We partner with youth to create lasting change so all youth have a safe place to live and opportunities to grow.
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FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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2022, was a bit of a roller coaster ride; inflation, a looming recession, the housing crisis, the odds seemed stacked against us all. However, those were things everyone had to deal with and completely out of our control. If we take a moment to look around and see what was different in the world from 2021, what we saw was beautiful. We saw people getting together, traveling, increased community collaboration, and people getting excited about what tomorrow might bring. That’s what we saw here at New Beginnings as well.
New Beginnings remained focused on maintaining our essential shelter, housing, and outreach programs. We built partnerships that would expand services that offer essential programing and opportunities to youth. Through those partnerships we are now able to offer housing to Corrections-involved youth, expand the Youth Action Board (YAB) by welcoming new members, and offer new life skills curriculum to youth in our programs. We began an expanded Homeless Youth Continuum of Care state grant to continue our 24-hour shelter, outreach, and TLP. Under this grant New Beginnings Youth Outreach Drop-In Center in Lewiston now provides longer more frequent hours of operation and offers more case management and rural street outreach across the nine counties in Maine's central/southwestern region.
With expanded access to free community college for Maine students the Education and Employment program saw an upturn in interest in college! During the 21/22 school year, the program began operating full-time thanks to increased funding from the City of Lewiston and ME Dept. of Education (DOE). Over 100 youth received 1-on-1 or small-group support, and 15 graduated or got their HiSET (GED) via new onsite services through Auburn Adult Ed. Several students went on to pursue their college degree.
New Beginnings is always evolving and we couldn’t do it without our remarkable staff or our devoted supporters. Though we have seen our share of turnover, much like everyone else, our dedicated staff make it possible to keep our doors open for young people, every day. Whether it be the usual day to day items such as a ride to get groceries, case management, or to driving lessons, housing navigation, mock job interviews, or help with school; to helping youth build skills while reconnecting with nature and community on Adventure Challenge trips & weekly educational summer outings, our staff are always there for the youth we serve. I applaud our staff’s perseverance and enthusiasm, and I commend the ongoing support of our board, funders, donors, and supporters.
Chris Bicknell, Executive Director
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"New Beginnings
helped me pursue
my dreams."
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PROGRAM UPDATES
With your 2022 support, New Beginnings improved the lives of 456 unduplicated young people. Thank you for helping Maine youth find safety, connection, and opportunities for growth.
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Since 1980, New Beginnings’ Marian’s Place has met the immediate needs of youth in crisis with 24-hour safe shelter, food and basic needs, and caring adult support.
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Marian’s Place is Maine’s only youth shelter licensed to provide 24-hour emergency housing and support for up to 12 youth ages 10-19 who have run away, are experiencing homelessness, or are at high risk due to intense family conflict. Supportive services like case management, prevention groups, education and employment support, and family mediation help youth improve their skills and work toward stability during their short-term stay (up to 90 days).
In 2022 Marian’s Place served 46 youth with over 2,100 nights off the streets and over 5,400 meals. 95% of youth had safe exits, with 90% reunifying with family or exiting to stable housing.
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New Beginnings’ Outreach Program works to find and engage young people ages 14-21 at high risk for being unstably housed, unhoused or experiencing trafficking or exploitation through our Lewiston Drop-In Center, as well as street outreach and case management services in 9 counties.
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Since 1990, the Street Outreach Program and Drop-In Center have offered services to meet young people’s immediate safety and basic needs (food, clothing, shelter referral, etc.) and provide case management services to help connect individuals to resources in downtown Lewiston (Androscoggin County), with rural satellite offices serving Franklin and Kennebec counties; in 2022 services expanded to include Oxford, Somerset, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc Counties as well. And, in 2023 with increased state support, the Lewison-based Drop-In Center began opening 7-days-per week to provide services to some of the communities most vulnerable young people when other providers are unable to do so.
In 2022, Outreach served 335 unduplicated young people through 5,400 interactions (on the streets, via phone/text/social media, and/or at Drop-In), 5,300 Drop-In Center meals, and 986 mobile food panty meals. 67 unhoused young people worked individually with case managers to achieve their goals. Due to the steady increase in service provision, the Street Outreach Leadership team has grown to a team of three Coordinators: Street Outreach Program Coordinator Gabe Smith, Rural Street Outreach Program Coordinator Donna Bilodeau, and Drop-In Center Coordinator Megan Dvilinsky.
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Since 1989, New Beginnings’ Transitional Living Programs (TLP) has provided supportive housing for up to 18 months to help homeless young people develop the skills they need to live on their own.
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TLP offers teens and young adults (ages 16-21 at intake) supervised and community living apartments that combine housing and case management with hands-on life skills education. Learning to manage finances, roommates, rent, and chores prepares youth for maintaining housing after exit. Support engaging with education, employment, Adventure Challenge trips, risk-reduction groups, and counseling during the program and for up to a year of aftercare case management builds skills and confidence for self-sufficiency.
In 2022, the program expanded housing options for youth referred through the Department of Corrections. 43 unduplicated youth lived at TLP for nearly 7,500 nights of housing and/or utilized aftercare. 92% were either pursuing education or working when they left TLP, and 91% exited to safe, stable housing.
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New Beginnings’ Education and Employment Support services offer trauma-informed, 1-on-1 and small group, live and virtual, educational support, homework help, resume building, field trips, and experiential learning activities to help young people engage with or reconnect to traditional or alternative educational programs, discover their strengths, improve academic skills, and pursue their training, employment, or higher education goals.
In 2022, 82 youth from New Beginnings’ programs received educational and employment support in over 912 interactions. During this first full calendar year with full-time staffing, the program was able to provide over 50% more services to youth vs. 2021. At the same time, Education & Employment Coordinator Signe Lynch strengthened our partnership with Maine Department of Education (DOE) by helping 135 McKinney-Vento liaisons at schools across our 9-county region to improve identification of and ensure the educational rights of Maine homeless students.
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New Beginnings’ Prevention & Training Program now has three primary focus areas: (1) ensuring young people who access New Beginnings’ services have access to a wide variety of medically accurate, trauma-informed prevention-education groups, harm reduction information, and supplies; (2) improving New Beginnings programs through staff training in agency Model of Care and youthwork-related topics; (3) providing evidence-based HIV Prevention and positive youth development-focused research and trainings to youth-service providers and educators statewide – in partnership with Maine DOE since 1989.
The program coordinates both live and virtual training opportunities, sponsors Maine’s annual Comprehensive Sexuality Education Conference, and collaborates with community partners to ensure a wide variety of relevant programming. In 2022, the program grew with Prevention & Training Coordinator Kelly Colbath and HIV Prevention Specialist Jessa Wyman. More than 150 young people and community providers participated in 9 trainings such as creating safety for LGBTQ+ young people, working with young people who may be at increased risk of experiencing human trafficking or exploitation, Motivational Interviewing, High Risk HIV/AIDS Prevention (HRAP), and more.
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The Maine Statewide Youth Action Board (YAB), a program of New Beginnings, Inc., is an independent statewide forum for Members ages 14-24 with lived experiences including homelessness, poverty, or interaction with systems of care (child welfare, corrections/juvenile justice, behavioral health, etc.) to influence positive change and promote advocacy on a systems level regarding issues affecting their peers. YAB strives to influence positive, systemic change while highlighting the values of respect and diversity amongst its membership, and has been active in the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP) and Maine’s Homeless Continuum of Care (MCoC).
In 2022, the YAB continued to offer youth paid leadership opportunities to consult, train providers, and advocate to ensure youth/young adult voice is valued and present when and where decisions are made that impact young Mainers. Over the year, YAB members attended 240 meting and 10 trainings. Currently, YAB Members sit on multiple boards across the state, including New Beginnings Board of Directors.
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President
Nancy Grenier, R.N.
Community Health Options
Lewiston, ME
Vice President
Steven McDermott
The Governor’s Energy Office
Winthrop, ME
Secretary
Molly Watson Shukie
Attorney
Linnell, Choate & Webber, LLP
Auburn, ME
Treasurer
Bethany Belanger*
SVP, Director of Retail Banking
Northeast Bank
N. Yarmouth, ME
Mike Giasson*
Architect, Auburn, ME
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Steve Labonte*
Juvenile Corrections Officer
Androscoggin County, ME
Beverley G.H.
Student and YAB Member
Peggy McRae
AVP Ambulatory Patient Care
Maine Medical Partners
Lewiston, ME
Melissa Ferinas
Androscoggin Bank
Lewiston, ME
Chelsea Amaio
Auburn, ME
T. Melissa Hue
City of Lewiston
Portland, ME
*concluded service in 2022
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Ashley Gagnon
Kelly Nelson
Mike Giasson
Darby Ray
Joseph Philippon
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Kathy Low
Melissa McLeod
Kristina Therrien
Rob Norton
Stephanie Gelinas
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New Beginnings' 2022 Annual Budget was $3,252,907
NOTE: This summary based on most current un-audited financials.
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REVENUE BY FUNDING SOURCE
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State: MaineHousing, ME Depts. of Education, CDC, Corrections, and Health & Human Services.
Federal: Housing & Urban Development (HUD), FEMA Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP), MaineCare, and Runaway & Homeless Youth Act (HHS/ACYF/FYSB).
Private & Local: Foundation grants, fundraising, municipal/City of Lewiston CDBG, and donations.
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We are grateful for every gift and all of our supporters!
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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
Donors contributing $1,000 or more in 2022
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Alex Myers • Androscoggin Bank • Androscoggin Valley Board of Realtors® • Angelina M. Conte • Anonymous • Ansley & Mark Dauenhauer • Atlantic Charitable Fund • Avangrid Foundation • Brookfield Renewable • Camden National Bank • Carla Oswald Reed & Diana Balboni • Carolyn Bird & Gregg Ritter • Catawamteak Fund • City of Lewiston CDBG • Clean Earth Matters • Diakoneint Foundation • DIRIGO FCU • Donald G. Marean • Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation • Elmina B. Sewall Foundation • Flaherty’s Financial • Forage Market • Freya Olafson • Geiger • Head to Toe PT • Jack & Margo Simmons • Jane Costlow & David Das • Jane Dwinell • Jim Pittman • John T. Gorman Foundation • Lewiston Youth Activity Fund • Lewiston-Auburn Children’s Fund • Liberty Mutual Insurance • ME Community Foundation • ME Health Access Foundation • ME Assoc. of REALTORS® Foundation • ME Community Bank • Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bicknell • Narragansett No. One • Ned & Kitsie Claxton • Northeast Bank • Norway Savings Bank • Owen Larrabee & Melissa Albertson • Pamela Gates • Paula Paladino Bequest • Peggy McRae • Peter Geiger • Raymond J. & Mary C. Reisert Foundation • Ronald & Donna Bissonnette • Roopers • Tax Abilities LLC • TD Bank, Maine • The Hartford Community Giving • The Jeff & Sonya Gorman Family Fund • United Way of Androscoggin County
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CHANGEMAKERS CIRCLE
Donors making recurring or monthly gifts in 2022
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Aimee & Chris Labbe • Al & Martha Spencer • Alexis Withers • Ali Bichler • Annie Chang and Caleb Chang • Carla Oswald Reed & Diana Balboni • Cathy Blais • Christine Holden • Chris & Kelly Bicknell • Darby Ray & Raymond Clothier • Hutchins Family • Julie & David Projansky • Kate Carey • Katey Branch • Kimberly Monaghan • Marian & Chip Carney • Marnie Roy • Mary Hunter & Jim Parakilas • Michael & Tina Penney • Ron & Sharon Grant • Spencer-Reed Family • Steve Bien • Susan & Fergus Lea • The Yorke Family • Tony Brown & Langston Snodgrass
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New Beginnings staff group photo to show their support for LGBTQ+ youth during Pride L/A 2022.
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Want a printed version of the 2022 Annual Report?
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New Beginnings is funded in part by the State of Maine and US Departments of Health & Human Services, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Housing & Urban Development, and United Way.
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