water, food, and stuff like that, and we certainly would be happy to do whatever we can to make that happen. And also, like, one of the big things that we could do as tattoo artists or creatives in general to give back, whether, you know, it be through a flash event or fundraising or coming out of our own pocket to kind of help to get the funds to get people what they need," said veteran, owner, and tattoo artist David Aston of Timber Hearth Tattoos.
Aston isn't the only community member willing to aid refugees.
"They would be able to come here to eat. They would be able to come here to take showers," said Tina Jakacky, a volunteer at the Biker Church in Bangor.