When the migrant families first came to the Atlantic Motel on Depot Street, Select Board Chair Judith Whiteside said Wareham has a reputation for  “taking care of people.” 

And over a month into the families’ residencies in town, that reputation is on display.

From providing basic necessities to making sure the new high school students could attend Homecoming, members of the Wareham community have been working to ensure these families are welcomed and well taken care of.

Sixteen migrant families were moved into the Atlantic Motel on Depot Street beginning Saturday, Sept. 16. And an unknown number of families, largely from Haiti, have been living in the Mariner’s Inn on Cranberry Highway in East Wareham since mid-summer.

Thousands of migrant families are in emergency housing statewide. Although the migrant crisis is nationwide, Massachusetts is the only state to have a “right-to-shelter” law, requiring that the state provide shelter for qualifying families with children.

Chuck McCullough, chair of the Wareham Committee for the Homeless, said with the help of a number of organizations, including Turning Point Day Resource Center and Damien’s Food Pantry, “we have provided just about everything that the migrants at the Atlantic require.”

McCullough said the one exception is winter clothing, which will be delivered in the coming days along with some more menstrual hygiene products.

He said all the necessary items have already been collected. However, space restraints at the motel have delayed their delivery.

So far, the families have been provided pajamas, sneakers, and clothing, according to McCullough. 

There have also been some deliveries of toys for the children as well as comfort food, shelf-stable milk and fruit, according to McCullough. The organization is also working on putting together some Christmas packages for the families.

He said the only item left to get is winter boots, which the organization plans to collect sizes for first.

McCullough said transportation was an issue for some time, but they recently sorted that out with the National Guard to provide those services through a vendor under contract with the state. 

“We have a great working relationship with the National Guard who is doing just a great job,” he said. “They're handling all the paperwork that has to be done for each individual for each family — from benefits to immigration status.”

He said the families need to sometimes travel to courts and different offices in order to complete the paperwork necessary to obtain those benefits as well as work authorization. 

However, the language barrier remains a struggle for those trying to obtain work authorization and subsequently a job.

“The hurdles are huge, particularly language, because they cannot get a job unless they can speak,” McCullough said. 

He added there are plans to start an English as a Second Language Program with a number of teachers, French speakers, and some Haitian Creole speakers from around town. In addition, the group is considering some online programs as an option.

“I think we'll be successful, but how long it's going to take to get them to the place they need to be — I don't know," McCullough said. “I think we have some very talented people that sat around a table with me on Monday, but time will tell.”

Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino said the migrant students have transitioned well into the school. 

“There's been a lot of organizations within the school and outside of the school that have been supporting them, and I just know that the kids are very appreciative of every little thing that's been done for them,” Palladino said. 

He added, “And I know in due time, they will definitely pay it forward — those are the kinds of kids they are.”

Matthew Stanton, civics teacher, JROTC instructor and Key Club advisor, said the Key Club recently purchased hygiene products and toiletries for the migrants with money donated by the New England district of Kiwanis, a community service based organization.

The students were able to get enough items for all 21 kids and 28 adults at the Atlantic, including tooth brushes, tooth paste, mouth wash, soap and baby wipes, according to Stanton.

“The Key Club is involved in so many different groups throughout the community, but this one really seemed to hit home, because we saw a few of the students arrive here in the high school,” Stanton said. “We understand that they've had a difficult journey since leaving their homelands, and we wanted to try to make sure that we made it as comfortable as possible.”

Palladino said the migrant students have received a lot of support from the English Language Learner Program Coordinator Joe Marcus, and all the staff have done “an unbelievable job just welcoming them and making sure they have access to all the curriculums.”

He said the other students have also been quite supportive, as well. One student made sure the migrants had appropriate attire for the recent Homecoming Dance, which they all attended, as other students secured the tickets and transportation for them. 

“Our kids have just been so welcoming to the students, which is not a surprise, but obviously great to see,” Palladino added.

He said the students fit right in: “It's like they've been here for three years, and it hasn't even been three months.”