Midcoast Community Alliance Receives John T. Gorman Foundation Grant

Midcoast Community Alliance Receives John T. Gorman Foundation Grant

One of Several Grants to MCA During Covid-19 Crisis

MCA’s Community Assistance with Youth and Families Continues

Bath — Midcoast Community Alliance was recently awarded a John T. Gorman Foundation Direct Services Grant for MCA’s work in serving students and families in the greater Bath area. The $10,000 grant was one of 43 awarded to nonprofits around the state, totaling $700,000.

“The John T. Gorman Foundation is proud to support Midcoast Community Alliance and their work supporting vulnerable youth during these particularly challenging times,” said John T. Gorman Foundation Program Associate Lauralee Raymond, who manages the program.

This round of John T. Gorman Foundation grant-giving primarily focuses on the needs of children, youth, and families. “We are very grateful for John T. Gorman Foundation’s commitment to Maine’s youth and for strengthening supports around those most vulnerable  in our community,” said MCA founder and executive director Jamie Dorr.

This spring, MCA has been the recipient of several other grant awards as well, totaling $20,500, for youth enrichment and support during the pandemic. Grants from the Building Stronger Nonprofits Fund of the Maine Community Foundation, North Woolwich Methodist Church, First Parish Church in Brunswick and United Way enabled MCA to assist students with homelessness, food insecurity and other critical issues magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Midcoast Community Alliance has established itself in the last three years as a kind of services navigator for students and young adults, with a core focus on eliminating youth suicide and improving mental health care access. During the Covid-19 outbreak, the Bath Youth Meetinghouse & Skatepark became a food distribution point for MCA, offering hot meals and groceries three days a week, from March through Mid-May. (The program is on hiatus at the moment as MCA focuses on reopening.)

Although MCA’s base of operation, the skatepark, closed the business side temporarily in March, Executive Director Jamie Dorr remains in touch with students requesting various kinds of support, assisting with issues like hunger relief, technology access and connection to mental health supports. Donna Verhoeven of the Merrymeeting Youth Project continues to support students experiencing homelessness.

“Keeping kids and families connected to support services and to MCA assistance is critical,” said Dorr.  “We are working tirelessly to reopen, planning for ways to reconnect socially while doing so safely. We hope to offer summer learning opportunities for Bath Middle School students as soon as possible.”

Gorman was a grandson of L.L. Bean and established the Foundation in 1995 to help disadvantaged Mainers. For more information about the John T. Gorman Foundation, visit www.jtgfoundation.org.

For more information on Midcoast Community Alliance, contact Jamie Dorr at jamie@mcamaine.org.