Mainebiz Giving Guide

V O L . X X V I I I N O. X X I G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 2 2 – 2 0 2 3 8 GIVING GUIDE "Now as executive director, I want to help carry on her legacy," Abbott said. When the soup kitchen first opened on Sept. 10, 1984, it served meals for 37 people. Today, it serves more than 100 people per day, a number that continues to rise along with inflation. Its mission has grown over the years. "e short-term goal was, 'Let's have some fellowship and food,' and that took care of one need," Neighoff said. "en the longer-term goal was, 'People need a place to stay,' because you can feed them, but if people don't have a roof over their heads, you're not going to be able to change their lives." Bread of Life Ministries, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, employs 15 people and has an annual budget of $4.6 million. A Bar Harbor nonprofit tackles affordable workforce housing B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r After two-and-a-half years of planning and construction, Jackson Laboratory officially opened its new Hemlock Lane workforce housing complex in Bar Harbor. e ribbon-cutting event attracted state representa- tives, employees, future tenants and community leaders. "Affordable, nearby housing is a top concern for JAX employees, and we are proud to be a member of the local non-profit sector that is taking the lead in pro- posing, funding and completing crucial housing proj- ects," Lon Cardon, the lab's president and CEO, said. e complex was built to address the lack of acces- sible, year-round housing in the region. "Year-round, high-quality rentals like Hemlock Lane are a critical part of solving the local housing crisis," said the lab's executive vice president and COO, Catherine Longley. Located within walking distance from the lab's Bar Harbor campus, which employs approximately 1,500 people, the complex was constructed with sustainable design principles and includes two stand-alone build- ings with 12 one-, two- and three-bedroom units each, for a total of 24 units. ere's an open outdoor community space, a shared storage building, and tenant parking. Apartments are offered at competitive market rates and it's expected the complex will house more than 40 people. Employees interested in the complex submitted a short application and were entered into a lottery con- ducted by the Bar Harbor Housing Authority, which is managing the complex. e completion of the Hemlock Lane apartments marks a major step in the lab's mission to address employee needs, including housing, childcare and other issues. Housing is a major determining factor on whether or not candidates can take a position at the lab, said Ezra Hallett, a talent acquisition partner at the lab and a tenant in the new complex. e lab will continue to assess how to best meet employee needs in the months and years ahead. "Housing, childcare, transportation — all of these are essential to our employees and to our mission," said Longley. "We are considering how to best invest in housing in the coming years." Total investment in the development, on a 35-acre parcel owned by the lab, was $10 million. e project utilized sustainable design and con- struction principles, including the incorporation of elements of Leadership in Energy and Environmen- tal Design, or LEED, Passive House and a system called Sustainable SITES that's designed for creating sustainable and resilient land development projects. JAX worked with three Portland firms on the project: Wright-Ryan Construction for construc- tion management, Ryan Senatore Architecture and Woodard & Curran for civil engineering and per- mitting services. e complex is located on Route 3, the primary travel corridor on the Bar Harbor side of Mount Desert Island. 10% to Philanthropy Every year we set aside 10.06% of our budgeted pre-tax income to give away. That means in the past year we've been able support a broad range of organizations like Avesta Housing, Genesis Community Loan Fund, and ProsperityME. As the Bank grows, so does the amount of money we infuse into the community. Our Maine Team » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E The short-term goal was, 'Let's have some fellowship and food,' and that took care of one need. Then the longer-term goal was, 'People need a place to stay,' because you can feed them, but if people don't have a roof over their heads, you're not going to be able to change their lives. — Carolyn Neighoff Bread of Life Ministries

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