Philanthropic organization hands out $1.5 million in grants to Maine nonprofits

Monday, May 30, 2022

By Dennis Hoey in The Portland Press Herald, May 18, 2022

A Portland-based philanthropic organization announced Wednesday that it will distribute $1.5 million in grants to nonprofits that provide food, shelter and essential services to Mainers in need.

The John T. Gorman Foundation said the 2022 Direct Services Grant Program awards include $505,000 for programs serving older Maine residents. Many of those programs help older adults with companionship, transportation, home repair and legal assistance.

“From gas to groceries, rising costs have made it much harder for Maine people to afford essential items and services. Older adults with low incomes have been put into especially difficult situations,” Lauralee Raymond, the foundation’s manager for special initiatives, said.

The grants will be distributed to a diverse range of nonprofit organizations located in all of Maine’s 16 counties including food kitchens, homeless shelters, medical clinics and child care programs.

Day One in South Portland will be awarded $25,000 to bring a youth-centered substance use and mental health program to a local shelter in Lewiston serving homeless youth. The Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition of Portland will receive a $25,000 grant for providing culturally appropriate foods to asylum seeker arrivals sheltered temporarily in Portland-area motels. And the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association in Scarborough will be awarded $16,500 to support a 24/7 helpline providing information, referrals and consultation for families helping a loved one who has dementia.

A more complete listing of the grant recipients is available on the foundation website.

John T. Gorman, who was known as Tom, established the foundation in 1995. He was a grandson of L.L. Bean. The foundation invests in innovative ideas and opportunities that improve the lives of Maine’s most vulnerable.