JTGF Updates

A growing body of research details the interconnected health of children and their caregivers – especially in the first months after a child is born. While a long-running survey of mothers has provided valuable data during this formative period, relatively little is known about the well-being of fathers, who are a critical factor in family health. With funding from the John T. Gorman Foundation, the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the Maine CDC are now working to fill the gap with the Maine Fatherhood Survey.

In Maine, several John T. Gorman Foundation partners have valuable insights to share on centering parent voice. Across the state, these 2Gen leaders are working alongside parents to build programs that are making a difference for families and strengthening whole communities. We profile three of these efforts – Community Caring Collaborative, Moving Families Forward, and Zero to School Starting Strong – to highlight how they have shaped and evolved their programs around parent voice and the lessons they are learning.

Over the past decade, national 2Gen leader Ascend at the Aspen Institute has helped organizations across the country elevate the voices of parents and caregivers – using lessons learned from the families who have guided its own work. In this interview, we discuss best practices with Ascend Senior Program Associate Danielle Christenson, who works with a national cohort of parent advisors to the organization’s Postsecondary Success for Parents Initiative.

The John T. Gorman Foundation is making updates to the timing and focus of the Direct Services Grant Program in 2026.

Early identification, family relationship building, and community partnerships are helping students and families avoid homelessness When a family loses stable housing, the first signs often appear at school. A child arrives tired or late. Attendance slips. Reaching a parent becomes harder. But even when these early signs are recognized, schools have limited capacity to help … Read more

As Maine youth experience increasing mental health challenges, funding from the John T. Gorman Foundation will help connect rural students to mentorship, positive experiences, and other supportive programming When schools and community organizations work together, they can create stronger networks of support for young people. With five grants totaling $450,000, the John T. Gorman Foundation … Read more

An innovative collaboration is showing how community partnerships can improve student engagement and strengthen learning environments

$250,000 grant will help Good Shepherd Food Bank as its works with frontline partners to meet an unprecedented level of demand for food assistance in the days ahead As Maine families prepare for the loss of federal food assistance on November 1, the John T. Gorman Foundation has provided a $250,000 grant to Good Shepherd … Read more