JTGF Updates

Rising Futures Maine initiative focuses on building partnerships to remove barriers and expand opportunity for parents pursuing education and workforce opportunities

Bangor Housing program introduces residents to meaningful careers – and helps them take the next step

For families across Maine, a lack of transportation can stand in the way of work, education, and essential services. A new Foundation report highlights promising strategies for addressing these challenges — three efforts already underway offer glimpses of what these community approaches look like in practice.

We haven’t moved, but the address of our building (formerly One Canal Plaza) has changed. Our new address is 200 Middle Street, Suite 804, in Portland. If you have any questions, please call us at (207) 518-6784.

Access to reliable transportation is vital in connecting families to work, childcare, education, and other services they need to thrive – especially in a rural state like Maine. Yet an estimated 40,000 households across the state do not have a personal vehicle and public transit meets only 11% of the total rides needed.

The John T. Gorman Foundation has hired Jessica Drescher, PhD, as its Senior Research Associate. In this role, Jessica leads the Foundation’s efforts to evaluate the impact of its initiatives, using research and data to improve programs and outcomes for children and families in Maine. Informed by her own experiences growing up in Penobscot County, … Read more

Our latest Data Snapshot examines how these early childhood supports have reached Maine families in recent years. While there are encouraging signs among the trends, many areas still need improvement.

John T. Gorman Fellow Jessica Berry has joined other leaders to create the Midcoast Community Collaborative, which is now implementing a new initiative to deliver strengthen community-wide supports for young children and their families.

In Lewiston-Auburn, Community Health Workers are leveraging their lived experiences in a promising initiative to improve outcomes for immigrant families with young children.