Wendy Harrington Honored on the Mission Christmas Tree
NORTHEAST HARBOR, ME — Honoring someone is recognizing their value to the world and to us. This holiday season the Mission is offering supporters a heartfelt way to honor people in their lives.
From now until Christmas, for a small donation the names of people honored will be handwritten on Mission holiday ornaments, and displayed on the Colket Center Christmas tree in Northeast Harbor.
These photos show the Mission ornament honoring Director of Service Programs and Scholarship Coordinator Wendy Harrington.
Wendy joined the Mission in 2002. She and her husband, Charlie, helped create the EdGE Program. Wendy was also instrumental in the Mission food security programs, housing rehabilitation, and community events at the Mission Community Center.
In the Mission’s May 2021 eNewsletter, Wendy said, “My work was, and is, centered on families and community and the belief that children thrive when they have the support of the people around them.”
It is an honor to both know and work with Wendy Harrington.
Who in your life would you like to honor? Click here.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — I joined the Mission in 2002. My husband Charlie and I worked with Gary DeLong to create the EdGE. The EdGE model included working with children, their families, and community. My work was, and is, centered on families and community and the belief that children thrive when they have the support of the people around them. In 2007, I became the Director of Service Programs and began developing programs offering support to our neighbors — including EdGE families.
My favorite place has always been beside the ocean. My mother grew up on Nantucket in a fishing family. She instilled her love of the ocean in me. For the past 19 years, I have lived on Eastern Harbor and wake up to this beautiful sight every morning. This is my favorite place because of its beauty and because of the memories it holds for me.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to Milbridge, ME based Mano en Mano (Hand in Hand).
Founded in 2005, Mano en Mano works with farm-workers and immigrants to help them thrive in Maine. The organization’s work includes partnerships with Maine Seacoast Mission.
Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington said, “We began working with Mano en Mano in the early days of the Mission’s EdGE program when they helped us support the English language learner students in the after-school program.”
This year, starting with a $10K Good Shepherd Food Bank grant to support distributing culturally-specific boxes of food for local families and for migrant workers, Mano en Mano partnered with the Mission, Vazquez Mexican Takeout Restaurant, and Downeast Community Partners. Using the Mission Downeast Campus Food Pantry as a central location the team distributed 165 boxes of food to 347 people.
“It..was so helpful having this partnership [and] great to provide food for families. Now they feel comfortable picking up food there,” said Mano en Mano migrant education director Juana Rodriguez-Vazquez.
Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington added, “This year our work with Mano en Mano has become more integrated around food security, financial support for people in the community, and the new housing initiative.”
www.gsfb.org
Culturally Relevant Food in the Hands of Mainers in Need
July 28, 2020
In the wake of COVID-19, Good Shepherd Food Bank pivoted its operations and began distributing pre-packed boxes of shelf-stable foods to support food pantries in implementing low-touch distribution models. The Food Bank ordered shelf-stable food by the tractor-trailer load, buying products that are common to most Maine households—but we soon heard that our one-size-fits-all approach was not meeting the needs of Mainers of Color. Our product mix was lacking foods that were culturally relevant to Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities in Maine.
One example of the great work happening across the state with help from this fund is by Mano en Mano.
Mano en Mano works with farmworkers and immigrants to help them thrive in Maine. The organization envisions a more inclusive Downeast Maine where the contributions to diverse communities are welcomed; access to essential services, education and housing are ensured; and social justice and equity are embraced. Through the Food Bank’s Community Redistribution Grant program, Mano en Mano was awarded $10,000 to support the distribution of culturally-specific boxes of food….
With the funding, they saw the opportunity to partner with Maine Seacoast Mission, another local nonprofit partner, and Vazquez Mexican Takeout, a local restaurant. Vazquez quickly ordered food from Boston and Maine Seacoast Mission provided volunteer and logistics support, as well as space to store the food until the pick-up and delivery day.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — The Weald Bethel Food Pantry in Cherryfield is open on Tuesday, March 17, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Please call 546-7424 for an appointment. We are working to limit the number of people in the Food Pantry at one time.
Senior Commodities distribution is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18. No appointment is necessary. Drive into the parking lot. We will take the food to your car. If you would like a pantry box also, please call 546-7424 and leave your name and the number of people in your family. We will make up a box for you.
