Newsletter: November, 2024
A Note from Our Executive Director
Dear New Hope Midcoast Supporter,
Welcome to the holiday season! Many of us associate this time of year with joy and family gatherings. Yet it can also be a time of increased stress and, for some, heightened feelings of isolation.
This year, let’s honor survivors by giving the gift of peace and serenity. Whether you give through our annual appeal, Giving Tuesday, our Hope for the Holidays Sale, or a combination, your support helps to ensure that victims and their families have the critical protections they need to remain safe.
Please join a community of people who are concerned about their neighbors, colleagues, family, and friends. See below for brief articles on our Annual Appeal, Giving Tuesday, and Hope for the Holidays Sale below. When we give, we collectively work to ensure that everyone is safe.
Very best for a wonderful holiday season. We are grateful each day for the support of the amazing communities we serve and are so fortunate to live here on the beautiful Maine coast!.
Sincerely,
Rebekah
Annual Appeal 2024:
Spotlight on Our Services and Staff
This year’s annual appeal card provides detailed information on the impactful, life-changing services New Hope provided from 2020-2023. Please give as generously as possible so that our trained staff can continue to provide comprehensive services for midcoast Maine individuals affected by domestic abuse.
Make your donation today by postal mail, or online by clicking here.
If you did not receive a card or want to donate via phone, please contact Joan, our Development Director at (207) 691.5969 or .
Be sure to watch for our upcoming annual report with information on our 2024 fiscal year!
Hope for the Holidays Sale 2024:
Order Now through December 13
This year’s Christmas and Hanukkah boxes are perfect for anyone and everyone.
Filled with locally-crafted, unscented items, the contents of these boxes will please friends, relatives, and colleagues alike. Each box contains:
- Candles by Danica Designs (2 pair of 9” tapers: one pair of honey and one pair of holly red for Christmas; one pair) of honey and one pair of cobalt blue for Hanukkah
- Ceramic Mug in a beautiful plum color (14-oz)
- Heal-All Salve from Avena Botanicals (one, 1-oz jar)
- Hot Chocolate Mix from Bixby Chocolates (one, 10-oz bag)
- Organic Jojoba Oil from the Original Jojoba Company (one, 4-oz bottle)
- There’s Grounds for Hope Brazilian Cerrado Caffeinated Coffee from Rock City Coffee (one, 8-oz bag)
Click here to order yours today!
Giving Tuesday: December 3, 2024
This Giving Tuesday we are raising $2,500 for items and services that pose barriers for victims of domestic abuse and are not often funded through other sources.
We appreciate donations in any amount that will help:
- Change locks to help ensure client and family safety
- Repair victims' cars and buy gas cards to get to necessary medical and court appointments
- Replace phones abusers break or that abusers use to track victims
- Pay housing application fees to help victims access safe and affordable housing
- Cover the filing fee for court forms that help victims separate from their abusers
See our Facebook page, visit newhopemidcoast.org, or mail your check to: New Hope Midcoast, PO Box A, Rockland, ME 04841 with Giving Tuesday in the memo line.
Residential: Office On Violence Against Women
We are thrilled that the Office on Violence Against Women recently awarded us a $550,000 three-year grant. We will use this money to support families with rental assistance and to fund our Residential Services Program Coordinator position. As we close out our first three-year OVW grant we are proud to share that we supported a total of 14 families or individuals, including 29 children.
Legal: Law Enforcement Advocacy Program
In partnership with the Waldo and Knox County Sheriff's Offices, we were recently awarded a Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) grant that will launch a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the unique challenges of rural, underserved areas in combating domestic abuse. The Law Enforcement Advocacy Program initiative integrates comprehensive support services and proactive intervention strategies designed to meet the specific needs of rural communities. By combining the resources and expertise of law enforcement and domestic abuse advocacy, this partnership will enhance survivor safety, ensure robust accountability for abusers, and provide timely assistance to victims in Waldo and Knox counties. The goal of this program is to create a comprehensive support system that not only responds effectively to domestic violence incidents but also works towards prevention and community education to ensure a safer and more informed environment for everyone in Waldo and Knox Counties.
Education: Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)
In addition to our school presentations and trainings for businesses and civic organizations, our education team conducted many events during DVAM in October. These included a Legislative Outreach Event at the Rockland Public Library at which we were thrilled to see several representatives from across party lines, An Empty Place at the Table at Patten Free, Belfast, Skidompha, and Rockport Libraries, Tabling at Rising Tide Co-Op all Wednesdays in October with .5% of October Wednesday purchases donated to us, representation at the Midcoast Maine Community Action Book and Community Resource Fair, and several screenings of A Better Man in collaboration with the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence.