Dear Friend,
Through our programs and people, we create belonging every day. And we believe that our Downeast Campus, buildings, and program areas should be just as welcoming, work just as hard, and serve just as thoughtfully. These communities deserve nothing less. I know you feel the same way.
For over a century, our work in Maine’s easternmost areas has demonstrated a hard-working, resourceful, and compassionate Mission heart to match the spirit of those we work with. The people of Downeast Maine are resilient and resourceful. They love their families as well as the land and sea that are as rugged and beautiful as they are. But life Downeast is a challenge for many.
The region lags the rest of the state and nation in almost every measure of socio-economic well-being, including median household income, childhood poverty, number of single-parent families, and vulnerability of older adults. But what the area lacks in economic opportunity, it makes up for in neighborliness, grit, and good humor.
Everywhere you go in Downeast Maine, you hear Mission stories: food in a time of need, a home repaired, two generations of EdGE students, thousands of scholarships, those signature Christmas presents wrapped in white paper and red string.
Together, we can provide spaces on the Downeast Campus that enrich our work while showing our respect, compassion, and commitment to the people of Maine’s easternmost areas. With your help, we can make the Downeast Campus a place that matches our shared spirit.
John Zavodny, Mission President
