November 2022 Edition
Innovation
Sponsored by Central Maine Motors Auto Group
November Speaker Series:
FarmDrop: Increasing Community Access to Locally Grown Produce and Products
November 10 | 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. |
Bricks Coworking Space, Hathaway Creative Center, Waterville

Hear how FarmDrop has created an online farmers’ market to help farmers and small-scale food producers increase their digital reach, providing consumers with access to fresh, nutrient, and local food.

About FarmDrop: 

FarmDrop is a Maine-based, woman-owned, mission-driven business that increases community access to locally made and grown products through its online marketplace. 
5 Qs with Hannah Semler
CEO & Co-Founder, FarmDrop
How does your past experience working with Healthy Acadia inform FarmDrop’s company vision?

My past experience with Healthy Acadia, gleaning excess produce from farms for food pantries and meal sites, made me realize how much farmers give away. In the five years I spent organizing volunteers to harvest surplus from their fields, not once did a farm ask me to help them sell it. The generosity I found there, the resilience our communities gain by having food producers embedded in them, informed my vision to make sure every community has a FarmDrop sales channel as a part of their future of food toolkit. 
 
Still in process is the part of the vision inspired by my work in food rescue and hunger relief globally, that positions FarmDrop’s online Community Market as the #1 equitable and dignified channel for local people needing food assistance. Food access with choice, freshness, product variety and convenience for end-customers and food assistance programs looking for better sourcing mechanisms for local surplus.
Virtual Speaker Series Recordings
Dirigo Speaker Series conversations have been made available for viewing anytime. You can watch recordings of past conversations on our YouTube Channel.
Business Investment
Top Stories of October 2022
Contact: Don Plourde
207-861-2462
dplourde@cbplourde.com
Central Maine Real Estate Spotlight
Featured Commercial Property:
Building Size: 4,611 sq. ft.
List Price: $500,000
Property Features:
  • Large off-street parking lot
  • High-traffic area
Context: 
  • Proximity to downtown Waterville
  • Proximity to I-95
Quality of Life
Sponsored by MaineGeneral Health
MaineGeneral eCare – virtual care with MaineGeneral Express Care medical staff – is getting easier to use! Starting Nov. 7, MaineGeneral eCare is using Zoom for secure telehealth visits. Whether you have allergies, cold or flu symptoms, pink eye, or a rash, eCare is as quick as a phone call away to get you set up for a virtual visit.
Benefits include:
  • A simplified experience. Use Zoom for virtual visits.
  • Fewer steps required to start a visit.
  • We will bill your insurance company.
Workforce Investment
Workforce Training & Professional Development: 
Maine Community College System Announces Historic Investment in Workforce Training
Looking to train your workforce for free? The Harold Alfond Foundation is funding training that will offer Maine businesses the opportunity to train their frontline workers and will cover the cost of up to $1,200 per employee. You can partner with KVCC for training or another training center of your choice. KVCC provides training in trades, healthcare, hospitality, information technology, and more. Trainings include welding, precision machining, carpentry, solar installation, high-pressure boiler, and heavy equipment operator training, emergency medical services, phlebotomy, 3D printing, Comp TIAA, and so much more. Employees can participate in existing training programs or KVCC can create customized training to meet your business needs. For more information on our training programs visit us at www.kvcc.me.edu/workforce.
 
If you would like to train your current workforce or new employees, contact Elizabeth Fortin at 207.453.5858 or by email at workforce@kvcc.me.edu to take advantage of this incredible opportunity for free or low-cost training.
Coworking & Collaboration
Where Great Work Meets Innovation
Location can be a game-changer when it comes to running your business. Bricks Coworking and Innovation Space is located in the historic Hathaway Creative Center, directly across from Waterville Brewing Co., and in the heart of Waterville's growing downtown. Featuring spacious interiors and an ergonomic design, its floating desks and conference room are fully equipped to meet your needs.
Floating Desk
($150/Month)

24×7 Access
High-Speed Wireless Internet
Free Coffee and Tea
Printing/Copying
Meeting Room Access
Business Address & Mail Delivery
Dedicated Desk
($250/Month)

24×7 Access
High-Speed Wireless Internet
Free Coffee and Tea
Printing/Copying
Meeting Room Access
Business Address & Mail Delivery
Sit-Stand Desk
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