Remove Barriers by Funding Immediate Needs for Community Members
Are you thinking of giving to Healthy Acadia? You can help us provide direct assistance to community members in need; this support provides immediate, often emergency-response assistance to eligible individuals and is almost entirely funded by community donations, although we partner with other social services when possible to increase the impact of this support.
Continue reading to learn more below about The neighbor4neighbor Fund, Recovery Resource Fund, Youth Leadership Fund, and You’ve Got a Friend Fund.
The neighbor4neighbor Fund
“My inspiration for this fund comes from my desire to give back to our community, and to encourage others to support seniors who have unmet needs.
”
The neighbor4neighbor Fund provides mini-grants of up to $500 for seniors in need who live in Hancock and Washington counties.
In 2014, Ed Kaelber, founding president of the College of the Atlantic and founder of the Maine Community Foundation, established neighbor4neighbor in partnership with his wife, Ann Sewell, and their neighbors Dr. Julius Krevans and Mrs. Pat Krevans. Both Ed and Ann have since passed away, but their gifts to our communities endure.
The philosophy of neighbor4neighbor is that small grants can make a big difference in a senior’s life, and the Fund works to provide this kind of financial assistance. The goal is to help people to be healthy, to stay in their homes, and to support their ability to function independently. Many seniors are struggling just to meet their most basic needs, so unexpected expenses are not part of their budget.
neighbor4neighbor mini-grants may cover such things as new eyeglasses, dentures, medical equipment, household repairs, or other one-time challenges which can arise and undermine a senior’s ability to live independently and have a high quality of life.
For information on applying to receive support, click here.
>>>Take Action: Join the Neighbors’ Circle or Make a Gift Today!
Want to help? Join the Neighbors’ Circle (no gift necessary) to be kept in the loop on opportunities to benefit seniors in our area through support of neighbor4neighbor.
Donate online today or via mail to Healthy Acadia, ATTN Development Team, PO Box 1710, Ellsworth, ME, 04605. For checks, please include a "n4n” in the memo. For planned giving options, please view…link… or contact Shoshona at Shoshona@HealthyAcadia.org or by calling (207) 667-7171.
Recovery Resource Fund
“Meet Lucien* - He successfully completed treatment for substance use disorder recently and moved into his first apartment on his own. With support through the Recovery Resource Fund, he was able to get plates, cups, silverware, towels and other necessities. Lucien met regularly with his Healthy Acadia recovery coach, who shared “He was so proud to be living on his own with things that belonged to him.”
The Recovery Resource Fund removes barriers to recovery by directly paying for items or services that support individuals in their recovery journeys. In early recovery, people struggle to rebuild their lives, and a seemingly minor challenge can put their recovery in jeopardy. Something that meets a basic need or keeps a person employed, such as a gas or grocery card, payment of an overdue phone bill, or help with a car repair, can be the difference between someone staying in recovery or not. Our network of recovery coaches are able to identify these barriers as they arise, and the recovery resource fund is accessed on a case-by-case basis.
Did you know? Barrier removal is a nationally-recognized best practice for supporting recovery from substance use disorder. For information on receiving support through the Recovery Resource Fund, visit www.healthyacadia.org/spr-rrfund.
>>>Take Action: Join the Recovery Champions’ Circle or Make a Gift Today!
Want to help? Join the Recovery Champions’ Circle (no gift necessary) to be kept in the loop on opportunities to benefit community members in recovery in our area.
Donate online today or via mail to Healthy Acadia, ATTN Development Team, PO Box 1710, Ellsworth, ME, 04605. For checks, please include a "Recovery Resource Fund” in the memo. For planned giving options, click here or contact Shoshona Smith, Director of Development, at Shoshona@HealthyAcadia.org or by calling (207) 667-7171.
Youth Leadership Fund
“With help from the Youth Leadership Fund, Healthy Acadia brought a group to a national Youth Leadership Forum. Through workshops, meeting with legislators, and discussion with peers from across the country, “I helped represent Maine,” one high school junior shared. “I plan on doing policy work after high school, so this was a career opportunity. It inspired me to try to make the things I do and work for more inclusive and accessible. This trip was one of the most meaningful opportunities of my life.”
Healthy Acadia’s Youth Leadership Fund promotes youth leadership opportunities, including scholarships to DownEast Teen Leadership Camp, support to attend leadership conferences such as CADCA’s Annual National Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, and funding to enable youth-led events and efforts.
The Youth Leadership Fund opens doors for youth to be leaders in our communities today and every day.
To learn more about youth engagement work at Healthy Acadia, click here.
>>>Take Action: Join the Youth Allies’ Circle or Make a Gift Today!
Want to help? Join the Youth Allies’ Circle (no gift necessary) to be kept in the loop on opportunities to benefit youth in our area through support of the Youth Leadership Fund.
Donate online today, or via mail to Healthy Acadia, ATTN Development Team, PO Box 1710, Ellsworth, ME, 04605. For checks, please include a "Youth Leadership Fund” in the memo. For planned giving options, please view…link… or contact Shoshona at Shoshona@HealthyAcadia.org or by calling (207) 667-7171.
You’ve Got a Friend Fund
“We hope that these small grants can make a lasting difference, enabling individuals to overcome a barrier or address a critical need for themselves and their families. We are pleased and honored to partner with Healthy Acadia in this effort.”
You’ve Got a Friend Fund provides mini-grants of up to $1,000 to individuals across Hancock County in need of assistance to overcome specific hurdles or setbacks and accomplish goals in order to reach greater self-sufficiency and quality of life. The Fund is a last resort when other assistance is unavailable and has helped many Hancock County residents overcome serious obstacles.
You’ve Got A Friend Fund partners with other Healthy Acadia services such as the neighbor4neighbor Fund and Recovery Coach Program, as well as with other community service agencies to increase the impact of our mini-grant funds.
To learn more or to access an application, click here. For more information about the You’ve Got a Friend Fund, please contact Nina Zeldin at (207) 667-7171 or email Nina@HealthyAcadia.org.
>>>Take Action: Join the Friends’ Circle or Make a Gift Today!
Want to help? Join the Friends' Circle (no gift necessary) to be kept in the loop on opportunities to benefit community members in our area with specific needs that cannot be met by other funding sources.
With your donation of $10,000 as an OVERCOMING donor, ten or more grants can be awarded to community members. With your donation of $4,000 as a RESILIENCE donor, four or more grants can be awarded. And with $1000 as a HOPE donor, one or more grants can be awarded.
Your gift of any amount contributes much needed assistance, builds equity, and provides help that will have positive impacts in the lives of those suffering in temporary or extended crisis situations.
Donate online today, or via mail to Healthy Acadia, ATTN Development Team, PO Box 1710, Ellsworth, ME, 04605. For checks, please include a "YGAF” in the memo. For planned giving options, click here or contact Shoshona Smith, Director of Development, at Shoshona@HealthyAcadia.org or by calling (207) 667-7171, Ext. 210.y
The You’ve Got a Friend Fund was conceived and has been initially funded by Elin and David Poneman of Gouldsboro, Maine.