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A Message from the Board President
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This Women's History Month, we find ourselves in the throes of both unprecedented threat and a tremendous groundswell of response. As people across the country have come together to defend access to affordable health care, reproductive rights, civil rights for trans people and for immigrants and refugees, environmental protection, peace, and justice, women have been at the fore.
We at the Maine Women's Fund are engaged in this change work through both our core grants program and through the launch of the new Swift Social Justice Grants program this month.
Now we are thrilled to announce the selection of our next leader, Megan Hannan. Megan comes to us with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to social justice and equity. The board is excited to work closely with Megan to introduce her to our community of supporters and grantees and to realize the Fund's goals to broaden and deepen our work with women and girls across Maine.
We are excited to enter this new chapter in the history of the Fund. With your support we look to broaden and deepen our commitment to and involvement with our donors, volunteers, and the organizations working with Maine women and girls to address challenges and move forward with support, strength, and assurance.
With enthusiasm and appreciation,
Natalie Solotoff
Maine Women's Fund Board President
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This month we are thinking about all the aspects of women and girls' lives that are at risk and the critical work of Maine organizations to address these needs and move women and girls forward.
As the health care debates continue we are reminded that dental health, despite its import, is often left out of health care discussions. This year, the Maine Women's Fund is supporting Waldo County Dental Care which provides free dental care to members of the community. On our visit to Belfast last fall, we learned that Waldo County Dental Care - part of Waldo County General Hospital - was started because the most frequent presenting problems in the ER (making up 20% of visits) were dental pain. This is a common problem in Maine and across the country that is explained in this CNN article, which uses Waldo County's ER challenges as an example. To use the limited capacity of the hygienists and dentists most effectively, Waldo County Dental Care prioritizes patients in their area who have experiences, conditions or diseases that make their dental care especially important to their health. To learn more about this critical program and to see if you're eligible, check out their webpage or call them at 207-338-9307. Waldo County General Hospital is just one of many free or low-cost dental providers across the state. Click here for a complete list.
In addition to the critical issues of health care and
education, we know that access to the arts is fundamental for both healthy development and community engagement. Just last month we visited
A Company of Girls
(ACOG) to hear all about their work with girls in the arts. ACOG
serves about 45 girls through weekly and bi-weekly programs during the school year, and hundreds of students through their summer arts program. A Company of Girls was started with funding from the State Office of Substance Abuse because their program
is proven to help girls succeed in school and to build resiliency, despite the many challenges girls without supports face. By working closely with school staff, ACOG is reaching middle school girls who most need their programs and partnering with other organizations to reach older girls who are New Mainers. Girls feel ownership in the program, having real power to determine content and direction, something they may not feel in any other area of their lives. Want to feel inspired and be reminded of the importance of raising your voice? A Company of Girls just presented the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and will next be performing The Secret Garden April 6-9 at the Portland Ballet Studio Theater! For tickets, visit their
website.
This month we've already had the chance to catch up with
Hardy Girls Healthy Women
to hear all about what their Girls Advisory Board has been doing this year. These incredible young leaders are planning the next Girls Rock! Conferences to be held in Waterville on April 6 and in Westbrook on April 7. Both conferences dates have been moved to weekdays so that more girls who don't have parental transportation can attend. This year's conference is beautifully 
titled "You do you, I'll be me." Girls Advisory Board members
have
organized a wide array of workshops
for girl participants. Adults
will have their own learning opportunities
at the
conference
including a session on technology and mindfulness
in the
classroom.
Teachers,
guidance
counselors
and/or school administrators,
get a
group of girls together
from
grades 4
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Meet our new Executive Director!
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The Maine Women's Fund is thrilled to announce Megan Hannan, of Bath, has joined the Fund as our new Executive Director. Megan brings over 20 years of non-profit management experience in the Maine non-profit and funding communities. "We are so pleased Megan has joined our organization," said Natalie Solotoff, the Fund's Board President and Senior Manager at Baker, Newman, and Noyes. "She brings a depth of experience and knowledge of the critical issues facing Maine communities which will enrich the Fund's work."
Megan previously served as the Executive Director of Frannie Peabody Center in Portland, the Senior Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and the Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society of New England.
"After more than 25 years of making grants to organizations which better the lives of Maine women and girls, we are broadening our reach to assure our opportunities speak to more diverse organizations," said Solotoff. "Megan's relationships with the communities in Maine which are most impacted by the current political and cultural landscape will help us to ensure we meet this new goal."
Join us in welcoming Megan to the Fund community.
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The Fund has decided not to hold our traditional Leadership Luncheon at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in May this year. With the new Swift Social Justice Program and our new Executive Director on board, we certainly have a lot to celebrate and we look forward to many opportunities to do so with our
community
of supporters and grantees.
On behalf of the staff and board of the Maine Women's Fund, thank you for reading and for all you do to support Maine women and girls.
Office location:
74 Lunt Road, Suite 100, Falmouth, ME 04105
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The Maine Women's Fund thanks MaineShare for its ongoing support. MaineShare makes it easy to donate to more than 30 statewide organizations working every day to make Maine a better place to live. For more information, please visit the
website.
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