Creating meaningful change for Washington County families requires meaningful supports. As people make their way out of poverty, something as seemingly simple as a full gas tank or help with a security deposit can mean the difference between forward progress and moving backwards. As the CCC creates and supports changes at the system level, we also work to remove barriers to individuals and families motivated but struggling to go to school, find and keep employment, provide for their children, or age with dignity in their own home. It’s a critical part of our mission and work.
You can help! While the CCC engages in very little fundraising from individuals, we accept donations that we can put to use removing barriers for families and older residents as they achieve their goals and realize dreams for themselves and their children. Donate here.
Your donation supports these important CCC barrier removal efforts:
For over a decade the Hope Fund has been helping Washington County families, working with CCC partners, to overcome barriers to family success and reach their goals. The Hope Fund provides for one-time financial supports so a parent can safely get to work and keep their job or pay a deposit on a new rental so a family has safe, stable housing. Applications are considered in areas relating to housing, transportation, medical, mental health, dental, employment, and education. “The Hope Fund allowed me to have a safe vehicle to get to work and class without having to fall behind in other living expenses.”
The Dream Fund was created in 2016 when founding director, Marjorie Withers, retired. Marjorie had a vision of a fund that could support children and young adults with dreams for opportunities that would bring them joy but were beyond the financial capacity of their families. Eight years later, the Dream Fund is still kindling hope and creating access to experiences that build self-esteem, resilience, and skills. 
The Dream Fund helped rebuild bridges between a twelve-year-old boy suffering from PTSD and his mother. Mom applied to the fund for a digital camera so her son could document their visits to nearby parks after observing his interest in photography. Photography not only helps him with his PTSD, it enhances the quality time spent with his mother creating a positive outcome for this family.
The Joy Fund was seeded by a Washington County real estate agent to help first-time home buyers in Washington County by providing up to $1,000 towards home inspections. Home ownership is the most expensive & important investment an individual can make in themselves, their future, their family, and their community, but often prospective buyers just can’t afford that extra cost to ensure their new home is safe and livable. “As a single mom scraping by on a simple dream, everything could have gone very wrong,” said Sara M from Eastport. “Knowing that the house I was planning to buy had been inspected and any issues had been revealed, meant I knew I was not going to be surprised by unexpected issues or costly repairs. That one hand up in my moment of need was about more than money because I had already poured all of my savings into the initial home-buying costs.”
Flex Funds are immediately-available resources for families during emergencies or for small, important expenses. Integral to the success of CCC model programs like ECCO and Bridging, Flex Funds may be used for childcare during a medical appointment, meal vouchers for parents whose infant is in the hospital, specialized equipment for children with mobility challenges, or simply helping a family buy diapers. Flex Funds help service providers respond quickly to barriers that pop up unexpectedly. Left unaddressed, these barriers can set a family back or stop progress altogether.
The Connection Initiative (TCI) is a county-wide program hosted and coordinated by the CCC that connects community members to needed resources. It uses an online platform that allows the moderator to connect community members to needed resources or organizations. A person can email, call/text, use Facebook Messenger or visit TCI’s website to reach out for help. “Thank you for all the help. I really needed someone to walk me through the process.”
Durable Medical Equipment (DME), like wheel chairs, walkers, hospital beds, bath or shower chairs, and bedside commodes, play a huge role in a patient’s transition from the hospital after surgery and continued safety. Many of these expensive medical items are not covered by health insurance but might be required for older Mainers and those with chronic illness to either convalesce after a hospital stay or remain at home for as long as possible. The CCC coordinates the donating and borrowing of DME through The Connection Initiative.
How you can give: The CCC can accept electronic payments on our Givebutter site here, or checks and money orders payable to the Community Caring Collaborative at this address:
Community Caring Collaborative
PO Box 224
East Machias, ME 04630
Your gift will be processed by our fiscal sponsor, Sunrise Opportunities, and is fully tax-deductible.
Thank you!