“We are all vulnerable to our circumstances and that can require extra support,” says Tara Balch, Maine Needs’ Communications Director “Maine Needs builds a foundation to supply what’s needed at any given moment.”
In 2019, when Angela Stone founded Maine Needs in her garage, it was a Facebook group that connected people who donated on a regular basis with the outreach teams, teachers or caseworkers who knew what basic items were needed—the “main needs,” as it were. That work showed Angela and their growing group how many Mainers were living without necessities—diapers, cleaning supplies, bedding or backpacks — that are often taken for granted.
Maine Needs quickly outgrew Angela’s garage and is currently filling every inch of their Forest Avenue building in Portland. Volunteers work to unpack donations, log and organize each item in their proper area. Other volunteers “go shopping” with request lists and prepare boxes for delivery.
“It is almost selfish to volunteer here, because it feels so good to be uplifting others,” says Heather Tracy. In the three years she has been volunteering, the increase for support has grown exponentially. “We have had three hundred requests come through in a single day before,” she says. “But don’t be intimidated to come join us. You don’t need any experience and you can listen to your ear buds if you don’t wish to talk.”
So the team can see the immediate success of their work, there is a huge white board that tracks what comes in and goes out. “That is so cool to look at when you come in,” Heather says. “It really shows the difference we can make together.”
The other “board” that fuels Maine Needs’ reach is social media, which acts like an “active bulletin board.” Instagram and Facebook are the driving factor for getting calls-to-action out; at press time, @maineneeds has over 35K combined followers. This on-line community is dedicated, passionate and fast. If you follow daily posts, you will see a post for hygiene kits or diapers or baby clothes and within hours, they are celebrating having the requests met.
“We do have many followers who love Maine but live in another state,” says Tara. “We have an Amazon wish list on our website so non-locals can click and ship right to us.”
And in the online world, especially with topics around Portland’s unhoused population, there are inevitably trolls that pop-up, to which Tara says, “We meet their comments with compassion, education and connection.”
The most crucially needed on-going items are hygiene and cleaning kits, along with men’s clothing and shoes—men will get a job and don’t have the proper footwear or clean shirts to start. SNAP benefits don’t cover personal hygiene or house cleaning products, so many low-income families struggle to purchase the essentials for the simple dignity of cleanliness—that can be especially important for teenagers.
Getting kids involved in putting aside clothing for children their age and making art or summer kits really feeds compassion and empathy. Teachers say they see an increase in students wanting to have “parties” where they assemble kits.
“I am a case worker in Portland and work with New Maine Families from Africa and South America mostly,” says Lauren Mercer. “Maine Needs has directly helped almost all of my clients in so many ways. From everyday necessities like diapers, wipes, cleaning products and more to special items that a lot of us take for granted. Maine Needs has provided a vacuum; pots; pans; sheets; blankets and a cleaning kit to a single mom who moved into her own apartment after living at the shelter; plus a new wardrobe for a family of five who lost everything in a house fire. For the families I work with, Maine Needs gives them the peace of mind that their children and families won’t go without basic essential items.”
The Maine business community also supports this non-profit in many ways. Oakhill Drycleaners cleans thousands of quilts, snowsuits and jackets free of charge; Aprés is donating their event space again for the Art for Opportunity Fundraiser (September 18, 2024); and Patriot Subaru in Saco raised $67,000 to donate.
Since the pandemic, there are individuals and families that never thought they would find themselves on the receiving end of Maine Needs’ work. “There’s no such thing as ‘being needy’,” says Tara. “We all have needs and that changes throughout our lives…and that’s what we are here for.”
Visit MaineNeeds.org for donation and volunteer information.
