Members of the Maine Immigrant Business Coalition represent 30 residential care agencies founded and led by immigrants from Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Rwanda, Somalia, and other African nations. These professionals came to Maine, built businesses grounded in service, and together now constitute a cornerstone of the state’s care infrastructure.
The timing of the coalition’s launch comes as Maine faces a significant and worsening shortage of behavioral residential care capacity. According to the Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services, the state has lost at least 26 residential care facilities since 2019. More than 2,520 people are currently on waitlists for residential placement, and the Maine Center for Economic Policy estimates the state needs an additional 1,600 workers to meet the need.
MIBC member agencies collectively provide around-the-clock care for more than 400 individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and severe behavioral and psychiatric diagnoses — representing roughly one quarter of all Section 21 providers in Maine. Each shift is staffed by a minimum of two direct care workers, and many residents require three-to-one staffing, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
MIBC member agencies operate under some of the most rigorous regulatory requirements in Maine’s health and human services system. Direct Support Professionals employed by coalition members hold certifications and training spanning more than 20 areas. Services are reauthorized every 60 to 90 days by the state.
Many coalition owners began their careers as direct service workers — certified nursing assistants, personal support specialists, and home health aides — before pursuing licensure and building agencies of their own. Coalition backgrounds include a psychiatric nurse, a social worker, a former auditor for a global accounting firm, and an architect.
The coalition’s workforce of over 3,300 shifts is drawn almost entirely from Maine’s African immigrant community. Beyond the workplace, MIBC members have established food pantries, after-school programs, and refugee welcome ministries, and many serve as volunteer youth sports coaches across the state.
To produce this report, Giving Strong conducted more than one dozen interviews with a variety of caregivers, guardians, allies, and other stakeholders in addition to fielding a survey of coalition members and conducting hours of desktop research.
Rooted in Care, Growing in Maine Impact Report 2026