We Do it Differently:
TRANSFORMING LIVES
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The Landing Place: The First 5 Years
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The Landing Place youth program was launched in 2017 to address the needs of youth in the Midcoast and to act as an agent of change in breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness in the areas served by the Knox County Homeless Coalition. Over the last five years, we've witnessed lives transformed and doorways opened for youth and their families.
We hope you can take the time to watch the video highlighting the power of supporting youth in our community!
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Our People:
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
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An interview with Kali Ausplund
Above left: supplies ready to be distributed; above right: Kali
"If you can give someone an ounce of hope when their hope well has run dry, it’s amazing what they can do."
What does it mean to be the urgent needs coordinator at KCHC?
I connect community members to resources—anything from tents and camping gear to apartment listings or a bus ticket to get to a family member who has a spare bed. I have to be ready and able to hit the ground running with anyone who is in a housing crisis or urgent situation.
What are your primary responsibilities?
I'm the calm steady caring person on the other end of the line when you call KCHC because you're having a housing crisis. Some people call me themselves, others are calling for a friend or family member. Sometimes another provider will call because one of their clients also has a housing need. We get calls from individuals who are being released from medical facilities or incarceration who don’t have anywhere to go. I help those who need to get connected to substance use disorder resources. I hand out a lot of housing application packets. Everyday is different.
"Everybody deserves to be heard, especially those in crisis."
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Hospitality House Family Shelter in Rockport, ME
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How do urgent needs fit into the larger scope of KCHC’s work?
I gather basic information to determine what short and long-term needs an individual has. We work through the immediate needs and then if they are interested, I put them on our waiting list for comprehensive case management. I like to call this "case management lite" or “spot treatments.” These are often bandaid fixes but the waitlist is so long right now, this helps them keep their lives together until they can enter our full program.
"Sometimes it is hard knowing that the need is immediate but the solution isn't going to be."
What are the biggest challenges you face in your job? Biggest unmet needs?
One of the hardest things I face is having somebody pour their heart out, get brutally honest, and ask for help, and I don't have the resources to match. I have to tell them, "I hear you, and what you’re saying is 100% valid. You’re deserving of housing, and I don’t have housing to give you right now." Sometimes it is hard knowing that the need is immediate but the solution isn't going to be.
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What is the most fun and/or rewarding part of your job?
I don’t want to say it’s fun, because these topics are heavy, but giving individuals space to tell their story, and to really have that story be honored, feels good. I tell them, "It's not just me but the entire KCHC team, we care about our clients. If you are willing to put in a little effort, you are going to have a huge team behind you, cheering you on all the way." It makes me cry but folks who reach out to me are the best. If you can give someone an ounce of hope when their hope well has run dry, it’s amazing what people can do.
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A special thank you to the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation for their generous grant which funded emergency supplies–tents, sleeping bags, and more–for the important work Kali has been doing!
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It Takes a Village:
WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY
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Thank you to the Rockport planning board for approving our adaptive reuse of the buildings at 6 Madelyn Lane! Thank you, as well, to KCHC's generous donors and collaborative partners—Hope for the Future LLC, MaineHousing, Maine Community Foundation, Maine Behavioral Healthcare, Pen Bay Medical Center, and AIO Food & Energy Assistance. Together, we are making Madelyn a reality!
Madelyn Lane is an innovative model for addressing the local housing crisis and creating a hopeful future—for our children, the local economy, and the sustainability of the Midcoast region. Located on Route One, Madelyn Lane will provide 18 affordable housing units and holistic support services for as many as 45 individuals at a time.
Affordable housing is an issue that effects everyone. We are so excited to address the local housing crisis with tangible solutions for Midcoast Mainers and to help the town of Rockport achieve its comprehensive planning goals.
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Progress Update: The road is going in at Firefly Field on Talbot Avenue in Rockland. We are thrilled to be working with Midcoast Habitat for Humanity and MaineHousing to build 13-unit affordable units for the community.
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There's nothing quite like looking eye to eye with a horse! Special thanks to the Grassi family for welcoming TLP youth to their farm for an afternoon with their kittens, two horses, and their dog Moxie. The youth had the opportunity to groom and feed the horses, as well as simply connect with them, eye to eye!
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Since we opened our doors in 2014, Camden National Bank has been a committed supporter of KCHC. Through their Hope@Home program, CNB has donated more than $600,000 to more than 50 homeless shelters, including KCHC, to help raise awareness of homelessness in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Thank you Camden National Bank! Click here to find out more.
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The Landing Place
Visit TLP's Events Calendar for the full SUMMER schedule!
• Backyard Drop-In Days: Tuesday | Thursday. An opportunity for middle and high school youth to chill out in our big backyard, participate in various on-site activities and off-site excursions, create art, learn skills, make slime, listen to music, play games, participate in backyard sports, ride bikes, skateboards, and scooters. Enjoy FREE snacks, shop at the FREE STORE, and take home FREE supper(s) at the end of the day!
• Community-Minded Jobs. Giving youth the chance to give back through service activities.
• Mobile Unit Endeavors. FREE creative art activities and an off-site FREE Store.
For more information: call 207-466-9285, email info@thelandingplaceme.org, or visit TLP's webpage.
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We Are Hiring For Multiple Positions!
- Administrative Assistant
- Client Care Specialist/Case Manager
- Director of Housing
- Grants Manager
- Overnight Shelter Support Staff
Click here for more info.
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Art Biz Workshop
Kim Bernard, our very own Arts & Activities Coordinator at The Landing Place, will be hosting an Art Biz Workshop on Zoom, Tuesdays, September 6-27, 6-8pm
In this crash course, we’ll tackle the essential info every artist or craftsperson must know to be a small, creative business: artist-gallery relationships, banking, business plan, business structure, contracts, commissions, copyright, federal and state tax ID’s, insurance, marketing, money management, permits, sales, taxes and time management. One-by-one, we will tackle these must-know business topics with interactive exercises and humor.
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Lasting Impressions:
YOUTH SAILING
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Youth from The Landing Place enjoyed fresh air, ocean waves, seals, and porpoises on a sail aboard the Schooner Olad this July. Summer in Maine is all about joy and possibility—the smile says it all!
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