Everyone deserves a place to call home.

'I feel very fortunate to be here'

Avesta celebrates grand opening of 26 affordable homes for older adults

Avesta Housing staff and residents celebrated the opening of Meadowview II, our newest affordable housing property for older adults, with a grand opening on Oct. 8 that included special guests, fall-themed refreshments, and guided tours of the building and an apartment.

An expansion of Avesta’s Meadowview campus in Gray, Maine, Meadowview II provides 26 much-needed homes for lower-income people ages 55 and older in rural Maine.

Meadowview II

Avesta Housing President & CEO Jennifer Hawkins served as keynote speaker and emcee. Guest speakers included Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland), state Rep. Anne Graham (D-North Yarmouth), and Gray Town Councilor Anne Gass. WNC sponsored the event.

“When people have safe, affordable homes, they have a foundation on which they can build financial, emotional, and physical wellbeing,” said Jennifer. “They also have reason to hope.”

Norma, 82, one of the first residents to move into Meadowview II after it opened in February, spoke about how Avesta provided her with an affordable place to live near her family when the rent on her market-rate apartment in Westbrook was raised beyond her ability to pay.

“I feel very fortunate to be here,” Norma said. “Please keep investing in Avesta.”

Avesta announces Core Values & Property of the Year honorees

Avesta Housing Core Values award winners (clockwise from top left): Senior Accounting Specialist Alicia Burnett, Senior Property Manager Montana Galvan, Lead Waitstaff Courtney Curtis, and Health Services Supervisor Allison Curtis

On Oct. 22, Avesta Housing held its annual All Staff Day at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. The event brought together employees from all departments to recharge, socialize with co-workers, and engage in strategic activities designed to identify ways we can strengthen our organization.

A highlight of the event was the annual presentation of the Core Values and Property of the Year awards. The Core Values awards are given to Avesta employees who have shown exemplary service and dedication to our mission. This year’s recipients are Senior Accounting Specialist Alicia Burnett, Health Services Supervisor Allison Curtis, Lead Waitstaff Courtney Curtis, and Senior Property Manager Montana Galvan.

The Property of the Year award is given to a property in the Avesta portfolio that has shown outstanding performance. This year, the award went to 75 State Street in Portland.

Avesta Housing Vice President of Senior Living Katy Smith, center, displays the Property of the Year award for 75 State Street with (L-R): Ann Stinehour, senior activity assistant; Tylor Devos, activities coordinator; Lynn Coyle, director of independent living; Hallie Kearns, move manager; Allison Curtis. health services supervisor; Dennis Burnham, driver and maintenance technician; Devin Yard, director of assisted living; and LouAnn Tovey, finance associate

Federal funding is needed to make homelessness rare and brief

Florence House in Portland, which provides affordable housing and permanent supportive services for women who have experienced chronic homelessness, celebrated its 15th anniversary earlier this year. Proposed federal cuts threaten to severely curtail services at Florence House and other supportive housing in Maine.

Permanent supportive services have proven effective in helping people transition from chronic homelessness to safe, quality, affordable housing. But proposed cuts to the federal Continuum of Care program would severely hinder the ability of Avesta Housing and other organizations to provide these services, and they threaten to reduce the number of permanent supportive homes in Maine by almost half.

Click below to read more in an op-ed co-authored by Avesta Housing President & CEO Jennifer Hawkins and Maine Continuum of Care Executive Director Dean Klein.

Nate Howes named to Mainebiz '40 Under 40' list for 2025

Avesta Housing Senior Development Officer Nate Howes has been named to Mainebiz's 40 Under 40 list for 2025!

The fourth annual list recognizes 40 of the state's up-and-coming leaders — the next generation of individuals shaping Maine and its economy. They will be honored at a rewards reception scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Brick South in Portland.

In his 40 Under 40 profile, Nate attributes his joining Avesta in 2019 as his “lightbulb moment”: “[I] realized I liked both the mission and challenge of developing affordable housing. I had never intended to be involved in real estate or housing production, but everything works out for a reason, and I really like the path I’ve chosen.”

Click below to read Nate's bio. Click here to view the full list of this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees.

Waynflete volunteers provide math tutoring to Avesta youth

Sessions at Pearl Place & Brick Hill help children in grades pre-K to 8

By the time she entered high school, Lucy Olson knew she wanted to share her love of math with younger children. But when she explored tutoring options at her own school, Waynflete, she found that most of the students there already had access to the resources they needed.

Undaunted, Lucy began to look for other opportunities in her community. Recognizing that Avesta Housing has a large resident population with families and children in the Portland area, she connected with the property management and resident services team, recruited a friend to help, and founded a math tutoring program at Pearl Place in Portland last year.

The demand was so great, she recruited more Waynflete students over the summer break and expanded to Brick Hill in South Portland at the beginning of the fall 2025 semester.

“I think it is important to reinforce to kids that they are capable and smart – especially in math, where this sense of support and encouragement is often lacking,” says Lucy, who is now a senior. “When kids are excited to learn and feel confident in themselves, they begin to see themselves as ‘math people,’ which can change their whole attitude towards the subject and towards themselves as learners.”

Twice a week for an hour-and-a-half, Lucy leads free tutoring sessions offered to Avesta residents ranging from pre-K to eighth grade.

“In many ways, [the Avesta students] inspire me and help me grow as much as I aim to help them.” — Lucy Olson, math tutor coordinator

All tutors are Waynflete students in 11th or 12th grade and give assistance on a wide variety of math subjects up to and including middle-school algebra. Each session averages eight to 15 participants.

The response has been tremendous, says Melissa Grabler, resident service coordinator at Brick Hill – in fact, she has had to fend off requests from parents to add more weekly sessions at that property.

“The parents are very appreciative of the support the Waynflete tutors provide to their children, and the children are very excited to participate each week,” Melissa said. “The tutors have been great role models who have demonstrated that education is very important and fun.”

Lucy hopes to pass the program to one of the current junior tutors once she graduates. For now, she’s enjoying engaging with the children, sharing her knowledge, and forging what she hopes will be long-lasting friendships.

“Beyond academics, this program is important to me because it builds community and a feeling of belonging,” she says. “I hope to form connections and friendships with the kids as much as I hope to help them in math.

“In many ways, they inspire me and help me grow as much as I aim to help them.”

Avesta featured in case study on Maine-made, eco-friendly insulation

Avesta Housing is featured in a new case study by Maine-based TimberHP, the leading U.S. manufacturer of wood fiber insulation. Made from residual wood chips produced by lumberyards, the high-performance insulation promotes sustainable building practices while improving energy efficiency and providing comfortable living conditions for residents.

Avesta was one of the first housing developers to contract with TimberHP, and we have used its products in the development of new affordable homes in Gray, Farmington, Lewiston, and Westbrook. Reports Avesta Director of Construction Services Todd Rothstein in the case study: “I wanted to commit Avesta to TimberHP because clean insulation was something we could do and a Maine-based company seemed like a no-brainer for us. Health and safety is important to our residents.”

Click the image to read the case study.

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