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| Donate Today! January 2018 |
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It's a new year with much to celebrate and much to do...
New beginnings are always exciting, especially when looking ahead means envisioning a brighter future, setting new initiatives in motion, and celebrating how far we've come.
We've got so much to celebrate as we enter our 30th year as your resource for giving. Your generosity makes Maine a better place to live. Thank You.
A few thoughts on 2019 ...
This month, 44 member organizations received their first distribution checks of the year to help them do more for Maine.
$5.3 million has been raised and distributed since the first campaign in 1990 and we will celebrate this milestone at our 30th Anniversary event this fall.
We hope that many of you who have given to MaineShare and helped host campaigns
will keep an eye out for details as the year moves forward and join us in this celebration.
The past 30 years would not have been possible without the generous financial contributions to support our work, and the steadfast commitment of our Board.
Member Group participation and support throughout the year expands MaineShare's capacity as we need it! We are a staff of 2 and the addition support they offer to our every day effort is pivotal to all that we do!
Committed workplace partners invest valuable time to share the work of these extraordinary organizations with their employees. Over 100 workplaces in Maine make annual giving campaigns a meaningful part of their employee engagement and community support. This makes it easier for employees to consider MaineShare in their giving choices. We really appreciate these partnerships in philanthropy. Investing in Maine and the communities where employees live and work makes a difference.
Each year we see a good percentage of new donors! Welcome and Thank You to all new donors as part of our 2018 initiatives. You have discovered MaineShare at a great time, and we hope that you will join longtime supporters in your commitment to causes you care about, year after year.
Our collective efforts to sustain this diverse community of member organizations is the reason we envision a brighter future for Maine. Together we can leverage the amazing talent, resilience, and solution-driven strategies that our member groups seek.
Thank You!
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| An exciting year ahead... |
In celebration and in honor of our 30th year we intend to make our collective impact bigger and bolder in 2019, year-round!
Business Support, Year Round
When businesses give to MaineShare by becoming MaineStay Business Supporters they are investing in the common good. Maine businesses that are socially responsible show the community and their employees that they are invested in Maine.
Contributing on a monthly or quarterly basis helps us provide a steady flow of dollars to Maine organizations working on solutions to environmental, social and economic issues that impact us all. MaineShare recognizes business supporters in all publicity and helps share the fact that your business cares about Maine.
The SpringShare - Your Giving Day in May
MaineShare is working hard to adopt and adapt innovative strategies for engaging more people interested in giving to causes they care about in Maine. In May of this year, we've set the goal to raise an additional $50,000 for our member groups as we celebrate and expand awareness of their work. This one-day high energy giving day, The SpringShare, is an invitation to all of Maine to join us as we join forces with the organizations we support.
The SpringShare is offering MaineShare the opportunity to reach donors of all levels who want to give on their own terms. Whether you already give at work, on social media, on a web donation portal, by regular mail, or seek to give back as a volunteer, advocate or advisor, you will have many opportunities to help. We hope you will plan to join us as we raise greater awareness and bring in big money as small or large gifts, all in one day in May! Member group registration to this giving day campaign begins in mid February and invitations will be sent shortly.
You can start today, however, by following the MaineShare facebook page @maineshare, our instagram account mainesharegiving, and our #thespringshare twitter account to keep up with events as they are announced and planned! As we get closer to the event, let your friends and family, co-workers and community members know about the powerful impact this giving day can have. When all of us give a little or a lot, as we spread the news, great things can happen!
If you are considering how your business can participate, there will be something here for everyone in the form of direct sponsorships, prize challenges, fundraiser toolkits and volunteering opportunities. See
www.thespringshare.org
for more information or contact giving@maineshare.org.
In June, Member groups receive their second annual allocation and we hope that The SpringShare will have great impact on the funding they receive!
MaineShare will once again host our "Get Outside for Maine" campaign which encourages you and your friends or co-workers to join forces and hike, bike, swim, paddle, skate, stroll, or roll into something fun as a fundraising challenge! We encourage employee groups to consider this a community engagement initiative in support our work each summer!
Fall 2019
August - December - MaineShare 2019 Workplace Giving Appeal
Though this campaign is at its busiest during the fall, MaineShare is happy to support new partners for workplace giving at any time. As we move toward more digitally driven solutions, the opportunity to add MaineShare giving to your employee community engagement portfolio is easier than you imagine! Greater choice results in greater giving, and many of our long standing partners will agree.
MaineShare Momentum
We invite you to join us in investing in our own future through the Momentum Campaign. Our goal to raise and distribute significantly more funds for member groups depends on our ability to expand our reach and increase giving throughout Maine.
As you make your giving choices to support causes you care about each Fall, please consider
also giving to build momentum for MaineShare. A gift or pledge anytime of year will help us expand our operations now, and into the next 30 years!
To make a gift of stock or inquire about planned giving, please contact our office at giving@maineshare.org.
Giving Tuesday 2019
Many Maineshare member organizations participate in Giving Tuesday and MaineShare does it's best to join the effort to give back! On December 3rd, 2019, from 12:01 am to 11:59 PM. 100% all gifts to MaineShare will be distributed directly to the organizations you support! Save this date and keep an eye out for this challenge!
Happy Non Profit Day in Maine!
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 Member Group Highlights |
Totally Trades! Conferences for Girls available
to almost 800 girls in Maine!
New Ventures Maine assists people across the state as they venture in a new direction, whether it be a new job, new business, or a new understanding of financial matters. They have classes and workshops for all adults in Maine, which can be done in-person or online. These classes occur January through June in nine different locations throughout sixteen counties in Maine. The main focus of their work is providing tuition-free programs for career, business, and financial education and "Helping Maine people succeed in the changing economy and achieve economic security for themselves and their families."
A Hands-on Conferences for 8th Grade and High School Girls.
Did you know that New Ventures Maine organizes free, one-day Totally Trades! conferences throughout Maine to encourage female students to consider careers in fields traditionally dominated by men.
This year almost 800 girls will have the opportunity to explore careers in trades and technology. Featured careers include:
- Heavy Equipment Operation
- Welding
- Information Technology
- Building Construction
- Engineering
- Cable Technician
- Electrical
- Plumbing and Heating
- Alternative Energy
"We give girls a hands-on workshop experience to spark their interest and raise awareness about a career field that they may not have previously considered, as well as provide female role models - women who can lead by example, having already succeeded in pursuing work that traditionally is viewed as 'man's work'," says Suzanne Senechal-Jandreau, Aroostook County Regional Manager.
Mark your calendars!
The Totally Trades! spring 2019 conferences are right around the corner:
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Hardy Girls Healthy Women
Januhairy
Hardy Girls Healthy Women is holding a month long event: Januhairy. This is a fundraiser that takes into account the monthly prices for hair removal and asks participants to turn those expenses into donations. "Shave the stigmas, not the hair, join us," (website) is the motto of the fundraiser. Hardy Girls Healthy Women is "dedicated to the health of girls and women", and their goal is for "girls (to) cause a ruckus" (website). There are always training materials available on their website and programs to get involved with the community and start a new one of your own. Find more information here hghw.org.
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Maine Organic Farmers
Association is at
t
he Maine Agricultural Trades Show in August this weekend.
MOFGA will be attending the Maine Agricultural Trades Show this weekend at the Augusta Civic Center. Both producers and consumers are welcomed to this event to catch up on new technologies, programs, and general information on the agriculture industry. MOFGA will also be holding their annual meeting on January 15th at the Trades Show. MOFGA holds various workshops on everything from a flower growing conference in the end of January to a fruit tree pruning workshop in March. They focus on educating and advocating as a community with several programs, which of course includes their big event, the Common Ground Country Fair, held in September. Learn more at www.mofga.org/calendar
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Focused on protecting Maine's environment since 1959, the Natural Resources Council of Maine will be having a Clean Water Citizens' Rule Hearing on February 7th in the Portland Public Library. There will be speakers educating about the importance of protecting our waterways and opportunities for you to share your take! Natural Resources Council of Maine's website, Nrcm.org, features top news stories concerning Maine's environment and the surrounding area. Signing a petition or submitting a public comment are just a couple of the
several ways to connect and take action in the community that NRCM offers. The Natural Resources Council of Maine is looking to protect, restore, and conserve Maine's environment for now and for future generations. Take action today at
Nrcm.org.
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Maine Citizens for Clean Elections has many of different ways for you to get involved. They will be hosting a webinar on January 17th, which will be the jump-off point of the Democracy Partnership's 2019 legislative advocacy efforts. Within the webinar there will be
an overview of the Partnership's specific 2019 legislative priorities.
This webinar will help attendees prepare for the inaugural Advocacy Day, held by Democracy Partnership on February 14th. You can register for these events on their website
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Resources for Organizing and Social Change
ROSC has recently made the Changing Maine Directory into a user friendly database (http://changingmaine.org/). It is versatile, resourceful, and always changing. On the website you'll find a great resource for non-profit and grassroots organizations focused on the social betterment of Maine. For each organization there is a detailed description and up to date contact information. ROSC also has a few annual events (listed on the ROSC website), the Annual Changing Maine gathering and the Annual GrassRoots Organizing Workshop (GROW). Both of these events focus on bettering grassroots organization and the approach that is taken towards tactics and functionality in grassroots organizing. http://resourcesforsocialchange.org/
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Southern Maine Workers' Center
Southern Maine Workers' Center focuses primarily on low-wage workers, young people, immigrant workers, people of color, and creating a worker led movement to overall improve workers' lives. Join their
4th Annual Karaoke Fundraiser in February!!
Saturday, February 9⋅8:00 - 11:00pm
107 Hanover St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
The Southern Maine Workers' Center is hosting its biggest grassroots fundraising event of the year, and needs your help! On Saturday, February 9th at 8pm, SMWC members and supporters will be gathering at the Apohadion Theater in Portland to sing their hearts out and raise money to support the core programs of SMWC, from the Workers' Rights Legal Clinic to our organizing against Medicaid work requirements to our political education work in the community and more!
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Maine Initiatives commits to equality in
board member membership.
Andrea Francis. Andrea is a member of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs. As a student at the University of Southern Maine, she has been on the ground floor of the reintroduction of the Native American Student Alliance and an organizer of the Indigenous Student Orientation.
Lauress Wilkins Lawrence is a program officer at the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, in Freeport, ME. Her primary grantmaking interests are community engagement, equity, and environmental wellbeing in Sewall's Healthy People Healthy Places program.
Luc Nya
is a children's behavioral health program coordinator at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Child and Family Services in South Portland. Luc collaborates with community providers to ensure that health/behavioral health needs of youth involved in the juvenile justice system are met in the least restrictive settings. Previously Luc coordinated the Maine Department of Health and Human Services' Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program for people under 21 and served the agency for ten years previously as its multicultural services coordinator.
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This month, Elsa Alexandrin, of Gorham, Maine helped with our January Newsletter. She is currently a second-year student at Goucher College outside of Baltimore, pursuing a major in environmental studies and a minor in music. Thank you Elsa for your contribution! Every bit counts!
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