Fear and hatred are the most isolating forces in our society. Love, compassion, and hope bring us together across boundaries, ideologies, backgrounds, and disparities. Every day, the Maine Seacoast Mission lives our compassion in actions of support big and small. At times like these, though, words themselves are also acts of compassion.
Since 1905, the Maine Seacoast Mission has supported some of the most isolated communities in Maine—from the unbridged islands to rural communities Downeast. With Maine’s vast coastline and sprawling fields, woodlots, and blueberry barrens, we naturally think of isolation as a function of landscape or geography. But isolation comes in many forms and from many sources including economic, social, and educational disparity.
Along with these structural forms of isolation, there is also the isolation of listening and waiting for friends and colleagues to simply acknowledge your suffering. At this moment, and hopefully from now on, the world is shining a light on the suffering of people of color. Of course, acknowledgment only goes so far. Actions speak louder. But sometimes you also have to say the words:
Your life matters. You matter. You are loved.
Since its founding, the Mission has worked to counter isolation and to provide hope in our communities through community building, support for self-determination, and compassion. Lots and lots of love and compassion.
The Maine Seacoast Mission has always been an “Actions speak louder than words” organization. Mission founders Angus and Alexander MacDonald realized early on that love is best expressed through action as they ministered to island communities from a 15-foot Friendship sloop named Hope. One-hundred fifteen years and six boats later, the Mission continues to take action in support of Maine’s most isolated individuals and communities. No matter what kind of isolation they face. And when words are the action we will say the words:
Black lives matter. Your life matters. We love you.
Fear is isolating. Compassion, hope, and love are healing. As with all relationships that need healing, someone has to trust first. To love first. Jesus loved first. So did the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And every good leader ever.
As for the Maine Seacoast Mission, we will always lovefirst.
Respectfully,
John Zavodny, PhD
President, Maine Seacoast Mission
BAR HARBOR, ME — It’s Thank you Thursday and today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to Shaw’s and Walmart in the City of Ellsworth. Both stores continue increasing their donations of fresh, nutritious food to keep pace with the increase in demand at the Mission’s Food Pantry. Walmart and Shaw’s meats, dairy, and other foods are always appreciated at the Food Pantry.
“They have made a big impact on us,” said Mission Downeast Facilities Manager Scott Shaw. “We’ve seen a 100-percent increase in Food Pantry use. Walmart and Shaw’s significantly increased their donations after the coronavirus pandemic started.” So much so, said Scott, he’s had to use a bigger truck with more helpers loading boxes when picking up donations from the two Ellsworth stores.
Walmart’s Feeding America program, and Shaw’s Nourishing Neighbors program are helping many people, many families.
CHERRYFIELD, ME — Maine Seacoast Mission Food Pantry is open today, June 10, 2020, from 3:30 – 6:00 pm.
To make the Food Pantry more accessible to patrons we are opening for evening hours every other Wednesday. Please call 207-546-7424 to make an appointment or fill out our online order form: http://ow.ly/xyrQ50A3Tbn .
BAR HARBOR, ME — “We see you, celebrate you, and offer here applause for you to see, if not hear. You are first-generation college graduates, researchers, artists, world travelers, athletes, and community-service champions in your local communities.”
Mission scholarship recipients graduating college and high school in 2020 are among those gifted students, nationwide, whose graduation ceremonies were either stopped or significantly changed by coronavirus precautions.
In the Mission’s Spring 2020 The Bulletin, we remind the nation that those precautions can never change what these scholars have accomplished.
BAR HARBOR, ME — Mission Director of Scholarships Terri Rodick sends these photos with a brief message: “Trying to be creative. Sending out 94 t-shirts to our scholars.”
Terri is always creative directing our Scholarships program. Even moreso in her day-to-day interactions with Mission scholarship recipients.
This year, of course, the coronavirus demands new ways of creativity and interaction — like designing and producing #MISSIONTOGETHER t-shirts, wrapping them individually in bright colored paper, and mailing them to almost 100 isolated students.
