our recent award recipients

cultivating community

Cultivating Community uses sustainable agriculture as an engine to end hunger and create vibrant, sustainable, and empowered communities. Our current programs include:

  • a farmers market initiative that makes local produce accessible to low-income families
  • a farmer training program that helps refugees and immigrants create a pathway out of poverty through farm-based businesses
  • youth programs and school partnerships that help young people develop leadership and cultivate an ethic of stewardship

aroostook teen leadership camp

The Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp (ATLC) program is a county-wide leadership development and drug prevention program in Aroostook County. ATLC develops teen leaders who encourage students in grades 6-9 to avoid using alcohol and other illegal drugs, while being drug-free themselves. ATLC program staff provides teen leaders with the necessary knowledge, skills, training and support so they can effectively work with students during a residential summer camp and in follow-up activities during the school year.

the parkside neighborhood center

The Parkside Neighborhood Center offers a safe and welcoming space for residents of all ages living in the Parkside neighborhood of Portland, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the state. The Center's mission is to strengthen individuals and families through education and resource-sharing. It provides educational, health, social and employment programs; helps with emergency needs such as food and clothing; supports youth and families in accessing needed resources; and builds positive connections between neighborhood residents. The Parkside Neighborhood Center is a program of The Opportunity Alliance, the agency created in October 2011 with the merger of the former PROP (People's Regional Opportunity Program) and Youth Alternatives Ingraham.

tree street youth

Tree Street Youth supports the youth of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine through Academics, The Arts, and Athletics. We provide Lewiston and Auburn with a safe place that encourages healthy physical, social, emotional, and academic development while building unity across lines of difference. Programming includes 5-day a week after school programming serving nearly 150 youth a day, safe space mentoring/hangout rooms, StreetLeader internships/job skills development, arts and athletic enrichment programming, as well as summer programming.

cromwell center for disabilities awareness

Educating people about tolerance and acceptance for all people with disabilities is the mission of The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness. Founded in 2003, The Center's non-profit organizational approach has been invited into elementary schools and classrooms where professional educators teach The Cromwell Method to change attitudes towards people with disabilities- whether they are visible, invisible, emotional, physical, learning, inherited or acquired. The Center also works with employers who choose to bring the benefit of disabilities awareness education to their workplaces, to address particular employee training needs.

coastal enterprises, inc.

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. is a statewide, private, not-for-profit community development corporation (CDC) and community development financial institution (CDFI) based in Wiscasset, ME which provides financing and technical assistance to Maine small businesses that offer income, employment or ownership opportunities for low income people. CEI's mission is to create economically and environmentally healthy communities in which all people, especially those with low incomes, can reach their full potential. Current programming includes StartSmart, free business counseling offered to refugees and immigrants interested in starting their business in Maine. StartSmart is tailored to low-income individuals with limited English language skills and during the past 12 years has assisted over 900 clients representing 84 different countries, and resulting in the start-up or strengthening of over 250 businesses.