The Downeast Campus in Cherryfield has a rich history of supporting youth and families through the EdGE, EdGE Journey, and Downeast Services Programs. When thinking about how to deepen our collaborations across the Downeast Campus, and to expand our whole family engagement supports, it was important to find a passionate, energetic, professional individual with a great sense of humor who could work alongside youth and their families.
We found that person in our new Family and Community Resource Coordinator, Stephanie Moores. Being an EdGE parent with an EdGE family, Stephanie understands how to engage youth and how to support families.
Downeast Director Melvin D. Adams III, Ed.D.
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CHERRYFIELD, ME — I am excited about my new Mission role. I have had a connection with the Mission for many years, starting with the Christmas Program when my children were in Pre-K. All my children were involved in EdGE and the Journey programs.
The Mission really focuses on supporting the family as a whole. Family engagement is so important. With a large family of my own, we always look for opportunities to do things together. Not only does the Mission provide quality after-school programming through the EdGE program, it also provides opportunities for quality family experiences.
In my former role as Mission Food Security Programs Coordinator, I built connections with individuals in the community. And I look forward in my new role to building connections with students and their families; to become a resource for those who may have a need.
Family and Community Resource Coordinator Stephanie Moores
A typical DETOP buffet table scene taken in 2019 inside the Weald Bethel Community Center.
Celebrate 11 years of the Downeast Table of Plenty Sunday, October 10 — 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Maine Seacoast Downeast Campus, Cherryfield
Please join us. We will honor this special day with a delicious dinner, homemade cake, music, and friends. This will be the last Downeast Table of Plenty of 2021.
We will reopen again in the spring, 2022.
Learn more about our Downeast Table of Plenty community suppers.
NORTHEAST HARBOR, ME – Year after year you make this tournament possible. As always, because of you, the tournament is a fun, competitive, and spirited fundraiser for the EdGE Program!
With your generous assistance, we are able to continue providing educational opportunities for young people in our Downeast communities.
Learn more about the 17th Annual EdGE Tennis Tournament. And thank you for following the links to our Sponsors web pages to see what they’re all about.
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission love goes to the entire Mission Covid Vaccine Team.
Mission President John Zavodny, Island Health Services Director Sharon Daley, Island Outreach Director & Chaplain Douglas Cornman, and Mission Board member, Jill Goldthwait express their thanks during a mini-Sunbeam “thank you” cruise to the many good people who helped make a success the months long vaccination clinics on the several islands.
Maureen Giffin, RN, Peggy Akers, NP, EMTs, boat captains, pharmacists, and to everyone who said, “Yes” – we will do what it takes to get this done – thank you. With your help and knowledge 343 people were vaccinated over a three-month period.
A Downeast home built on wooden posts, that are susceptible to rot from moisture, is getting a solid foundation thanks to a Housing Barrier Removal Fund grant.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — July of this year marked the end of a remarkable Downeast housing program involving Downeast Community Partners, Mano en Mano, Sunrise Economic Council, The Community Caring Collaborative, and Maine Seacoast Mission. The five nonprofits were tasked with awarding $10K grants to Downeast residents to use either as down payment on a first home or for rehabilitation on an existing home.
The opportunity for this housing assist to Downeast residents was through an equally remarkable anonymous $500K donation to, as Mission Housing Rehabilitation Manager Scott Shaw explains, “assist with housing issues Downeast.”
The five nonprofits agreed to turn $400K into forty $10K housing grants, with $100K reserved for administering the Housing Barrier Removal Fund.
Scott Shaw was part of the selection committee grading grant applications. He said, “Clients who received the down payment assistance were required to meet with financial coach Joe Connors through Downeast Community Partners.” Mano En Mano held the funds and hired Elan Gabel-Richards to facilitate the process.
Grant application responses were graded in three areas:
Feasibility – How likely is the applicant to reach their goal in one year?
Impact – How does reaching the goal impact the lives of the people affected? How many people will be affected?
Leverage – How much are other resources leveraged to reach the applicant’s goal?
All forty grants were awarded in three rounds. Ten grants were awarded in January, twenty in May, and ten in July. Twenty-four grants were given for down payment assistance, sixteen for home repair projects.
As of September 16, five grantees had purchased homes. A sixth grantee is under contract on a piece of land for their mobile home. One home repair project is completed; ten projects are underway.
Awardees have up to a year to expend the funds for their projects.
