CHERRYFIELD, ME — Mission Director of Services Wendy Harrington, and Housing Rehabilitation Program Coordinator Scott Shaw will be part of a panel at this informational session on resources to help seniors repair and winterize their homes. Download the Repair & Winterize My Home flyer (PDF).
CHERRYFIELD, Me — Housing Rehabilitation Program Coordinator Scott Shaw sends these field photos of three different Housing Rehabilitation Program Volunteer Groups from Ohio, Massachusetts, and Maine.
The individual volunteers arrive at the Mission’s Cherryfield Campus for two week periods, dedicating their expertise and elbow grease to help Down East Maine families live in safe, warm housing.
The First Congregational Church of South Portland group repaired a home access ramp and painted the trailer of an octogenarian homeowner who remembers at age 8 or 9 years old, around the Japanese attack on Pear Harbor, when the Sunbeam delivered Christmas presents to her Maine island home.
Every year we completely rebuild two mobile homes or houses for local families. The families contribute sweat equity to the rebuilding projects and often have one or more children active in the Mission’s EdGE program. Learn more.
Thank you to the volunteers from First Congregational Church UCC, South Portland, ME; The Federated Church UCC, Chagin Falls, OH, and Second Congregational Church of Boxford, MA.
Cherryfield, ME — Photo and note from the Mission Downeast Campus Caretaker Scott Shaw:
This is Gavin Beal For his 7th birthday Gavin wanted to have his friends bring food to his party, instead of gifts, for people who did not have anything to eat! This very cool young man and his mom, Christen Beal of Cherryfield, ME came in to donate to the Mission’s Downeast Campus food pantry.
Story and photos by Housing Rehabilitation Program Coordinator Scott Shaw:
This Assabet Valley Regional Tech High School, MA housing repair group gives up their spring break to come make a difference in Downeast Maine!
Here are some photos of the volunteers bringing the kitchen of the Narraguagus Post 8 American Legion up to code. The Legion will be able to open up the kitchen for public use again after our volunteers help with the work this season.
On Saturday afternoon the volunteers attended the annual Smelt Fry and tried some local fare at the Downeast Salmon Federation in Columbia Falls, ME.
The Assabet Valley Regional Tech High School group also hosted and provided a full Easter Ham dinner with all the fixings at DETOP on Sunday! Learn more about the Mission’s Housing Rehabilitation Program.
L-R: Alan “Benji” Benzschawel, Scott Shaw, Craig Steenkamp
I visited Biloxi to research the Back Bay Mission’s Housing Rehabilitation Program, and tour all their programs. I also took a two day jaunt to New Orleans to check out Camp Restore, another nonprofit offering volunteer opportunities. Full story and photos