Applicants are now being accepted for the 2016 “neighbor4neighbor” Fund grant program. This program provides mini-grants to seniors in need across Hancock County and is administered by the Maine Community Foundation and Healthy Acadia. The mini-grants help to address challenges that many of our seniors face each day. In this first year of grant making, the fund will allow grants of up to $500 each to be awarded to a limited number of Hancock County seniors. “Small grants can equal big differences, especially at this time of year when many people are making difficult choices among food, heat, medicine and other important needs,” stated Ellen Dohmen, neighbor4neighbor’s volunteer Executive Administrator.
This year’s neighbor4neighbor mini-grants can help purchase a pair of eyeglasses, a hearing aid, a wheel chair ramp, a walker or cane, and more. The hope is that with these grants, seniors will be able to remain independent and in their own homes. Apply online at: http://www.healthyacadia.org/documents/ GrantApplication_neighbor4neighbor.pdf.
Ed Kaelber, Maine Community Foundation founder and founding president of the College of the Atlantic initiated the “neighbor4neighbor” Fund in 2014. “My inspiration for this Fund comes from my desire to give back to our community, and to encourage others to support seniors in the community who have unmet needs,” stated Kaelber. “My focus is on encouraging seniors to contribute to the fund as a way to support our peers who are struggling. But of course, I welcome support from all community members of any age!”
Contributions to the “neighbor4neighbor” Fund help create positive change for honored members of our communities: teachers, mentors, nurses, carpenters, neighbors, family, and friends. Donations are managed by the Maine Community Foundation, a statewide nonprofit that has been helping people invest charitable resources in the future of Maine for over 30 years: www.mainecf.org. The granting process is coordinated by Healthy Acadia, a community health coalition dedicated to building vibrant communities throughout the Hancock and Washington counties: www.healthyacadia.org. Community volunteers provide administrative support for the Fund.
“Many seniors in our region are struggling to meet their basic needs and to stay healthy,” said Elsie Flemings, Executive Director of Healthy Acadia. “This is a critical initiative, and we at Healthy Acadia are honored to be a part of it.” To learn more about the “neighbor4neighbor” Fund, contact Nina Zeldin at Healthy Acadia at 667-7171 or nina@healthyacadia.org. To make a donation to the Fund, contact the Maine Community Foundation at 877-700-6800 or www.mainecf.org.
