Winter Luncheon

December 28, 2018

January 16, 2019 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Membership in the Maine Women’s Giving Tree informs me about the needs of my community through discussion with professionals most directly concerned with the protections and care of its citizens.

It is a great privilege to meet these trained, experienced and effective individuals whose commitment, courage, and generosity strengthen us all in our resolve to help.

Katherine Watson

MWGT Member

When we began the Maine Women’s Giving Tree in 209, we felt that the idea of a ‘giving circle’ was a good match for our community. With friends reaching out to friends, our dreams for the success and growth of the organization have exceeded our expectations. This is a group of group of women who truly care and are willing to support their desire to make a difference in other people’s lives with hard work and on-going financial commitment.

Sandra Neiman & Judy Woodman

MWGT Co-Founders

You are a grain of rice. You come together with other grains of rice, and it becomes a bowl of rice, and that is how we feed.

Ana L. Oliver

New York Women’s Foundation (The New York Times 11/7/13)

Clients are truly thankful for diapers. They get so excited when we roll out a cart full of groceries (because we are still doing a curb side pick-up). As much as they need the food, it is the diapers that make them cry.

Kim Gates

Bath Area Food Bank - United Way Diaper Project, MWGT Grantee

A favorite story of this project is that whenever there were children on the farm our farm manager would do a ‘farm testing’ – taking the kids around the fields to pick and eat fresh veggies. One day she said to a little boy “would you like to try some spinach?” His dad was behind him and shook his head and said “he won’t eat spinach”. The little boy ate the spinach and said, “that was great, can I have some more?!”

Growing To Give

MWGT Grantee

“If it wasn’t for HAH, I would not be able to remain in my home. The Meals in a Pinch was a godsend. They helped so much.”

“I was sitting here thinking everyone had forgotten me and you show up with this food. It made my day.”

Harpswell Residents

Harpswell Aging at Home, MWGT Grantee

I was fortunate to be one of the drivers who served a client both from the VTN [Volunteer Transportation Network] and Meals on Wheels programs in Brunswick. She lives alone and unfortunately fell and did serious damage to her shoulder. After the accident she was unable to drive. We were able to provide her rides for her surgery to repair her shoulder and follow-up appointments with her surgeon. I recommended the Meals delivery program after she returned home, since she still wouldn’t be able to drive for a while. She signed up and used it very successfully through her rehab. She has completed enough rehab that she is back driving and is now a driver herself! She is back to full independent living. Seems like this is exactly the kind of thing that the VTN is intended to accomplish.

People Plus

MWGT Grantee

I am grateful that I am part of a community who gets to love and care for others. I am grateful for all who come to The Gathering Place, who give their heart to help my family. At The Gathering Place everyone is treated with respect and acceptance, regardless of where we are on our journey.

Charlene Matts

A longtime friend to The Gathering Place, MWGT Grantee

After fleeing a domestic violence situation, Cathy reached out to Tedford for help with housing. Tedford assisted Cathy in accessing a rapid-rehousing voucher with Maine Housing and then finding an apartment in Brunswick for her and her grade-school son. Due to the COVID pandemic, Cathy has struggled with obtaining and maintaining safe employment opportunities and has had little income to support her son’s academic needs going into the 2020-2021 school year. The Walmart gift card provided by the funding allowed Cathy to purchase some school supplies that her son needed for school that Cathy was previously unsure of how she was going to be pay for before being offered the gift card. After using the gift card, when Cathy provided the receipt, she wrote that her son “was so excited and got a lot of new things he desperately needed for school. I can’t say thanks enough!!

Tedford Housing

MWGT Grantee

You have no idea how relieved my sister, brother, and I are because of the work you’re doing on Mom’s home. None of us had any way to fix the mold problem that’s been putting her in the hospital, so we’ve been pushing her really hard for a long time to move somewhere else because we don’t want to lose her. And I’m sure she already told you, she doesn’t ever want to move out of her home here. So she’s been really irritated at the three of us, which is very upsetting for all of us. With all the work you’ve done to keep the mold out of the house, Mom’s health is getting a lot better. So we stopped pushing her to move, and she’s not irritated with us anymore. It’s wonderful! And with all the insulation you’re putting in, she’ll be able to keep her home warm in the winter, so that makes us feel even better about her staying here. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate all you and your team are doing for Mom. Sincere thanks to all of you.

Daughter of widow helped by Habitat for Humanity Seven Rivers Maine

MWGT Grantee

“The MCHPP [boxes] plus the bagged breakfast/lunches were incredible for everyone.”

“My two children always have enough to eat, which has become more difficult due to decreased income.”

“We appreciate all the help! Times are hard and you all at MCHPP have helped take some of my worries away! Food is increasingly expensive but your meal packs have helped so much.”

“It has been a huge blessing getting the food boxes at the bus pickup!”

“This food helped with our monthly budget. It has helped us at least 30% of our monthly food budget.”

Families supported by Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program

MWGT Grantee

Winter Luncheon

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