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Dear Friends,
On behalf of MaineShare, thank you to everyone who came out for the Portland Greendrinks event last month! We had nearly 300 attendees for the event, and loved engaging with folks about what MaineShare is, how we support our member groups, and the amazing work our groups do to better our community. We look forward to more in-person events, with our member groups, workplace partners, and engaging with the greater community! And speaking of our member groups, we have begun a series to take a more in-depth look at each. The Member Spotlight Series will be found on the ‘News and Events’ page of our website, and the first spotlight, on The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, can be found here!
Our Workplace Giving Season is off to a strong start, with the return of many dedicated workplaces, as well as exciting new partners! It’s not too late to host a 2022 Workplace Giving Campaign, and provide your staff an opportunity to Care Local. It is easy to host a campaign– we guide you every step of the way. We offer participants total donor choice, and the ease of a “set it and forget method” that enables them to make a difference. Please visit our website or contact amanda@maineinitiatives.org for more information!
As I leave you all to read on about how our member groups grow better communities, I would be remiss to leave out one of the most important ways we all can better our communities– VOTING! Election day is Tuesday, November 8th, and getting your vote in the ballot box is SO IMPORTANT! For information on voting in Maine, visit the Vote 411 website. Wishing us all a safe, peaceful, and productive election season.
With optimism and gratitude,
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Amanda Langley (she/her/hers), Director of the MaineShare Program
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Exciting Member Updates and Events! | |
Maine Citizens for Clean Elections participates in Maine Youth Voting Summit | |
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On Friday, September 30th at Kennebec Valley Community College, students from around Maine came together to learn about voting, Maine government, and build their civic leadership skills. Elected officials from across political parties and levels of government shared their experiences with attendees. Over 70 participants attended workshops held by 9 different partnering organizations.
The day began with an opening provided by the Election Engagement Fellows, who are working with Maine Students Vote to engage students on their campuses across the state. Students heard from Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and State Representative Nathan Carlow about how each of them got started in public service, the importance of the midterm elections, and ways to be involved beyond voting. Workshop topics ranged from a deep dive into understanding citizen initiative to a discussion with a local City Clerk about how elections are run in towns across Maine. To close the day, Governor Mills shared the story of her start in government and answered student questions. Learn more about the work of MCCE here!
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Hike with Sierra Club Maine! | |
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Join Sierra Club Maine for a hike November 13th on beautiful North Haven Island! This hike will take in Mullen's Head Park, which looks out across the water to Isle Au Haut and Stonington, and will include a perimeter walk on sandy and cobble beaches. Up on the bluffs is the chance to encounter stands of old oaks and ash, and enjoy sack lunches or snacks. Time permitting, there will be an opportunity to climb Ames Knob, which affords a wonderful panorama of Penobscot Bay towards the Camden Hills and south to Hurricane Sound. RSVP Here!
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Holiday Shopping Season at Maine Audubon! | |
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The holidays are fast approaching so it's time to go shopping! The Maine Audubon Nature Stores offer something for everyone - bird houses, bird seed, binoculars, sustainable home goods, products by local artists and craftspeople, books, bags, t-shirts, gift cards, and gift memberships! During Member Double Discount Days and Annual Bird Seed Sale, members get 20% off on all items (except birdseed and optics). If you are not currently a member, now is a perfect time to join!
Member Discount Days and Annual Bird Seed Sale:
- November 11 - 13 at the Gilsland Farm Nature Store in Falmouth, 10am - 4pm
- December 9th & 16th at the Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden, 10am - 4pm
See more about events here!
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Read the Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener online! | |
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The winter issue of The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener (The MOF&G), MOFGA's quarterly membership publication, will be available to read online starting December 1. In keeping with the season, this issue will offer resources for garden planning including information on selecting seeds and two pull-out seed sowing calendars — one for vegetables and another for flowers. Other highlights include articles on plant-based compost and considerations for movement health and wellness while working in the garden or on the farm, and recipes for filling your freezer (without using plastic containers for storage!). Read the current and past issues of The MOF&G here!
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Next Step Organizing! With Resources for Organizing and Social Change | |
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Resources for Organizing and Social Change (ROSC) and Community Change, Inc. have partnered for an online series of workshops, all looking towards building an anti-racist organizing community in New England. This workshop series will go deep into the how of organizing, with a variety of workshops that will allow the building of powerful scaffolding for a sustainable, accessible, and human anti-racist organizing community.
Each workshop helps build a nourishing community and culture, from which a powerful movement can thrive. These elements together- culture forming and building power through relationships— help the ongoing push for an anti-racist Maine. Workshop topics range from creating accessible spaces and movements, to creating trauma-informed spaces, to avoiding activist burnout. For more information on the workshop and registration, please visit this link!
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MECEP is proud to share State of Working Maine 2022 report | |
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Workers are the heart of the economy, and Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) works year-round to ensure Maine’s workforce has livable wages, health care, child care, paid leave and other resources to build a good life. To ensure success of these efforts, ongoing research is needed to learn how we can share prosperity, what our workforce looks like, and what do workers want and need. The MECEP report State of Working Maine 2022 is a valuable resource for our communities in answering questions like these. This report demonstrates the changing needs, values, and concerns of workers, and shares stories of lived experience from workers in various sectors. State of Working Maine 2022 outlines solutions for a sustainable economic recovery which guarantees a thriving future for all Mainers.
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Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine to present at upcoming Maine Youth Leadership Conference | |
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The Maine Youth Leadership Conference will be held November 3-4 at the University of Maine Orono campus. The event celebrates the work young people do in their communities—and connects emerging young leaders looking to do the same. The conference is an energizing youth-centered event elevating the creativity, culture and wisdom of young people.
At this conference, HHRC Educators Erica Nadelhaft and Piper Dumont will present Diversity, Identity, and Bias, an interactive program exploring questions of diversity and identity. Together the participants will look at visible and non-visible identities, their relationships to their own and others’ identities, and how those identities increase and decrease in importance depending on the situation we find ourselves in. They will also talk about how bias affects how we see (or do not see) the identities of others. For more information, please visit www.hhrcmaine.org!
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Join Friends of Casco Bay for a Cinematic Celebration for Casco Bay | |
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All are invited to join Friends of Casco Bay (FOCB) for A Cinematic Celebration for Casco Bay! The afternoon will feature a variety of films curated by the Maine Outdoor Film Festival. You can choose to join them in person for the screening, or attend online from the comfort of your home. All ticket sales will support the mission of FOCB to improve and protect the health of Casco Bay.
When: Saturday, November 12, 3-6 p.m., doors open at 2 p.m.
Where: University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center, 88 Bedford Street, Portland (or from the comfort of your home!)
Head to cascobay.org/cinematic-celebration/ for more information and to purchase tickets!
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Help the Bangor Earn-a-Bike program with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine! | |
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Help us get bikes into the hands of Mainers who need them the most! The Bicycle Coalition of Maine launched the Bangor Earn-a-Bike program this spring and has already served more than 30 participants! Students of the program learn basic bike mechanic skills and traffic safety skills for riding on the road. At the end of the free program, graduates receive a fully refurbished bicycle and a new helmet, lock, vest, and safety lights. Thanks to our partners who hosted events this year: Boys & Girls Club of Bangor, Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Bangor’s Maine Discovery Museum, Bangor 21st Century, and Welcoming Immigrant Neighbors Bangor.
Help us keep this program going by making a donation today!
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This is just a small sampling of the critical work MaineShare members do to build a better Maine. Please join us in supporting and learning from the great work of ALL our member groups.
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