MIDDLEBORO — Residents have been donating food, toys, and other supplies to the Haitian migrants and refugees who were provided temporary housing by the state of Massachusetts at Quality Inn.

Diane Fay, the Secretary of the Friends of the Middleboro Library, helped bring toys to the migrant families. 

The migrants “came with what they had,” Diane explained. “Just the clothes they had on.”

Kayla Smith, a Health Agent for the town of Middleboro, said that she is working to coordinate donations from different groups. She said that schools had donated food items, and that Middleboro’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul had also donated items. 

“The [friends of the library] brought over toys earlier, and the smiles on the kids’ faces was adorable,” Smith said. “The toys are a huge hit right now. And then the parents really appreciate the food items.”

“Our next goal is to get formula,” Smith added. 

Middleboro Police Chief Joseph Perkins said that there were currently 74 Haitian migrants living in Middleboro. He added that the migrants “have been sent by the state to live here in Middleboro.”

According to Perkins, communication with the migrant families has been a barrier, as the migrants don’t speak English. However, one town employee, Police Officer Gustavo Ribeiro, happened to speak multiple languages including Haitian Creole. 

Police Chief Joseph Perkins said that he had asked Ribeiro to help with translation.

“Officer Ribeiro speaks four languages: Haitian-Creole, Portuguese, Spanish and English,” Perkins said. “He has been well received by the group and has been doing a great job helping to translate and communicate.”

Through Google translate, one of the migrants, Loudy, wrote that he needed to leave Haiti because “Haiti is very difficult” and that “I can’t live there, I’m persecuted there.”

“I came to work,” Loudy wrote.

Another migrant, Philistin, wrote through Google Translate that he wanted “to be able to work to help my family.”

Right now, it’s difficult for migrants to start jobs to support their families because of federal immigration laws. State Senator Pacheco said that he wanted the immigration laws to be changed to make it easier for migrants to start working, and he recently signed a letter urging Congress to take action.

Diane said that helping the families was something that came naturally to her. 

“It’s not new to us,” Diane said. “This is what we do.”