In 2017, Mike Masudi arrived to the U.S. by himself at age 19. Since then, he's earned his GED, an associate degree in information technology, and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity.

In this episode, Mike shares how he got where he is today. Anja Hanson, academic advisor at Portland Adult Education, describes the obstacles adult learners face and the determination they have to succeed.

MaineCF's Adult Learner Scholarship supports Maine's nontraditional students who want to change their life for the better through education and training.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

In this episode Kelly Brown, associate director of Next Step Domestic Violence Project in Ellsworth and Machias, talks about services for survivors, warning signs, and how you can help support domestic violence projects and shelters in your community.

Read more about MaineCF's support of domestic violence services here.

COVID-19 shuttered Maine's theaters for more than 18 months. But communities rallied to support the performing arts even as they were deemed inessential services.

Dana Packard of the Saco River Theatre in Buxton and Keri Lupien of The Waldo in Waldoboro share how their theaters coped with the pandemic and how the arts in Maine are stronger than ever.

Read more about MaineCF's support of the performing arts here.

The only active Shaker community in the world sits humbly 20 miles north of Portland, Maine, home to two practicing Shakers.

There, an effort to restore the last Shaker herb house in the country will create opportunities for the outside community to connect with Shaker history and culture.

Brother Arnold Haad and Shaker Museum and Library Director Michael Graham discuss Shaker history and its future.

Read more about MaineCF's support of the Shaker herb house project here.

Simple Gifts is performed by Palaver Strings.

Thoughts of Maine might conjure up lush landscapes, but 96 percent of Maine's low-income and non-white residents live in a nature-deprived area.

Nan Cumming, executive director of Portland Parks Conservancy, and Tom Farrell, director of parks and recreation for the Town of Brunswick, discuss what they are doing to bridge the nature gap and provide accessible green space for their communities.

Learn more about MaineCF's support of land protection and conservation here.

Pride Month in June is an opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the progress made since the Stonewall Riots beginning on June 28, 1969,  in New York City. But there is still work to be done for Maine's transgender community.

Quinn Gormley, executive director of Maine Transgender Network, discusses the issues transgender people in Maine face and the additional challenges for older transgender people and those living in rural communities.

Learn more about how MaineCF supports LGBTQ+ initiatives here.

For 40 years, Downeast Salmon Federation has worked to bring the Atlantic salmon fishery back to Maine's rivers.

Executive Director Dwayne Shaw and founding board member Joe Robbins talk about technological and regulatory advancements and how the organization has worked to support the fishery over the past four decades.

Learn more about how MaineCF supports the Atlantic salmon fishery here.

Maine is the oldest state in the country where 21 percent of residents are over the age of 65. It is also the most rural state, which can make it difficult for older people to access services.

In this podcast Jess Maurer, executive director of the Maine Council on Aging, discusses the challenges older Mainers face from transportation to housing, and how the association is supporting diverse older Mainers.

MaineCF’s issue areas include supporting older people and how to keep them thriving in our communities.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to educate and reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Camp Beech Cliff (CBC) on Mount Desert Island is a traditional Maine day camp, offering classic camp activities for ages 6-18, from swimming and boating to rock climbing and crafts.

But what happens when a child is experiencing big emotions that prevent them from enjoying the day? CBC has implemented a series of mental health supports, including hiring a camper support specialist and offering Youth Mental Health First Aid training to the community.

Camp Director Matt Cornish and Corrie Hunkler, youth engagement coordinator at Healthy Acadia, talk about the importance of mental health services for young campers and offer practical tips for caregivers on how to support children's mental health this summer.

Learn more about how MaineCF supports Camp Beech Cliff's mental health initiatives here.

Access to clean drinking water has long been an issue at Sipayik, home to about 700 people who live at the Passamaquoddy reservation near Eastport. Residents for decades have lugged water to their homes because water from their taps is discolored, smells bad, and contains high levels of a contaminant that increases the risk of cancer.

Now a new Maine law will provide Sipayik residents more control of their drinking water.

Podcast guest Lisa Sockabasin, co-CEO of Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, talks about the water issue and shares how the organization serves Wabanaki people across the state.

Learn more about how MaineCF supports the work of Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness.

April 22 marks the 52nd annual Earth Day, a celebration of the beginning of the modern environmentalism movement.

Guests Red Fong and Olivia Griset, co-directors of the Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), talk about the history of the field, how Maine educators are teaching it today, and how MEEA is looking at environmentalism through an equity lens.

Learn more about how MaineCF donors support MEEA's work.

Local entrepreneurs and community leaders discuss the revitalization efforts of downtown Skowhegan. Matt DuBois, co-owner of The Bankery and Skowhegan Fleursite & Formalwear, and Amber Lambke, co-founder of Maine Grains, share what drew them to Skowhegan, the goals of the nonprofit organization Main Street Skowhegan, and how the "gateway to the North Woods" is becoming an attraction all its own.

The Maine Community Foundation has awarded multiple grants to Main Street Skowhegan projects. Learn more here.

Terri Ouellette of Families First Community Center in Ellsworth discusses homelessness in Hancock County, and how the transitional home is working to break the cycle of homelessness.

Grants from Maine Community Foundation's Community Building Grant Program have supported FFCC. In 2020, the organization was awarded $10,000 for the renovation of its transitional home for families. In 2021, FFCC was awarded $10,000 to create a service coordination program for adults who lost employment due to COVID-19. Learn more here.