Submitted by logs_and_dogs t3_126qrx6 in Maine
Hey y'all, I'm planning on moving to central-ish Maine in the very near future. I want to get involved with community or volunteer organizations to get integrated and give back. Are there any suggestions you would give me?
Thanks
This is the way.
Maine doesn't have huge regional volunteer organizations, Good Shepherd Food bank is one that I can think of off the top of my head, although thinking about it I'm not sure how many volunteers they have, because they work closely with volunteer food banks in towns. There is also the Dempsy center but I think that mostly located in the L/A area.
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To OP: what type of volunteering would you like to do? That will help immensely to give you some direction. Smaller central Maine towns would have most volunteer opportunities centered around the town, where bigger towns/cities would have more diverse opportunities.
I will definitely take both of your sets of advice and get in contact with the local council/government. I see myself doing community organization and fundraising in the sort term because I'm pretty good at talking to people. Long term I might see more physical labor and equipment operation for local parks, forests, etc once i have all my heavy equipment purchased. Does that nail it down a little more?
Would this be a call to town hall? I've been wondering the same as OP
Could be but I'd start asking at the library.
My aunt always says librarians know everything that goes on in town :) will do!
I would go in and talk to the people who do car registrations. If the town has a rec department they for sure need help.
Baseball/softball is always looking for help and it's not just to coach, it's getting fields ready etc.
Go to the local food bank when it's open not to get food, but to check about volunteering.
Wherever you move find a sign for a bean supper attend then ask how to get involved with other similar community events etc. Nothing beats a bean supper for local networking on this sort of topic.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask what a bean supper is. I've gathered that beans are served, but don't know the occasion or other foods served
They are typically held at churches or clubs. You'll see large lettered signs say date time price.
These folks will likely know all the food pantries, and other local places usually without getting pushy with religion. At least in my experience.
Food AND Medicine / Solidarity Center
A ton of different initiatives and community support, and they’re well-connected to many other service organizations.
They need help with community organizing, fundraising, and physical labor tasks, so you may find quite a bit there mutually beneficial, according to your other comment.
This definitely fits my skills and interests. I will be sure to reach out. Thanks for the suggestion!
The Harrison Food Bank can always use some more volunteers.
Maine organic farmers and gardeners association. Mofga is based in unity.
Alfond Center in Waterville.
I'll be sure to put that on my list.
Window Dressers - they build window inserts to help people save money on energy. Awesome organization.
I've cut glass a time or two. That would be a lot of fun. Is there a community for sustainable energy in Maine?
There's an all-day workshop on sustainable energy/sustainable living in Farmington tomorrow (Saturday). Lmk if you're interested!
For sure, many towns have local energy / climate committees. Several towns have Sierra Club affiliated climate action teams. The communities on and arond Mount Desert Island have a great organization called A Climate to Thrive. ACTT has a regular coordinating call with allied groups around the state so if you emailed them they could probably put you in touch with someone near you.
Local Boys and Girls Club.
Kennebec Valley Humane Society in Augusta.
I totally forgot MATC existed. That's a great idea. Ever read Bill Bryson "A Walk in the Woods"?
Another Bill who actually completed his AT thru hike, Bill Irwin the blind AT hiker. He and his wife lived out their days post hike here in Maine. He wrote a wonderful book about his Georgia to Maine AT thru hike.
The book is in my reading list. I do love the dedication, but I unfortunately follow the yee yee philosophy when it comes to backpacking.
Not sure what you necessarily mean by “central-ish” or if you have interest in working with migrants or refugees, but if you’ll be near Augusta you could check out the Capital Area New Mainers Project or Somali Bantu Community Associationif you’re gonna be near L/A.
I live in central Maine, I know many mutual aid groups who are always looking for help!!
What kind of mutual aid groups do you know? I'd love some details
Some are church oriented, some are anarchist oriented. But all help people in need in the area. If you want some more Direct links feel free to dm me
Your local county Action Program would have options for you.
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Animal shelters and animal rescue organizations!
Most local groups in Maine post on local Facebook pages. Just generally speaking it's a good idea to be aware of the local pages even if you aren't on Facebook yourself. Just mentioning it because to someone who doesn't normally use it, it might not be obvious. Another source of local groups and activities are the small penny saver type local papers that run weekly listings. Most have an online presence these days. A google of the town or area you're moving to should bring these up.
indyaj t1_jeamhkd wrote
Government entities aside, most small towns run on volunteerism. Check with the town you're moving to. I'm sure there's an organization or six that would welcome your energy.