BANGOR, Maine — When teenager Duncan Black entered Carleton Project, a private alternative high school based at the city’s youth homeless shelter, he didn’t realize that the educational program was started in Bangor with funds from the United Way.
All he saw was the opportunity provided by the program, one of dozens the United Way supports annually.
“It’s helped me a lot. It’s allowed me to continue my schooling,” the 18-year-old said Friday while marching in a kickoff event for the United Way of Eastern Maine’s 2016 fundraising campaign.
United Way of Eastern Maine is a nonprofit organization that leads collaborative community initiatives, promotes volunteerism and supports dozens of health and human service programs in Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington counties. The goal is to improve the lives of all Mainers, said Sno Barry, the 2016 United Way of Eastern Maine campaign chairwoman. The group’s goal is $1.85 million, an increase over last year’s $1.8 million, she said, adding, “we did reach that goal.”
“The biggest part of the campaign is workplace programs, but there are a lot of programs,” Barry said at the beginning of the kickoff. “Whether you are passionate about youth or seniors, there is a group that does all of that, a group that supports what you support.”
Each program supported by United Way goes through a review process to ensure “what is the best use of funds.”
“We know our funds are well spent,” Barry said.
Wellspring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services is another program supported by the United Way, according to Pat Leture, business manager for Wellspring, who marched in the kickoff for the first time this year.
“It’s extremely important — it helps to fund some of the uninsured so they can get outpatient services,” Leture said of the Wellspring program. “We have a women’s house for inpatient care and a men’s house for inpatient care, those are mostly for substance abuse, and we have outpatient services for both substance abuse and mental health.
“With outpatient care we try to get them in quickly and get them services” before problems become a crisis, she said.
For Chris Betts, a Bangor educator for the Carleton Project, providing opportunities is what the alternative education program is all about. Carleton Project was founded by Houlton teacher and Carleton Project Principal Alan Morris, who started the private high school in Presque Isle in 1999. There also is a school in Houlton and United Way helped with funds to establish a Carleton Project program at the Shaw House in Bangor, he said.
“We got started from funds from the United Way,” Betts said. “We focus on … self esteem, leadership, interpersonal relationships, resourcefulness and patience. I’ve found that if they have those skills, the math, science and social studies typically all fall into line.”
Black, who now lives at Mason Place, transitional housing at Shaw House, has one college-level psychology class under his belt, and is planning to take others.
“I want to be a counselor for transgender youth,” he said. “That’s because I’m transgender and when I was younger there wasn’t anyone like that. I would like to provide that service.”
This year’s kickoff was held at the Bangor Waterfront’s grass amphitheater and was both a rally and community picnic, with lunch provided by Hannaford Supermarkets, where nonprofits were recognized with a “parade of thanks,” according to United Way spokesperson Jesse Moriarity.
Those who would like more information can contact the United Way at their website, unitedwayem.org, or by calling 941-2800.