One generous donor stepped up to match the first $500,000 in donations received by KCHC in 2022 in honor of our 8th birthday—and hundreds of you have stepped up to meet the challenge!
Since announcing the Birthday Match challenge, we've raised almost $350,000. Because of donors like you, we're getting closer to meeting the goal. Thank you to everyone who has met the call!
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Did you know that over the last 8 years, KCHC has:
- provided more than 76,000 nights of life-saving shelter
- served more than 2,300 people seeking stability and a hopeful future
- helped more than 1,000 individuals find housing
- half of all those we've helped are youth
We hope you will help us meet our match and continue to support our work and mission as we continue to meet the needs of our community.
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We Do it Differently:
AWAKENING OF THE SENSES
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Hospitality House Family Shelter
Hospitality House is not your average shelter. Located in an old farmhouse on our Rockport campus, it offers therapeutic ocean views from most of the rooms and a welcoming respite for individuals and families experiencing trauma. While living here, residents are working with staff support each day on their personal goals for education and physical and mental health, building career and life skills while they seek housing. But we also want them to enjoy their time with us and feel at home. Like a big extended family, they enjoy game nights, share food with other families, and even motivate each other with inspirational quotes (see above).
A recent grant enabled us to add a sensory room for children to help them develop fine and gross motor skills, build concentration, foster imagination, and reduce stress levels. Children from ages 2 to 13 have enjoyed exploring the multi-sensory activities, and it has been a great tool for supporting parenting skills too.
No wonder, after its recent yearly inspection, it continues to claim the title of Maine's “homiest homeless shelter” when visited by Maine State Housing inspectors! Details like these are key to our holistic approach to serving whole families with compassion and care.
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Easter Activities at Hospitality House
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Our People:
A NOD TO OUR BOARD, STAFF, AND CLIENTS
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Relationships matter, even though they can often be an invisible ingredient in helping people recover their stability. At KCHC, clients are never just a number; they are people with memories, dreams, and successes, as well as fears and challenges.
Our case managers stand by their clients through all the ups and downs with patience, ingenuity, and love to help as they become the best versions of themselves. We honor everyone on our client care team for the daily heroes they are. We also appreciate the relationships of trust that develop between our clients and the people who care for them.
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Over the last year, we lost three clients to illness due to the compounding effects homelessness and trauma have on health. This month we grieve their loss and honor their memory, their smiles, the struggles they faced, and the bonds they had with our amazing client care team.
A candlelight vigil in their honor is being planned for fall/early winter.
The effects of homelessness and trauma are particularly damaging for older Americans. A recent article shared by the Bangor Daily News discusses a boom in senior homelessness, a number expected to nearly triple over the next decade. This is especially concerning in Maine, which is ranked as the nation's oldest state. Read the article here.
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A great big thank you goes out to Susan Reider for her service on the KCHC board since 2019. Susan brought a wealth of knowledge, as well as curiosity and energy, to KCHC's efforts to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness here in the Midcoast. She rolled up her sleeves and helped with many initiatives, including emergency shelter options, advocacy in our local communities, and the Adopt-A-Family program. Susan's passion for helping provide safe places for people to live and work, as well as creating bright futures for young people, is a gift to the Midcoast. Thank you, Susan!
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It Takes a Village:
HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER
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Matthew Levin, Director of Hotels for the Bay View Collection, presented an $800 check to KCHC Director of Development Becca Gildred and Development Assistant Louisa Crane.
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Great Rates For A Great Cause
16 Bay View Hotel in Camden, ME has been raising funds for Knox County Homeless Coalition this winter. Other hotels in the Bay View Collection have also been raising money for additional local organizations.
The donation above was the first part of more than $2,800 donated to KCHC so far. Guests who chose to participate received a discount in exchange for a minimum donation to Knox County Homeless Coalition. 16 Bay View’s “Great Rates for a Great Cause” campaign began in mid-November and continues through April 30, 2022.
“The spirit of giving is still alive,” said Director of Hotels for the Bay View Collection, Matthew Levin. “With the continued uncertainty of COVID on the travel and tourism industry, my heart is warmed by the kind and giving nature of those that were willing and able to visit Camden and participate in this campaign so far. We expect additional funds to be generated this winter and early spring as travel hopefully picks back up.”
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Thank you's are also in order for:
Home Depot, Rockland for their recent drive bringing clothing, food, toiletries, and office supplies to our donation center.
The Leon Lowenstein Foundation for a $10,000 grant, allowing us to expand our low barrier FREE mental health support for youth. Watch for more in our June issue on how funders like this are helping us address youth mental health.
Bangor Savings Foundation and everyone who voted for us in the Community Matters More campaign and helped us win a top grant amount of $5,000!
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Taking the Trauma Out of Taxes
"Tax complexity itself is a kind of tax." - Max Baucus
This spring, a local tax preparer, volunteer, and community member named Dave piloted a program to take the trauma out of taxes for KCHC clients. He offered different solutions for those with or without transportation, worked around their work schedules, and prepared sample forms and checklists. Dave's thoughtful approach allowed clients to preview the information that might be needed with their case managers prior to working through the actual forms and to feel more confident at their meeting. His pilot program has helped more than a dozen KCHC clients with no-cost tax filings and so far has helped these individuals and families get $45,000 in tax refunds they might not otherwise know how to access.
"The clients that I have met and talked with have impressed me with their sincerity and desire to work to attain self-sufficiency. And the case workers have been great in being advocates for their clients"
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Get Involved:
SO MANY WAYS TO HELP
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Coming Together to Solve Maine’s Housing Crisis
The critical shortage of housing options in the Midcoast has prompted KCHC to collaborate to build more affordable housing. We are currently working with private and public partners to bring an additional 35+ units of housing to the area.
At KCHC, our long-term vision is to provide a meaningful scale of housing solutions with fully integrated education and prevention practices. With our strategies of client-centered care, a two-generation approach, and collaborative efforts to address root causes, we see a clear path to a strong and hopeful future for all who live and work in the Midcoast.
This March, a special report by Joy Hollowell aired on WABI5 TV showcasing the innovative housing solutions currently being spearheaded by KCHC and our collaborative partners.
We hope watching this special three-part series will inspire people to get involved by making a donation to KCHC, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about what we do as an organization and the challenges we are facing as a state and community.
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The Landing Place Programming in FULL BLOOM!
Visit our website for the full schedule at TLP including Monday & Thursday Makers where youth learn hands-on skills while creating art projects for themselves or to sell, Community Minded Jobs where youth engage in service activities, or Sew Awesome! where designers can sew by hand or machine and upcycle awesome fashions to wear, use, and give as gifts. Tuesdays and Thursdays the backyard is buzzing with activity—we hope you'll stop in.
For more information: call 207-466-9285, email info@thelandingplaceme.org, or visit our website.
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Wishlist Wednesday: Make sure to swing by our Facebook page every Wednesday for a couple of key items that will help remove a barrier or help a client reach a goal. These items can be anything from an iron or yoga mat to a specific type of shoe to start a new job but are life changing to those receiving them.
Click here to learn about this and other ways you can help with donations or support.
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Jump start a life: At Knox County Homeless Coalition, we are actively seeking cars with one to two years of life left in them to remove one of the biggest barriers to successful rural living. The opportunities for housing, employment, childcare and more grow exponentially with access to reliable transportation. If you or someone you know has a used vehicle to donate, please contact us and if not, please help us spread the word!
And, a special thanks to three recent generous donors whose wheels are on the road (or soon to be) in support of KCHC's clients.
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We are hiring! Knox County Homeless Coalition seeks caring, dedicated, and flexible team members to join our mission-driven organization as we serve the most vulnerable members of our community. Benefits include employer-supported health insurance plans, optional dental and vision plans, life insurance, short term disability insurance, paid time off, and paid holidays, including your very own birthday as a paid day off (because we think you deserve it!).
Click here for more info.
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Lasting Impressions:
HOME, HELP, AND HOPE COME IN MANY FORMS
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This heartfelt letter was recently received by staff at The Landing Place from a grateful family. This is why we do what we do. And the amazing support of our community of donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and leadership team makes this work possible. Thank you!
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