Announcing this year's 19 Mini-Grant projects!

We’re so excited to announce 19 community projects that were awarded funding this year through our annual Shared Gifting process. Each project listed below has received a grant from Healthy Neighborhoods ranging from $250 - $5,000.

Shared Gifting is a collaborative grantmaking process where all applicants, interested community members, and Healthy Neighborhoods Network members come together to hear about and vote on proposed projects in Lewiston. The group works together to decide which projects to fund and in what amount. This year’s projects are a wonderful representation of the diverse types of ideas folks bring to Shared Gifting, and are an exciting reflection of how much can be done in our community with a little financial support.

Projects are listed alphabetically by project name.

    Project Name
    Lead Applicant
   Project Summary
  


    Abundant Life Center "Builds" Connection
    Abundant Life Center
    Hosts a series of community work days for residents to receive job training mentorship while helping build out the infrastructure to the Abundant Life Center, a community recreation space. Those who participate will receive vouchers for expenses-paid camping trips or funding for a small or large party including planning support, and use of the ALC space. Also helps the ALC apply for 501(c)3 status.
  

    Community Connection Through Art
    New Beginnings
    Creates new and expands existing youth-focused event spaces for homeless and at-risk youth, and promotes ongoing community collaboration by using those spaces - especially youth-led and youth-focused events in those spaces - to connect with, and build and strengthen partnerships inside the Lewiston community.
  

    Equity & Leadership
    Rosati Leadership Academy
  RLA is an ongoing, free after-school mindfulness-based soccer program for students from 2nd to 11th grade. This funding is to support both their gender equity initiative and youth job training through their Leadership Development School.
  

    Resource Bags for Community
    Wellness Mobile
  Materials for resource bags to be distributed to community members in need, especially the homeless community.
  

    GRIT Goods
    Kaydenz Kitchen
  GRIT Resource Center provides free goods to the community in collaboration with other local nonprofits, case/social workers, and the homeless community. This project expands the resources and goods they can have available and covers purchasing goods in bulk that will be distributed for free to community members in need.
  

    GRIT Workforce
    Kaydenz Kitchen
  A new workforce development program that will help individuals who have been out of employment or have current roadblocks securing employment, transition back into the workforce. Collaboration between Kaydenz Kitchen and Recovery Connections of Maine / the REST Center.
  

    Homeownership Classes (Renter 2 Owner)
    Healthy Homeworks
  Free first-time homeowner classes for Tree Streets residents who aspire to purchase their first home. Teaches financial literacy, budgeting, and qualifying for a mortgage; hands-on home maintenance; property management; and the steps in the home-buying process including working with a realtor.
  

    Juneteenth Ain't Enough
    Maine Inside Out 

 Friday June 17 from 3-5pm in Kennedy Park, Maine Inside Out and partners will host a public celebration of Juneteenth. The event honors the emancipation of enslaved people in America while recognizing that the systems and structures of chattel slavery are still intact today. Includes food, family activities, tabling, artistic performances from MIO and BIPOC community artists; large collaboration among racial justice-oriented organizations.
  

    Kitchen & Café Downtown
    Klara Tammany
 Creates an inviting, nurturing cafe tea/coffee shop and space for other pop-up programs in the Tree Streets neighborhood. Will provide work experiences for residents, including teens from the Root Cellar, and create a community gathering space. Modeled on expanding Root Cellar's Common Grounds Cafe.
  

    Kommunity Kritters 2022 Operations + Event
    Kommunity Kritters
 Provides free pet resources in the Tree Streets. Purchases goods to stock the pet pantry and supports an August 2022 event to provide pet resources including food, litter, flea and tick treatments, vaccines, etc in the Tree Streets. Also includes applyin for 501(c)3 status. 
  

    LED Screen for Community Movies
    Lewiston Summer Fun & Films
  Helps fund the purchase of an LED screen to increase the projection quality for Lewiston Summer Fun and Films, an annual summer program in Lewiston that shows free family-friendly films in community locations.
  

    Lew Crew Learning
    Root Cellar
 Summer work experience program for Tree Streets teens. Includes summer jobs, recreation and play, team-buliding, and overnight trips. Partners with other community organizations to teach financial literacy and elective classes like sewing, construction, cooking, gardening, etc.
  

    Musical Farmers
    Trinity Church
 Fall multi-cultural music and food festival. Will include a number of performances by musicians and spoken word artists over the course of a weekday evening or weekend day. Connect with experiencing diverse foods and participating in activities such as drumming, singing circle, etc. Offer thanks and celebration of those who farm in our community.
  

    Peace, Love, Housing
    Larissa Ryerson
Print and distribute free t-shirts in the community with "Peace, Love and Housing" logo. Partners with homeless and at-risk youth at the Store Next Door to give free t-shirts, help them use the same logo to make and fundraise with other merchandise.
  

    Placemaking + Events at Farmers Market
    Lewiston Farmers Market
Activate and improve the new Lewiston Farmers Market site, in particular the green space at 75 Lincoln Street, through new infrastructure and activities that foster gathering, community building, and learning, while strengthening existing, and developing new, community partnerships.
  

    Senior Portraits for Struggling Students
    Store Next Door
Free senior portraits / photographs for homeless and financially struggling students at Lewiston High School. Includes hair, make-up, and a full photo shoot with edited photos.
  

    Teen Rowing Lessons
    Lewiston Rowing
Introduce community youth to the sport of rowing, for free. Builds on free community erging (rowing machine) classes offered in May 2022. Includes dryland training, on-water rowing, and rowing-related volunteer opportunities at the Riverfest.
  

    Who Are You Project
    Amy Sanchez
Supports people experiencing homelessness in getting their ID (identification) and other vital documents, which is one of the first steps towards achieving stable housing. Covers fees and provides the knowledge and navigation support to help people get their personal records.
  

    Youth-led Summer Community Celebration
    St. Mary's Nutrition Center
Youth-organized social gathering to get together outside of a school setting; results of a months-long youth-led survey about mental health and wellness and what community youth want to see more of in Lewiston. Partnership with Maine Youth Action Network. Youth will be hired to plan and execute the vision that was expressed through the youth survey, specially sharing cultural food and experiences and creating art.
  

Project Name	Lead Applicant	Project Summary
Abundant Life Center "Builds" Connection	Abundant Life Center	Hosts a series of community work days for residents to receive job training mentorship while helping build out the infrastructure to the Abundant Life Center, a community recreation space. Those who participate will receive vouchers for expenses-paid camping trips or funding for a small or large party including planning support, and use of the ALC space. Also helps the ALC apply for 501(c)3 status.
Community Connection Through Art	New Beginnings	Creates new and expands existing youth-focused event spaces for homeless and at-risk youth, and promotes ongoing community collaboration by using those spaces - especially youth-led and youth-focused events in those spaces - to connect with, and build and strengthen partnerships inside the Lewiston community.
Equity & Leadership	Rosati Leadership Academy	RLA is an ongoing, free after-school mindfulness-based soccer program for students from 2nd to 11th grade. This funding is to support both their gender equity initiative and youth job training through their Leadership Development School.
Resource Bags for Community	Wellness Mobile	Materials for resource bags to be distributed to community members in need, especially the homeless community.
GRIT Goods	Kaydenz Kitchen	GRIT Resource Center provides free goods to the community in collaboration with other local nonprofits, case/social workers, and the homeless community. This project expands the resources and goods they can have available and covers purchasing goods in bulk that will be distributed for free to community members in need.
GRIT Workforce	Kaydenz Kitchen	A new workforce development program that will help individuals who have been out of employment or have current roadblocks securing employment, transition back into the workforce. Collaboration between Kaydenz Kitchen and Recovery Connections of Maine / the REST Center.
Homeownership Classes (Renter 2 Owner)	Healthy Homeworks	Free first-time homeowner classes for Tree Streets residents who aspire to purchase their first home. Teaches financial literacy, budgeting, and qualifying for a mortgage; hands-on home maintenance; property management; and the steps in the home-buying process including working with a realtor.
Juneteenth Ain't Enough	Maine Inside Out	Friday June 17 from 3-5pm in Kennedy Park, Maine Inside Out and partners will host a public celebration of Juneteenth. The event honors the emancipation of enslaved people in America while recognizing that the systems and structures of chattel slavery are still intact today. Includes food, family activities, tabling, artistic performances from MIO and BIPOC community artists; large collaboration among racial justice-oriented organizations.
Kitchen & Café Downtown	Klara Tammany	Creates an inviting, nurturing cafe tea/coffee shop and space for other pop-up programs in the Tree Streets neighborhood. Will provide work experiences for residents, including teens from the Root Cellar, and create a community gathering space. Modeled on expanding Root Cellar's Common Grounds Cafe.
Kommunity Kritters 2022 Operations + Event	Kommunity Kritters	Provides free pet resources in the Tree Streets. Purchases goods to stock the pet pantry and supports an August 2022 event to provide pet resources including food, litter, flea and tick treatments, vaccines, etc in the Tree Streets. Also includes applyin for 501(c)3 status.
LED Screen for Community Movies	Lewiston Summer Fun & Films	Helps fund the purchase of an LED screen to increase the projection quality for Lewiston Summer Fun and Films, an annual summer program in Lewiston that shows free family-friendly films in community locations.
Lew Crew Learning	Root Cellar	Summer work experience program for Tree Streets teens. Includes summer jobs, recreation and play, team-buliding, and overnight trips. Partners with other community organizations to teach financial literacy and elective classes like sewing, construction, cooking, gardening, etc.
Musical Farmers	Trinity Church	Fall multi-cultural music and food festival. Will include a number of performances by musicians and spoken word artists over the course of a weekday evening or weekend day. Connect with experiencing diverse foods and participating in activities such as drumming, singing circle, etc. Offer thanks and celebration of those who farm in our community.
Peace, Love, Housing	Larissa Ryerson	Print and distribute free t-shirts in the community with "Peace, Love and Housing" logo. Partners with homeless and at-risk youth at the Store Next Door to give free t-shirts, help them use the same logo to make and fundraise with other merchandise.
Placemaking + Events at Farmers Market	Lewiston Farmers Market	Activate and improve the new Lewiston Farmers Market site, in particular the green space at 75 Lincoln Street, through new infrastructure and activities that foster gathering, community building, and learning, while strengthening existing, and developing new, community partnerships.
Senior Portraits for Struggling Students	Store Next Door	Free senior portraits / photographs for homeless and financially struggling students at Lewiston High School. Includes hair, make-up, and a full photo shoot with edited photos.
Teen Rowing Lessons	Lewiston Rowing	Introduce community youth to the sport of rowing, for free. Builds on free community erging (rowing machine) classes offered in May 2022. Includes dryland training, on-water rowing, and rowing-related volunteer opportunities at the Riverfest.
Who Are You Project	Amy Sanchez	Supports people experiencing homelessness in getting their ID (identification) and other vital documents, which is one of the first steps towards achieving stable housing. Covers fees and provides the knowledge and navigation support to help people get their personal records.
Youth-led Summer Community Celebration	St. Mary's Nutrition Center	Youth-organized social gathering to get together outside of a school setting; results of a months-long youth-led survey about mental health and wellness and what community youth want to see more of in Lewiston. Partnership with Maine Youth Action Network. Youth will be hired to plan and execute the vision that was expressed through the youth survey, specially sharing cultural food and experiences and creating art.

Interested in helping out one of these projects? Email us at organizer@growingourtreestreets.com and we’ll connect you with the people leading them!

Allie SmithJune 20, 2022