Your support matters. There are numerous ways to support Knox County Homeless Coalition. Click here to learn more about the different ways you can help today.
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Above: Donated furniture at our Rockport supply center.
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Vehicles: Transportation is a barrier to 68% of our active clients on intake. We are actively seeking cars with one to two years of life left in them to help clients jump start their ability to get to and maintain a job.
If you or someone you know has a used vehicle to donate please contact us and if not, please help us spread the word!
Goods: Currently, our team is only able to accept In-kind donations by appointment. If you are interested in donating new or like-new items to help community members in need please call (207) 593-8151 or email donations@homehelphope.org to schedule a time. Or click here for more info about donating goods and/or services.
Some items we are currently seeking for our clients:
- Living room furniture - couch, coffee table, tv, tv stand
- Washer & dryer
- Beanbag chair
- Shower stool/chair/hand bars
- Treadmill
- Twin/Queen mattress/box spring/frame
Check our Facebook and Instagram every Wednesday for a list of items we are currently seeking for KCHC clients.
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Doing it Differently:
A COMMUNITY BANDS TOGETHER TO HELP
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What happens to unhoused people during cold Maine winters?
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As the temps dropped to historic lows recently, KCHC and community members started conversations about emergency planning. There are no designated drop-in emergency shelters in the tri-county area, so we needed quick, yet temporary solutions.
The Crossroads Church of the Nazarene in Rockland, graciously opened their doors 24/7 during the cold snap, but that was just the beginning. We needed to identify those who could use this resource, and what the church needed. As KCHC's Urgent Needs Coordinator, I attempted to reach out to anyone we knew of who wasn't in a secure couch surfing situation. This included people living in campers and cars, people still in tents, and those coming out of either jail or hospitalization. These efforts were echoed by other community members including some from Penquis, AIO and our very own board. The community wrapped around the need as conversations started with EMS officials which spread into the community.
As the cold came in Friday, we had already identified a few people who were in need of shelter as well as blankets, cots, hats, gloves. Chef Kerry with Cafe Miranda even dropped off pizza for everyone there for Saturday night! People were warm, fed, safe and supported thanks to the collective efforts of caring people in our community.
The response was nothing short of heartwarming, but it cannot stop here. Though we know that more affordable housing is ultimately needed, for now, it's still cold outside, and we need to continue to stoke the fires of planning and prevention.
-Kali Auspland, KCHC Urgent Needs Coordinator
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10 Leases Signed Last Month
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We reduced our waitlist by 36%!
Maine is still in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. KCHC is uniquely positioned to affect positive change through our ongoing shelter operations, the work of our case management team, our youth programs, our supportive housing, and our strategic partnerships. We rely on the support of our community to continue this important work.
In 2022, there were 420,158 households in Maine unable to afford the median home price of $334,000. This represents almost 75% of the households in our state.
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Our People:
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
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Welcome New Board Members!
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Alexis Fuller-Wright "I am the Designated Associate Conference Minister for the Maine Conference, United Church of Christ. That's a fancy way of saying that I am a pastor to pastors and help equip pastors and churches in Maine with tools to thrive in their ministry. I relocated to the midcoast with my wife and two children nearly two years ago and became inspired to join the board of the KCHC when I realized what a huge obstacle lack of affordable housing, and housing insecurity in general, has posed in this region. My faith compels me to help build a world where all people can flourish, and supporting the creation of safe, affordable housing in my community is a good first step. I'm proud and excited to help support the work of the Coalition in any way that I can."
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Laura Hopkins is an attorney with a background in restructuring, real estate, family law, civil litigation, and legal analytics. Since moving to Maine from Pennsylvania in 2016, she has volunteered with Pine Tree Legal Assistance, offering pro bono counseling and representation to ensure equal access to justice. With almost 20 years of experience in consumer bankruptcy, she has learned that we all have the potential to fall into financial hardship. Laura is committed to serving our community with care and humility. She is honored to serve as a KCHC board member and further our mission of creating a supportive community in which all families and individuals have the opportunity for housing and to lead a safe, sustainable, and productive life. Although her first home in Maine was in Lincolnville, she now resides in Camden with her husband and four children. Laura enjoys skiing, sailing, hiking, running, baking, and discovering new music.
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Rachel Nixon has been supporting KCHC through the years by teaching yoga to Hospitality House clients, helping out the Chief Executive Elf, working with the Emergency Shelter Committee, and assisting as a volunteer with the 2021 Cruise for a Cause event before joining the KCHC team as Executive Assistant. Rachel is currently the Executive Director of the Children's House Montessori School in Camden. She is the founder of The Dancing Elephant in Rockport, and has worked for many nonprofits in the Midcoast Area, including Herring Gut Learning Center and Hurricane Island as a Development and Board Consultant.
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It Takes a Village:
WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY
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Small Change Makes a Big Impact
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Belfast Community Co-op raised over $5,000 for KCHC during their January Common Cents program. This is more money than any other January since the program began almost 10 years ago!
This kind of community support ensures we can keep working hard to provide Home, Help, and Hope to our neighbors experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity here in the Midcoast.
Common Cents invites Co-op shoppers to round up the total of their purchases to the nearest dollar, donating the extra change to support a community organization whose work contributes to local resilience.
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At KCHC, we put quite a few miles on our pickup truck and van, helping those in need with transportation to critical appointments, employment, grocery shopping, and moving families from places of despair to places of hope.
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The Landing Place
Located in the heart of downtown Rockland, The Landing Place is our comprehensive youth program supporting highly resilient and often marginalized youth living in Midcoast Maine.
For more information about the 2022/23 School Year Schedule visit the TLP page on our website, call 207-466-9285, or email info@thelandingplaceme.org.
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We Are Hiring For Multiple Positions!
- Assistant Director of Youth Services
- Client Care Specialist/Case Manager
- Shelter Support Staff (Per Diem)
- Van Driver
- Youth Center Co-Coordinator
Click here for more info.
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Hannaford Community Bag Program!
Now, when you forget your bags, just pick up one of the $2.50 Community Bag sold at the 145 Elm Street, Camden Hannaford during the month of February 2023 and you'll be donating $1 to Knox County Homeless Coalition.
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Lasting Impressions:
SWEET GESTURES
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