PORTLAND – Two organizations in Franklin County were recently awarded John T. Gorman Foundation funds, a partnership that aims to “meet the immediate needs of Maine’s most vulnerable people.”
The Foundation awarded a total of $700,000 to 44 nonprofits throughout the state with its Direct Services Grant Program. The diverse awardees offer essential services in areas such as mental health, housing, food and crisis support to low-income Mainers. In Franklin County a total of $40,000 was awarded- $15k to The Progress Center and $25k to Healthy Community Coalition.
“At any point in time, there are thousands of Mainers with essential needs that aren’t being met—like the homeless individual trying to secure permanent housing, the child who goes hungry on the weekends, and the family who doesn’t know where to turn to for help,” John T. Gorman Foundation Program Associate Lauralee Raymond said.“Thankfully, Maine has a strong community of organizations that are committed to being there when our neighbors need it most. The John T. Gorman Foundation is grateful for their work and privileged to help support their vital efforts through our Direct Services Grant Program.”
The Progress Center, based in Norway, serves 400 children, families and adults throughout Western Maine. The organization offers case management services, residential support and a community kitchen initiative that provides nutritious meals to those in need, including home delivery to recently discharged hospital patients who are at risk for malnutrition.
Healthy Community Coalition offers a wide range of services; the $25k grant will support their free mobile healthcare services in Franklin County.
John T. Gorman was a grandson of L.L. Bean and established the Foundation in 1995. In recent years, the independent, statewide Foundation has moved to focus strategically on four key areas: improving educational achievement for children; promoting successful transitions to adulthood for vulnerable older youth; helping struggling parents to support their families and enabling low-income seniors to remain in their homes as long as possible.
In addition to its other grant programs and initiatives, the Foundation has awarded over $8.8 million through its Direct Services Grant Program since 2012.
For more information about the John T. Gorman Foundation, visit www.jtgfoundation.org.
For a full list of grant awardees click here.
Thank you and congratulations to the grant writers and leadership of the HCC and the Progress Center. Non Profits are a vital of part of our economy.