Melissa LeBrun has spent most of her adult life helping others. She began fostering children in her 20s, four of whom she adopted. During the Great Recession, she launched a soup kitchen with her mother in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire. She is a former medical social worker with a master’s degree in human services
When school is in session at Central School in South Berwick, Maine, you are likely to find Bill Glass and his Golden Retriever, Layla, visiting the classrooms. Bill reads to the students (grades pre-K to 3) while Layla offers up her belly or ears for a good petting. In technical terms, they provide therapeutic emotional support. In plain
Charlene knows what it’s like to need a helping hand. She raised six children by herself when her husband died at a young age. As a nurse’s aide for York County Health Services, she oftentimes cared for lower-income older adults in their homes. “I even washed their feet,” she said, proudly. At 90, Charlene is
Avesta Housing is proud to announce that it has exceeded its $2 million goal for its first-ever fundraising campaign, the Silver Hearth Fund. This money will help improve the lives of older residents who lack the resources necessary for a stable household consisting of safe, quality housing and adequate necessities such as food, health care
PORTLAND, Maine — NBT Bank has donated $25,000 to Avesta Housing’s Silver Hearth Fund to help provide affordable housing and services for older adults in Maine and New Hampshire. Avesta provides safe, affordable quality homes to more than 4,500 people each year, half of whom are ages 55 and older. Still, the need for affordable
Avesta has been awarded two 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) awards and four Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Affordable Housing Program (AHP) awards. This represents almost $20 million in equity and subsidy funding that will help build much-needed affordable housing in Maine. The developments that received awards are: Village Commons in Scarborough
Avesta Housing has created a new staff role to safeguard housing stability for older adults living in our properties. This “senior support specialist” will provide one-on-one support to senior residents with mental health issues who are struggling with day-to-day tasks necessary for independent living. The program’s goal is to ensure residents receive the help they
Caring for older adults wasn’t Julie Martin’s first career choice. In fact, she didn’t start until she was in her 50s. But now she couldn’t imagine not doing it. “There are some life lessons to be learned from the elderly,” she said. Julie, 58, grew up on a farm in Gray, and now manages her
When Nancy Chadbourne was a child growing up in Bristol, Maine, her mother told her she could expect to be one of three things: a nurse, a teacher, or a secretary. “Boy, you don’t know your daughter,” she thought. From a young age, Nancy craved adventure. Unfortunately, the times weren’t favorable for women seeking adventure.
Firmly gripping a handheld square hoe in her right hand, Caroline E. Savage describes what she has planted in her raised garden bed at Motherhouse, a 55-plus Avesta Housing community in Portland. A couple of tomato plants here. Some kale over there. Rosemary, basil, and dill for flavoring. She’s an artist — a photographer by
