2020 Goals
The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers is a thriving nonprofit with more than 120 years of experience providing essential services and care for children, youth and families across the state of Maine. We are continuing to make enhancements to the Dorothy ‘Bibby’ Alfond Campus in Waterville for long-term development. We are increasing the marketing & branding of our Adoption services; evolving methods to share our parenting education tools and supports across the state; expanding awareness and support for children that have been impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) through our Counseling Program, through training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) and creating a much larger counseling center.
We are expanding supports that ‘build and strengthen families and their children, instilling hope for the future and a better quality of life’ through our six programs:
- George J. and Mary S. Mitchell Adoption Unit
- Harland A. Turner Family Counseling Center
- Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program
- The Children’s Place Early Care and Education Center
- Summer Camp Scholarship Program
- Christmas Program
Fundraising events/Opportunities
The MCH fundraising includes concerts, the Friends of The Maine Children’s Home Yard Sale and Lobster Roll Lunch, gift drives with local schools, businesses and supporters. The board hosts three major fundraising events annually:
- The Annual Dinner is in January with a dinner, silent auction and the Annual Fund kick-off.
- Wine and Beer Tasting on May 15th with heavy hors d’oeuvres, local Maine wine & beer sampling and silent and live auction in Oakland.
- In September, we host a fundraiser for the Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program with the Low XII Central Maine chapter Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association. Supporters, program alumni and participants, staff and friends will join us for a BBQ lunch with presentations from past and present teen parents as well as a silent auction.
Corporate support is essential to our annual fundraising. Call (207) 872-0261 for more information.
Giving Opportunities
- Our established development program welcomes legacy gift planning opportunities, donations of stock, art, and other charitable gifts.
- Corporate sponsorships of MCH events are available, which offers broad exposure with advertising and promotions on our website, event materials and in email and print newsletters.
- Direct-mail appeals are sent in January for the Red Stocking Annual Fund (supporting more than 3,500 children, youth and families in 2019), in April for Summer Camp Scholarships (Over 70 youth were sent to camp in 2019) and a Red Stocking Appeal in October which supports all six of our programs.
- In-kind donations of new books, games, clothing or toys are needed to meet all the needs of the Christmas boxes for youth across Maine.
Volunteer Opportunities
We welcome over 300 volunteers annually from local schools, colleges, civic clubs and businesses to complete activities and projects for our Waterville campus.
- Join the Friends of The Maine Children’s Home to provide support for The Maine Children’s Home. The Friends are goodwill ambassadors that help promote and carry out fundraising activities as well as provide resources to help grow and maintain MCH’s six core programs.
- Assist our Christmas Program by sorting and packing more than 1,700 children’s gift boxes each year.
- Read to the 36 children at our Children’s Place Early Care and Education Center.
- Serve on the board or other planning and development committees.
Call (207) 873-4253 to find out how your group can lend a hand to The Maine Children’s Home.
