3,000 Free Scholastic Books to be Given Away at Seadogs Game
Volunteers of America Northern New England and our partner Literacy Volunteers of Maine gave away 3,000 free Scholastic Books for Family Literacy Day with the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field. More>
Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution Named Volunteer of the Year -- Community Helps Restore Youth Program’s Office after Biddeford Fire
On a cold Saturday in November, a fire destroyed the offices of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Program (JDAP) at 64 Alfred Street in Biddeford. Volunteers of America Northern New England and Youth Alternatives manage this state-wide program for at-risk youth, which is funded by the Maine Department of Corrections. Thanks to the lead of Don Lauzier (at right above), Vice President of Community Relations at Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution, and the generosity of others we now have a delightful new office. More>
Volunteer Tax Preparers Return $130,000 to Local Families and Economy
The Volunteer Tax Assistance Partnership of Greater Sagadahoc County completed and filed a total of 120 returns for local taxpayers during the 2006 filing season. This resulted in more than $130,000 being returned back to individuals and families and to the local economy in its first year of operation. The partnership is a collaborative effort between community agencies to provide free tax assistance and asset building resources to the residents of Greater Sagadahoc County. The team of volunteers prepared taxes for low to moderate income individuals. More>
WTOS Radio Rock Relief Concert Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank Benefits Camp POSTCARD
On July 28th, ClearChannel Communications, WTOS Radio and Bangor Savings Bank sponsored a concert to benefit Camp POSTCARD. The concert took place on Monday, July 28th on the main stage of the Bangor State Fair from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The bands playing were Civil Disturbance, Twisted Roots, Vegas Temper, Lost on Liftoff and Prospect Hill. All of the bands and crew donated their time. All proceeds will be used to send deserving Maine 5th and 6th graders to summer camp. Thank you ClearChannel, WTOS Mountain of Rock, Bangor Savings Bank, the bands, the Bangor Fair, the Maine Sheriffs' Association, The Maine D.A.R.E. Officer's Association, and concert attendees and everyone else who helped make this possible. More>
Women Building Futures is Giving Women Leaving Prison and their Families a Fighting Chance
This new program is part of our Transition and Reunification program at the Maine Correctional Facility in Windham, Maine. Women in this program have a greater than 80 percent chance of a successful transition from prison -- more than double the national average. Now, thanks to the support of a wide coalition of organizations, we are “building” on that success. Through our Women Building Futures program, women will learn construction skills and become NCCER certified. More>
Volunteers of America Northern New England Board Chairperson Wins National Achievement Award
Carmen Dorsey, director of the Maine Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) at the USM Muskie School, is the recipient of the G. Paul Sylvestre Award from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). This prestigious award is presented each year to a SAC director who has demonstrated outstanding achievement over an extended period of time. Dorsey is also Board Chairperson for Volunteers of America Northern New England. The honor is presented in memory of Paul Sylvestre, the first manager of the BJS Statistical Analysis Center program. The award was presented to Dorsey, the first-ever Maine recipient, at the annual Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA) conference on October 11. This year marks the 26th time BJS presented the award.
During Dorsey’s tenure, the Maine SAC research team has conducted research in community policing, gun crime, disproportionate minority contact, juvenile recidivism, sex offenders and prisoner reentry. The recently published ‘2007 Maine Crime Victimization Report: Informing Public Policy for Safer Communities’ garnered extensive state and national attention as a significant contribution for legislative initiatives, outreach and public awareness efforts, and planning. More>
Volunteers of America Wins Prestigious Annie E. Casey Award of Excellence for Community Corrections Program
Volunteers of America Northern New England received a $20,000 award of excellence for its community corrections program through the Volunteers of America / Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award Program. Accepting the award above were (left to right) Betty Fortune, program director, Community Corrections Transition and Reunification Program; Dawn Batts, Board Member for Volunteers of America; and Charles Gould, president of Volunteers of America. The award will provide continued services for the Community Corrections Transition and Reunification Program. This program provides offenders at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham with the necessary resources both during and after incarceration to ensure a healthy transition back into the family and successful re-entry into the community. More>
High School Volunteers Join the Red Sox for Training
Students and mentors from several Maine high schools recently traveled to Fenway Park as part of a nationwide youth volunteer program. The program is sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America. Want to join our team? More>
Inmates’ Generosity Warm Campers’ Hearts
Female inmates from Cumberland County Jail today donated more than 60 handmade crocheted blankets to Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. (Police Officers Striving to Create and Reinforce Dreams), a program that provides a free week of summer camp to deserving youth from all counties in Maine. Created and administered by Volunteers of America, the Maine Sheriffs’ Association and Maine D.A.R.E. Association, Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. provides positive enrichment activities for deserving youth under the leadership of Maine law enforcement and criminal justice professionals who serve as camp staff. More>
