Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers [MAPS]

Our mission is to improve the lives of Portuguese speakers in Massachusetts and help them become contributing, active participants in American society while maintaining a strong ethnic identity and a sense of community.

We work with and for the Brazilian, Cabo Verdean, Portuguese and other Portuguese-speaking communities to increase access and remove barriers to health, education and social services through direct services, advocacy, leadership, and community development.

MAPS in its present form was created in 1993 by the merger of two agencies: the former Somerville Portuguese American League (SPAL) and the Cambridge Organization of Portuguese Americans (COPA), which had served area Portuguese speakers separately since 1970.

They merged to improve service provision and further unify the Portuguese-speaking community, including immigrants from eight countries around the world.

In addition to serving Portuguese-speaking immigrants and their families, MAPS assists all who need our services.