Apr 28, 2023 | News
As the ground thaws, flowers emerge, birds rejoin us to wake with the sun, and the other signs of spring greet us, it indeed feels like the oft quoted time of awakening. I also feel the reawakening of community and take such joy in being in space together. As we come back to life after a season of dark and cold and join in gathering, it provides a valuable opportunity to recommit to our values within our communities. Recommit to supporting the amazing organizations in our state who show us the way toward real, sustainable change for good. Read on here!
Apr 21, 2023 | News
Since its founding in 2008, ProsperityME has been dedicated to helping New Mainers- immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers- build rewarding lives in their new communities. With the proper resources and support through the transition to a new homeland, our new neighbors can thrive. Systemic and policy failures and lack of state resources can impede successful transitions, however. Currently, one of the major challenges to this population is the housing crisis, and ProsperityME has become a first responder to this crisis.
The primary factor of instability in the New Mainer population is housing instability. One pressing and urgent concern is that for those families currently sheltered in local hotels, this option ends at the end of April, with no solutions or answer as to where to go next. ProsperityME has been working day and night to find alternative housing options for these families where they can find shelter and safety. One of the ways they help is the Housing Navigator Service, a partnership with several organizations in Maine.
Housing Navigators provide culturally-appropriate counseling to individuals and families to assist them in finding permanent and stable housing, facilitating relationships with landlords, and educating them about tenant rights. They also refer clients to appropriate community and state housing resources and assist them in completing the rental process. Through this service, ProsperityME has helped over 100 families this year in their housing service and helped find stable housing for over 30 individuals. For more information on which organizations provide this service in different Maine counties, please visit: https://www.mainehousing.org/programs-services/rental/rentaldetail/housing-navigator-pilot-program.
Another program of ProsperityME that has been greatly helping our neighbors is the Peer Workforce Navigator Project. This program is a coalition 5 Maine non-profit organizations and the Maine Department of Labor. The Peer Workforce Navigator program at ProsperityME helps those who are experiencing unemployment by providing career search resources, educational opportunities, and facilitating meetings with potential new employers. They also assist clients with securing unemployment insurance, healthcare, and training as needed. ProsperityME has been holding weekly clinics in-house on Fridays to offer these services, which have been particularly beneficial for the many New Mainers who were recently impacted by major layoffs at Abbott Laboratories.
ProsperityME provides invaluable services to our community and neighbors, and has been a key resource in providing safety and stability to New Mainers since its inception. MaineShare is proud to represent and support this member group in its tireless work. To learn more about this amazing organization, please visit: https://www.prosperityme.org/.
Mar 31, 2023 | News
Here at MaineShare, we are feeling the light and energy in the emergence of spring. There is more sunlight in our days, the sounds of birds greet us as we wake, and we are planning for exciting things to come. One thing that is very exciting and brings us energy is the addition of someone new to the MaineShare team. We are excited to welcome Birdie D’Agostino, Program Engagement Associate! There is lots going on this spring in the worlds of our member groups, so please read on for events and updates! Read on here!
Mar 22, 2023 | News
In this month’s MaineShare member spotlight, we will explore the question of “What has ROSC been up to lately?” As it turns out, and not surprisingly, they have been doing a lot! ROSC- Resources for Organizing and Social Change – is a MaineShare member who has been around since 1977 and focuses on organizing to dismantle root causes of injustice, led by those with lived experiences of these injustices.
A main focus for ROSC lately has been preparing for the 20th convening of the Maine Youth Activism Gathering– or YAG, for short. This gathering, hosted by ROSC and led by and created for youth, will be held April 15 through April 17 at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, ME. “It is a balance of activism and community building”, explains Sass Borodkin, the Executive Director of ROSC. Workshops for this year’s gathering will highlight topics from water justice, harm reduction, and community de-escalation to consent 101, homelife skills, handling community grief and crisis, and more. The event will also incorporate intentional spans of free time, providing space for participants to reflect on and process their learnings, and cultivate relationships with each other. The gathering seeks to provide a welcoming space where youth can learn from each other and build autonomy. If you know of youth who might be interested, please direct them to the website to learn more and register– the workshop fee is on a sliding scale, with participants asked to contribute $0-100 per day based on what they can afford.
Other activities that ROSC has been involved in are convenings of SNAHP- the Solidarity Network Against Hunger and Poverty. This group was responsible for the publication of a 32-page report that provided feedback on the recommendations of the Interim Report on Ending Hunger in Maine by 2030, from those with lived experiences with poverty and hunger. SNAHP continues to gather to organize, engage, and educate around issues that impact those who experience classism and other forms of systemic oppression.
ROSC has also been busy planning for GROW– their grassroots organizing workshops for adults in the fall– as well as participating in advisory councils aimed at anti-hunger and anti-poverty initiatives. They have also been developing educational materials for those holding power about how best to invite the voices of those with lived experience into authentic opportunities to influence oppressive systems in ways that don’t cause further harm or tokenize. Our community is better because of the work that ROSC does day in and day out, and MaineShare is grateful to have them as a member!
Feb 28, 2023 | News
This time of year it can feel hard to celebrate. The days can feel long and cold. The walls that surround you may feel stifling. The air stings our skin. But what if we turn our face to the sun to feel its warmth when the clouds break? What if we catch a snowflake and marvel at its artistry? What if we listen to the sound our boots make in the snow, listen to branches crackle under ice, listen for the type of quiet that only exists after a snowstorm? I find winter a time to celebrate, as long as I’m dressed in lots of layers and can get outside to play in the snow. I marvel at its peace and stillness. And when I’m inside, I take inspiration from the work of our members, the generosity of our donors, and the support of the MaineShare community. Read on here!
Feb 15, 2023 | News
When you hear the name of our member group, Maine Council of Churches, what images come to mind? Do you think of advocacy on the frontlines of reproductive justice? Do you think about activism around indigenous sovereignty? Do you think about coalition work focused on environmental justice? Perhaps not. But if you do picture those things, you are aware of the amazing advocacy and activism provided by faith leaders of many denominations in our community, led by the fearless work of Maine Council of Churches (MCC).
The MCC began in 1938, and since then, has been a tireless voice toward justice, compassion, and peace. Its work is statewide, and happens among religious leaders, parishioners, and volunteers with many faith backgrounds. As summarized on the MCC website, “Despite our diverse histories and traditions, the member denominations of the Maine Council of Churches share these values: respecting the dignity of each human being; recognizing the duty to protect the Earth; and valuing a political system that encourages civil discourse.” Recently, the MCC co-hosted a public reading of the full text of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail, read by various justice leaders in the community and featuring space and music for reflection and contemplation. Over 500 attendees joined this event on the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to be in space together and listen to the powerful and relevant words.
This month, the work of MCC has focused on a Faith-Based Advocacy Series, inviting people of faith to build community, and to be inspired to begin or continue advocacy work toward a more just society. The sessions include practical tips for legislative advocacy and submitting testimony at the state house, as well as training on focused priorities that include housing and homelessness, tribal sovereignty, and banning solitary confinement in Maine’s prisons. The MCC has built great community networks to collaborate with around their advocacy efforts, partnering their Public Policy Committee with other state organizations focused on similar work.
The Maine Council of Churches, under the direction of Executive Director Reverend Jane Field, remains deeply committed to their values, and continues to be a bold, unwavering voice toward a more just and equitable Maine. They are also forward-thinking, and beginning a strategic planning process to determine their vision for the years ahead. MaineShare is so grateful to have the Maine Council of Churches as a member group, and to be able to support and partner with them in the amazing work they do in our community. I encourage you all to learn more about MCC through their website, http://mainecouncilofchurches.org/!
