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| Dear Friends, As we move through the final weeks of summer, I’m struck by how much we’ve accomplished together this year, and how much possibility still lies ahead. Through every success and every challenge, one theme rises again and again: the power of collective action. This theme rang true last week as many of our supporters gathered for Homeworthy’s annual fundraiser. The tone and energy of this night was a striking reminder that this community is dedicated to realizing the undeniable worth of our neighbors and holds a deep willingness to strive for a hopeful and bright future for all. Homeworthy continues to problem-solve with families all over the Midcoast, seeking creative solutions to the unprecedented costs of housing. While these are difficult realities, we remind ourselves - and all of you - that there is enough. Enough compassion. Enough resilience. Enough generosity. Enough commitment. Enough hope. Even in a world where basic needs are too often treated as privileges and poverty is unfairly cast as personal failure, we know the antidote: collective action and human compassion. So, on behalf of the entire team at Homeworthy, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our supporters; it is because of you that there is enough. To the volunteers, the ambassadors, the advocates, the furniture donations, the answers to our calls for support, to those who cook meals for our shelter families and drop-in center youth, to the partnering agencies and providers who show up with us, to those that provide resources to this work by way of gifts… THANK YOU. Together, we will meet the challenges ahead and ensure that every person we serve has the chance to move toward stability and belonging. |
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| Molly Feeney Executive Director, Homeworthy |
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| | | | We are thrilled to share that this year’s annual fundraiser was a tremendous success; we not only reached our goal, but exceeded it! None of this would have been possible without the generosity and spirit of this community.
A sincere thank you goes out to all of our in-kind donors who helped make the evening so special: the boat captains, the oyster shuckers, the “cookie fairies,” Night Cap Bar Co., Megunticook Market, French & Brawn, Dot’s, those who provided the beautiful flowers, and a special shoutout to our DJs, who have shown up to support this event for the past four years in a row! Your time, talents, and contributions brought the night to life and reminded us that when community comes together, incredible things happen.
Because of you, Homeworthy can continue offering essential services and support to individuals and families as they work toward stability. Thank you for helping us make this vision possible! |
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| Hope Day 2025: Thank You! |
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| | Thank you so much to everyone who came out to Hope Day last month on Saturday, July 26! We are so grateful to the town of Hope and the organizers of this event for choosing to sponsor Homeworthy and inviting us to participate in such a special day. Community events like these are amazing opportunities for us to meet new folks, connect with old friends, and share the stories of the amazing folks we work with and the team of people who make it all happen.
The day itself was incredibly fun: there was an epic parade, delicious food, interesting vendors, plus - how can we forget - the bounce house and the dunk tank! Thank you to those of you who stopped by our tent to chat and have conversations. We are truly lucky to be part of this greater Midcoast community, and feel so thankful the town of Hope welcomed us with open arms. |
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| | Mark Your Calendars: Tacos & Tails, Homes & Hot Sauce! |
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| | We are teaming up with the folks at PAWS Animal Adoption Center for a casual but informative gathering on how folks can get more involved and support the two organizations! Join us for tacos, chips and guac, and light refreshments. This event is BYOB, but we will also have some drinks available for folks as well. We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to Sarah Sheldon via email here or by clicking the link below; thank you! |
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| A big shoutout to Good Tern Co-op in Rockland for choosing Homeworthy as the Round-Up for Change Recipient for the month of June! We just received the donation, and folks raised over $500 rounding up on purchases during that month! It’s amazing to see what can happen when small actions build up into something great. We are very grateful to the team at Good Tern Co-op for choosing us, and for fostering a customer base that sees the value in the work that we do. Thank you! |
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| | Martha Meyer of South Thomaston recently held a neighborhood yard sale in support of Homeworthy and raised over $210! Neighbors brought over items to donate and it was a streetwide affair. Previously, Martha and her husband donated a car to a client of Homeworthy - they are truly community champions. It is efforts like these that demonstrate how much we all want to help each other, and that neighbors care about neighbors who are struggling. Thank you Martha! |
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| | Maine Association of Realtors Foundation Board Member Mary Bumiller recently presented a check to Homeworthy for $10,000! This grant will be used to support the final building expenses at Firefly Field. |
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| Firefly Field is the affordable housing development on Talbot Avenue in Rockland that Homeworthy developed in partnership with Midcoast Habitat for Humanity and MaineHousing; there are now multiple families and residents living in these ten rental units! We all know how difficult it is to find affordable housing in this area, so we are incredibly grateful to the MAR foundation for supporting this crucial work. |
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| | Central Lincoln County YMCA Back-To-School Bash! |
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| | Thank you to the team at the Central Lincoln County YMCA and the Salt Bay LEGS Rotary Club of Damariscotta-Newcastle for inviting Homeworthy to participate in the Back-To-School Bash last week! For those of you who may not know, Homeworthy’s catchment area encompasses Knox, Waldo, AND Lincoln county, which means we work with folks across all three counties. Opportunities like this one to connect with local community members face-to-face are crucial. |
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| We handed out snacks, school supplies, and information about Homeworthy’s offerings as well as info about our new partnership with Stepping Stone Housing. Stepping Stone has been working with folks in the Damariscotta area since 2013, helping match families to affordable places to live. Through a grant awarded by the MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital and MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital Community Health Improvement Committee, Homeworthy now has a case manager working specifically with families in Lincoln County that Stepping Stone supports. So much good can come from collaborations like these! |
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| | Client Spotlight: Help a Local Youth Build Out a Camper Van |
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| One of the young adults in our case management services is working hard toward a dream she's had for years: transforming a camper van into a liveable space! After fleeing her abusive childhood home, the last several years have been a difficult journey. Despite numerous obstacles, she successfully found her own stable housing, steady employment, and built a network of positive social supports. |
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| Now she is ready to start a new chapter. Over the next few years, she plans to work as a travel CNA and explore different parts of the country. While her version of stability may look different than most, she couldn't be more excited to call this space her home.
We'd love to invite our community to help support her in this exciting project. She has made great progress, but is in need of a few more items to make her van fully livable:
In addition, if you have carpentry experience and would be willing to lend a hand with the buildout, we'd love to connect with you.
If you're able to donate supplies or volunteer your skills, please reach out to the client's case manager, Lindsey, at lveilleux@homeworthy.org. Together, we can help make this young person's vision a reality! |
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| | | Freedom on Two Wheels: The Story of The Landing Place Bike Program |
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| | The Landing Place’s bike program grew out of both a need and an opportunity. A few years ago, local law enforcement was calling us regularly: bikes were being stolen around town, and many young people we worked with didn’t have a reliable way to get around. The question became: if youth have access to bikes, could that reduce theft while also increasing independence?
We started adding bikes to our community wishlist, and donations began pouring in. However, many of them were “fixer-uppers”, and soon our storage filled with bikes that were tough to repair.
Serendipitously, Shawn McCarty, an engineer and lifelong cyclist, happened to meet Jack Carpenter, one of the concept founders of TLP, while noticing a TLP logo on Jack’s shirt. A conversation between Jack and Shawn led to connection, and eventually to Shawn joining forces with Pete! For Shawn, bikes weren’t just a hobby. “Bikes saved my life,” said Shawn, noting that as a young person, bikes had been a source of freedom, independence, and self-sufficiency for him. With Shawn’s deep knowledge and passion, and Pete’s drive to create opportunities for youth, the bike program transformed overnight.
Together, Pete and Shawn built a system that worked. They created a fleet of bikes youth could borrow through a sign-out contract, teaching accountability, responsibility, and care for shared resources. Bikes stopped disappearing, and youth began building pride in maintaining them. The program prioritizes those who are in need of transportation support most, helping youth get to school, jobs, and community activities.
Today, The Landing Place has two bike fleets: one set of bikes for on-site field trips and another for youth to sign out and use more independently. If a bike breaks, it isn’t the end of the road; the young person brings it back, and Shawn or Pete will help them repair it together. The result is more than just a bike program: it’s freedom, connection, and a way forward.
Do you have a bike in good condition you’re no longer using? We would love to add it to the TLP fleet! Please reach out to donations@homeworthy.org if you can help. |
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| In case you missed it: We can now accept meal donations at the Hospitality House Shelter! If you enjoy cooking and preparing a meal for large groups, this is a perfect volunteering opportunity. If you’re interested or would like to learn more, please reach out to donations@homeworthy.org for more information and to get on the schedule! Home cooked meals can make a huge difference in someone's day. |
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| | We’re so thankful to you, our community. |
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| As always, if you or someone you know and love needs assistance and is experiencing homelessness—please reach out to Homeworthy at 207-593-8151 or email us at info@homeworthy.org. |
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