Jason Ridlon on board the Brunswick Explorer. Ridlon is one of the original members of the Midcoast Collaborative for Access to Transportation. Photo by Jim Pierce
In April 2010, around 150 Maine citizens “of a certain age” gathered in Northport for the first ever Encore Leadership Corps (a.k.a. ENCorps) summit. The UMaine Center on Aging, with support from the community foundation, offered a free training program in community development, public health, and environmental stewardship to these experienced Mainers.
Today, ENCorps graduates are volunteering with land trusts, historical societies, senior colleges, garden clubs, hospitals, and town councils. One of them, Jim Pierce of Topsham, has focused on public transportation. As president of the Midcoast Collaborative for Access to Transportation, Pierce has helped mobilize a host of local organizations, from Bowdoin College to Sweetser, to launch the Brunswick Explorer, a weekday bus that makes stops at retirement communities, shopping areas, and medical centers. Pierce proudly notes that the hybrid electric buses are also good for the environment.
In the second annual ENCorps Summit, held June 16-17, 2011, members had a chance to share their accomplishments with their peers as well as learn from the experts.
Other Ways the Community Foundation is Getting Citizens Involved
- The County and Regional Fund component of the community foundation's Community Building Grant Program is powered by local volunteers who review grant proposals from area nonprofits and make recommendations based on their knowledge of community needs and issues.
- The Unity Foundation, in collaboration UniTel and with support from the community foundation, offers the Jumpstart our Youth (JOY) program to teach young people the importance of smart funding and grantmaking practices. Students from the statewide Jobs for Maine's Graduates (JMG) program examine the needs of nonprofit organizations, learn how to solicit and review applications, understand finance and budgeting, and interview applicants seeking funds. In 2010, JMG was honored with the Brenda Batson Community Spirit Award from the Make-A-Wish Foundation because of the JOY program's work.
- The Maine Policy Scholars program gets students from the University of Maine System's seven campuses involved in shaping public policy. Students work with a faculty advisor and community mentor to tackle real-life policy issues currently facing Maine and write memos for the governor proposing ways to address those issues. The Maine Policy Scholars program is managed by the Maine Community Foundation and funded by several community foundation donors.
To learn more about how the Maine Community Foundation is getting citizens involved and how you can support this work, contact Laura Young by e-mail or by phone, toll-free, at 877-700-6800.