2024 was an exciting year for the Mission! The biggest celebration came this summer with the official opening of the new Downeast Engagement Center on the Downeast Campus. The building includes the expanded, modern, and welcoming food pantry, which helps better meet the needs of our community. Every month we welcome more than 350 households through the teal double doors. In addition, the new, pole-based challenge course across the lane from the Downeast Engagement Center has played host to hundreds of EdGE students this spring, summer, and fall. They challenged themselves on the 40-foot climbing wall, learning more about themselves and their classmates during the process.
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The Mission was also there for our communities when they needed support. Two back-to-back storms in January devastated coastal communities, particularly affecting island communities. Mission staff and a guest from nonprofit partner Island Institute traveled to some of these islands aboard Sunbeam to assess how communities were faring.
During the three-day trip, 20 contractor bags of debris were picked up and that was just the beginning. Later on in the spring, the Mission along with volunteers returned to a handful of islands to continue to support these communities with continued clean–up efforts.
In addition, this year, the Mission leaned into its partnerships. That was the theme of our spring Bulletin, we honored two partners at our annual Sunbeam Award Gala, and we started sharing partner profiles on our website and social media. Our largest partners though are the communities we serve, and in the fall Bulletin, we shared what it means to put community first, which as Mission President John Zavodny wrote is, “part oath and part rallying cry. It is both Mission history and Mission plan.”
2025 is already shaping up to be a big year for the Mission! Make sure to stay up to date with what is happening with the Mission by following us on Facebook and Instagram or receiving our newsletter.