We hope you are staying safe and warm during this snowy late-winter weather! This issue includes a special update about New Beginnings' project supporting the rights of homeless students in Maine. You can also learn about the support our TLP housing provides for youth, upcoming trainings, a gift of hope bequest from a generous donor, agency updates, current wish list, celebrating our most successful annual campaign ever and our amazing in-kind donors, and more!

THANK YOU! Our work would not be possible without your support.

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YOUTH STORY: Spotlight on the Transitional Living Program

Lauren1 was 17 when she was kicked out of her home. Her mother was gone and her father constantly had people over drinking and using drugs. Lauren will never forget the night she was asked to leave. It was 11 pm at night when she was told to get out. “I had no where to go. There were no foster care placements for a girl my age.” Lauren had anger issues that subsequently landed her at Long Creek juvenile detention center.

New Beginnings has collaborated with Maine's Department of Corrections (DOC) for many years, offering youth safe housing when they don’t need to be incarcerated, and would otherwise end up homeless.

Lauren arrived at New Beginnings’ Transitional Living Program (TLP) angry, “When I first got there, I didn’t want to participate, I hated my case worker and ignored him at every turn.” TLP provides supportive housing for up to 18 months, helping homeless young people with a safe place to live where they can learn life skills and complete their education and employment goals. It didn’t take long for Lauren to realize the staff were there to help, and if she worked with them, she could accomplish quite a bit! “I finally came around and case management turned out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. All the workers were very helpful. I had a really good experience at TLP.”

As her stay at the TLP came to an end, Lauren found herself with a good job, an education, and was able to secure housing for herself. Her life was really looking up. “If I didn’t try, I don’t know where I’d be today. I’m glad I came to New Beginnings. I had the biggest attitude when I got there. But all the rules and structure really helped. I wouldn’t change a thing and I wouldn’t be who I am without New Beginnings.”

We’d especially like to thank Katey Branch, Clean Earth Matters, Lewiston Youth Activity Fund, Northeast Bank, Ronald & Donna Bissonnette, Norway Savings Bank, Owen Larrabee & Melissa Albertson, Ned & Kitsie Claxton, MainStreet Foundation, Christine Flaherty, Shawna Reed & John Nixon, Carolyn Bird & Greg Ritter, Jane Dwinell, Tax Abilities LLC, Franklin Savings Bank, Geiger, Carolyn Bird & Gregg Ritter, ME Community Bank, DIRIGO FCU, Donald G. Marean, Jack and Margo Simmons, Androscoggin Valley Board of Realtors®, Diakoneint Foundation, Karen & Dianne Krzywda-Nelder, Clark Insurance, the Yorke Family, and the more than 300 other individuals and businesses who contributed!

Thank you for giving the gift of hope to the youth we serve!

New Beginnings was humbled and honored to be the recipient of a generous bequest from Paula Paladino of Lewiston, who passed away at age 59 in August 2022. After a 25+ year career in both nonprofit and government sectors where she worked to improve the lives of Maine runaway and homeless youth, LGBTQ+ people, child welfare, and people in need of mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness support services, Paula found herself facing terminal cancer. When Paula first got sick, she remembered a promise to the youth she'd worked with early in her career – to help them make a better life for themselves and to never give up. Paula wanted to find a way to keep telling young people “I believe in you!”

Paula took the promises she made to heart when she became sick, and approached New Beginnings about how a planned gift could be used to keep that promise with youth in need after she passed away. In conversations with Paula about her wishes for this gift, it was clear that the idea of continuing her legacy with a new generation of young people brought her great joy. Paula was proud to be able to keep helping youth have a bright and healthy future even after she was gone. Paula insisted that this gift be used to help youth directly, for things that the agency did not already have budgeted to provide (such as help with transportation costs, drivers education, or buying items they needed for their first apartment) and that it be flexible without a lengthy approval process. Paula wanted her promise to help enable youth to “promise yourself that you’ll invest in yourself and your future.” Today, New Beginnings continues Paula’s Promise – starting in 2023 until the funds are fully utilized, modest financial awards will be available to help New Beginnings’ youth make a better life and never give up.

For planned giving info, please visit newbeginmaine.org/other-ways-to-give or contact Director of Development Rachel Spencer-Reed at 207-795-4077 to discuss your ideas.

In December, New Beginnings received a grant from Avangrid Foundation in partnership with Central Maine Power, the local affiliate of AVANGRID in Maine, for general operating of our programs for homeless youth services. “We are grateful for AVANGRID’s continued partnership,” said Executive Director Chris Bicknell, “Corporate and private support is critical to meeting the basic needs of youth experiencing housing instability and hunger in Maine.”

Make a difference in the lives of youth! We are hiring with openings in outreach, shelter, TLP, and administration and we offer excellent benefits. Visit newbeginmaine.org/jobs to learn more!

New Beginnings Board wishes to thank outgoing member and Treasurer Bethany Belanger for her service, and to announce member Melissa Farinas has been nominated to Treasurer. The Board recently welcomed new member Melissa Hue. The Board will hold its annual elections on April 19, 2023; the meeting is open to the public via zoom and will be publicized at newbeginmaine.org. Interested in learning more about Board or Advisor service?

Email board@newbeginmaine.org.

The Prevention & Training Program coordinates effective, skills-based education to youth across all of New Beginnings’ programs and trains educators & providers across Maine to help increase youths' knowledge, reduce harm, and reduce risk for HIV transmission, unintended pregnancy, substance abuse, and other risk behaviors. Kelly and Jessa are both huge proponents of harm reduction, sex education, and making knowledge-based decisions about your body. We are very excited to welcome them to our team.

Kelley Cobath, Prevention &Training Coordinator and Jessa Wyman HIV Prevention Specialist

02/28 - 03/01, 2023 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Virtual

MARCH 7-8, 2023 | 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM | Virtual

Since 2022, our Education and Employment Support Program and the Maine Statewide Youth Action Board (YAB) sponsored by New Beginnings have partnered with the Maine Department of Education as funded Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide technical assistance and ongoing education and support to Maine McKinney-Vento Liaisons. By law, every school and district in the U.S. must have a designated McKinney-Vento Liaison to identify, support, and ensure the educational rights of homeless students, including the right to stay in the school they were attending when they became homeless or enroll in a new school where they are now staying.

Under this partnership, YAB and NB staff representatives attend regional meetings with school staff and community organizations to lead and collaborate on resources and ideas to improve outreach to, identification of, and support for Maine’s homeless student population. Education Program staff provide technical assistance to liaisons in Region 2 (Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo Counties).The YAB works on the project statewide; staff and youth leaders have provided trainings on authentic youth partnerships to McKinney-Vento Liaisons and are currently developing several future trainings on youth homelessness and McKinney-Vento rights for students and school staff. YAB has also designed resources - like the students' rights poster below - to distribute to schools and communities throughout the state.

PLEASE NOTE: We welcome in-kind donations of needed wish list items year-round.

Please contact Nicole with any questions: 207-795-4077.

newbeginmaine.org/jobs

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