The past few months have tested Maine traditions we hold so dear, from crowded breakfast tables on Maine Maple Sunday to bean suppers and backyard picnics. Still, our common traits remain strong during this trying chapter of Maine history: commitment to community, compassion, and resilience.
Mainers have stepped up in so many ways during the pandemic. They show they care with hand-painted signs (“Keep the hope!”), more kind words, smiling eyes, and help for neighbors. MaineCF has awarded more than $3 million in flexible emergency grants to the state’s nonprofit organizations and our donors have issued nearly $3.6 million more in direct grants from their advised funds.
Still, we’re very worried about the ongoing needs of Maine people and their quality of life as the pandemic’s grip tightens and winter sets in. Our COVID-19 grantees are grappling with uncertainty, financial instability, and snowballing demands they predict for the months ahead. “It is a constant fear that we will not be able to meet the increased need and that we will have to start turning community members away,” wrote one grantee.
Now is a time to hold tight to what matters most, whether it’s our families, education, righting racial injustices, or leaving our state in good hands for future generations. Please join us as we reflect on ways we can all give back and shine a light during the dark months ahead.
