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Sponsored by: Sweetser
Updated: September 23, 2019 2019 Giving Guide

Sweetser

2020 Goals

Sweetser is a nonprofit community mental health provider with a statewide network of care serving more than 20,000 children, families and adults each year. Primary goals are:

  • Offering a broad array of community based treatment and support services to assist individuals experiencing an emotional disturbance, mental illness, behavioral disorder, and/or substance use issue to regain their sense of self and move forward in pursuit of a promising future.
  • Providing quick access to care.
  • Promoting 24/7 crisis services
  • Ensuring quality residential care for children guided by the principles of Cornell University’s Children and Residential Experiences (CARE).
  • Providing quality residential services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a community setting in Bangor.
  • Offering one of the state’s most comprehensive eating disorders programs through the New England Eating Disorders program at Sweetser.
  • Training those with lived experience in recovery statewide as facilitators in WRAP (Wellness and Recovery Action Plan) through the Peer Training Network in partnership with the Copeland Center.
  • Recognizing and championing the strength of the community mental health system in Maine as a practical alternative to more costly alternatives, such as emergency rooms, inpatient hospital care and jails.
  • Providing access to necessary services (free and reduced fee) for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured.

Fundraising Events/Opportunities

Sweetser has three major fundraising events that provide sponsorship opportunities for business participation and donor support. Learn more about each event at sweetser.org:

  • The Sweetser/KeyBank “Sold on Kids” Auction & Dinner is held May 8 at the Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks in South Portland. Close to 500 guests attend our largest fundraising event.
  • The Sweetser/Prime Motor Group Golf Classic is held June 22 at the Dunegrass Golf Club in Old Orchard Beach. This popular tournament includes 37 teams and sells out, so reserve teams early.
  • Sweetser/Harvard Pilgrim Cycle or Stroll for Suicide Prevention is held on September 13, kicking off National Suicide Prevention week. This event begins at the Sweetser campus in Saco and is held on the Eastern Trail. Cycle for 2, 8 or 14 miles, or walk for three miles. Children 12 and under participate for free.

Giving Opportunities

Businesses and individuals can support Sweetser’s annual organizational appeal or donate towards special fundraising events that benefit Sweetser clients through our statewide network of care. There are several ways to give, including the following:

  • Unrestricted donations and employer matching gifts
  • Endowment donations
  • Event sponsorships
  • Gifts of products or services to support clients and the work of our programs
  • Planned gifts
  • Holiday gift program donations for people in residential care
  • Business percent of sale events

For more information on how you can support Sweetser, please contact Todd Henry, development director, at (207) 294-4484 or thenry@sweetser.org.

Volunteer Opportunities

Essential to Sweetser’s work, individual or business volunteers add life experience, diverse interests and unique abilities to extend our network of care including: one-day volunteer activities for organizations to paint, landscape or other large projects; administrative or office support; activity leaders; spending one-to-two hours per week sharing hobbies and interests in residential settings; classroom assistants; and volunteers for special fundraising events. Also, Sweetser has a variety of intern opportunities many areas ranging from clinical, residential, development and training. It’s also a great way to gain educational career experience. Contact Volunteer Manager Sue Asselin Hawthorne shawthorne@sweetser.org.

Leadership

Debra D. Taylor: President and CEO
Patricia A. Small: Board Chair; Retired, Educator

Board Officers

Brynn K. Riley: Board Vice Chair; Clinical Quality Program Director, Anthem

William J. Zafirson: Board Secretary; Executive Vice President & Chief Retail Lending Officer, Bank of New Hampshire

Charles M. Petersen: Board Treasurer; Retired Bank President & CEO, Biddeford Savings Bank


Board members

Erin Ehrlenbach Collins

Joshua S. Cushman

Jessica A. Demers

Diane H. Donaldson

Dennis Eagleson

Troy A. Ellsmore

Christopher T. Emmet

Michelle R. LaChapelle

Dr. Robert A. Lobis

Jerry Mansfield

James A. Nylund

Brenda A. Piecuch

Gregory R. Prince

Melissa R. Richter

Michael W. Sawyer

Dr. Margaret A. Shepp

Debra D. Taylor

Mary E. Turgeon

Douglas A. Willett

At a glance

Established: 1828
Employees: 960
Annual revenue: $70,266,998

Top funding sources

MaineCare: 68%
State of Maine: 13%
Private insurance: 8%
Investment income, fundraising and miscellaneous: 5%
Medicare: 3%
Local school districts: 3%

Contact

50 Moody St.,
Saco, ME 04072
(800) 434-3000

www.sweetser.org
www.facebook.com/sweetsermentalhealth
www.instagram.com/sweetsermentalhealth
www.linkedin.com/sweetser
www.twitter.com/sweetsermaine

Awards/Accolades

Sweetser maintains national accreditation with the Council on Accreditation. / June 2019: the Choose To Be Healthy Coalition at York Hospital recognized Sweetser Clinical Director Maggie Norbert with the Apple Award for Excellence in Community Health and Collaboration. / May 2019: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) presented Sweetser Director of Crisis & Adult Residential Services Danielle Parent, JD, LCSW, CSP, with the Mental Health Leadership Award at the 4th Annual NAMI Mental Health and Law Enforcement Recognition Banquet. / February 2019: United Way of York County awarded a two-year community investment grant totaling $24,300 to support underinsured and uninsured children and their families in York County. / October 2018: Sweetser was named a partner in a two-year grant awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The grant provides training for clinicians throughout the state in cognitive suicide prevention. / December 2017: The Department of Health and Human Services awarded Sweetser crisis services contracts in Androscoggin, Franklin, Knox, Oxford, Waldo and York counties. These were in addition to contracts for crisis services that continued in Lincoln, Sagadahoc and northern Cumberland counties.

Mission Statement

Sweetser’s mission is to provide quality treatment, support and hope to children, families and adults through a network of mental and behavioral health, developmental, and educational services.

Service Location

State of Maine