Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X X I I 4 G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 24 – 2 0 2 5 S U P P O R T I N G M A I N E N O N P R O F I T S Expanding mental health support Sweetser envisions a world where mental health stigma is eliminated and access to treatment and recovery is possible for all. We achieve this vision grounded in our organizational values of respect, integrity, commitment, compassion, and hope. Our wide range of community-based men- tal health, recovery, and educational services are designed to meet the ever-changing needs of Mainers through evidence-based support. e core of what we do centers around serving children and families since the early 1800's, when our nonprofit was founded as a children's orphanage. We reach every corner of our state. Last year, Sweetser… • Fielded 26,000+ support phone calls • Provided 14,000+ Mainers treatment • Conducted over 4,000 mobile crisis interventions • Helped over 2,000 children and their families access therapy at school We recently launched a new community-based children's mental health program called Child ACT. It's the only such program in the entire state and fills a critical gap in serving youth. After opening a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Sanford earlier this year, our focus will be on opening a similar walk-in care clinic for mental health and recovery services in Lewiston. is model is being touted by the Federal government as the future of the behavioral health system and Sweetser is the Maine leader on expanding this service model. Last year, Sweetser provided nearly $1 million in care to individuals and families in need of mental health services who didn't have the ability to pay. is included Mainers who were uninsured and underinsured. While it speaks to who we are, it also speaks to the immense need across our state. e last thing Maine families should have to think about when it comes to address- ing their own mental health challenges or the mental health needs of their children, is the cost of care. at should not be a barrier to getting help. Nonprofits like ours rely on the generosity of community members like you to make support possible and to deliver hope to more Mainers in need. at's why Sweetser started the Mental Health Matters Fund to ensure treatment is available regardless of someone's ability to cover the cost of care. Every family and every child deserves access to evidence-based treatment and support, but we can't do it without you. rough event sponsorships, corporate partnerships, grants, and general donations, we are able to meet this critical moment of need for Mainers across our state. While the stigma attached to seeking professional help is decreasing, there is still a long way to go to stabilize our system of care, reduce waitlists, expand services to more areas of the state, and ensure a quality workforce is available when the call comes in for service. Sweetser will continue being out front to lead on these issues. It's in all of our best interests to ensure mental health support reaches the people who need it most. Recovery is possible and hope is available. Jayne Van Bramer President and CEO Sweetser What does it mean to build a better Maine? Building a better Maine is our mission at the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) – Maine's second largest foundation and sole community foundation. Our staff work toward this goal every day through grants and scholarships, donor and financial services and partnerships with people and organizations throughout all 16 counties. Being Maine's sole community foundation means MaineCF priorities come from Maine people and communities. Over the past year, more than 1,500 Main- ers provided their time, expertise and feedback as part of MaineCF's 2023-24 needs assessment. Here is what we learned. Mainers identified several critical areas where we have the greatest needs: housing, mental health & substance abuse, climate, early childhood development, access to healthcare, equity and economic opportunity. Now, our work is underway. Our staff, Board, our 16 county committees and hundreds of volunteers are working to determine where MaineCF is best positioned as a community leader to bring people and resources together to make a measurable impact on these priorities. Critically, equity is a through-line for any issue we seek to address. We know Black Mainers experience a homeownership rate that is 50 points lower than white Mainers; climate disruption impacts people with fewer advantages much more harshly; the poverty rates for Black and Indigenous Mainers are two and a half times that of white Mainers. Equity in Maine means recognizing there are more than 50,000 rural Mainers living in poverty. To realize our vision of a Maine that is a vibrant and equitable place where people and communities thrive, we need to address all these equity challenges . Amid the assessment process last year, we were all stunned by the tragedy of the mass shooting in Lewiston. Maine Community Foundation responded immediately and collaboratively in line with our expertise. We managed an open, transparent process where more than 5,000 Maine people and 100 busi- nesses donated $6.6 million to victims, families and the community based on guidance from the nation's foremost advocate for victims of mass shootings. We are grateful for all the businesses, individuals and foundations who par- ticipated in these efforts. Maine Community Foundation has been a trusted, effective community leader and partner for more than 40 years. We have listened to Mainers on their critical needs today and are passionately committed to our mission — bring- ing people and resources together to build a better Maine in the years to come. Deborah A. Ellwood President and CEO Maine Community Foundation FROM THE GIVING GUIDE SPONSOR FROM THE GIVING GUIDE SPONSOR Every family and every child deserves access to evidence-based treatment and support. Maine Community Foundation has been a trusted, effective community leader and partner for more than 40 years.

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