Members of 100+ WWCMM at the December 2024 meeting at The American Legion Hall in Bath. Courtesy of Midcoast Youth Center & Skatepark

Midcoast Youth Center & Skatepark wrapped up its 2024 fundraising with a donation initiated by 100+ Women Who Care Midcoast Maine, resulting in $15,000 in total support through member donations and matching grant funds. This gift capped the end-of-year matching campaign where all donations were doubled up to $60,000 by two MYC donors.

100+ WWCMM generated nearly $10,000 in initial donations; this was further amplified when members Cynthia Marsh, Erin Scott and Kelly Lebel successfully leveraged the Richard M. Schulze Foundation’s Power of 100 matching grant program.

“This extraordinary show of support demonstrates the power of collective giving,” MYC Executive Director and Founder Jamie Dorr said in a prepared release. “When community members come together with purpose, their impact grows exponentially. These funds will directly support our comprehensive youth programs that serve hundreds of young people annually.”

MYC also recently announced the start of two new community projects that will enhance support for local youth and families: “Strengthening Families 10-14 Program: A Pioneering Initiative” and “Housing & Homelessness Support Expanding.”

In partnership with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Regional School Unit 1, MYC will serve as a pilot site for Strengthening Families, an evidence-based program developed at Iowa State University’s Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute that aims to support parents and teenagers in developing critical communication and understanding skills.

“Being a parent is hard. Being a kid is harder,” said Holly Spence, a new facilitator for the program. ” … I’m excited that this program is free to all participating families thanks to support from the Maine CDC! The research suggests this investment will have a positive ripple effect beyond the initial cohorts of parents and kids that participate. It’s like a protective factor for our community.”

The first cohort of 10 families will launch on Jan. 21. The program will provide them with tools, skills and strategies to build stronger families, MYC said. To learn more about the program and to register, contact Nicole Brassard at nicole@midcoastyouth.org or visit midcoastyouth.org.

The second program is made possible with a grant from the state-funded Emergency Housing Relief Fund and awarded by MaineHousing. It will enable the creation of a new director of youth housing and homeless prevention position; the director will help MYC deepen the work of stabilizing the lives of young people and providing a foundation for the journey through school and their leap to adulthood. This person will take over the supervision and programming support of the Step Up Housing units in Bath. Additionally, the director will guide advocacy and education within the wider community including Sagadahoc County, Brunswick and Harpswell. Learn more about the position through the MYC posting on Indeed.

“These state-level investments are a testament to the value of supporting our youth and families,” Dorr said. “By providing targeted resources for housing stability and family communication, Maine is making a powerful statement about our community’s future. We’re not just addressing immediate needs but investing in the long-term potential of our young people in Bath and beyond.”