JTGF Updates

Stephanie LeBlanc: Building A Culture of Resiliency

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When John T. Gorman Fellow Stephanie LeBlanc learned that more than half of middle-school students in Oxford County did not feel valued in their community, she saw a red flag that needed to be addressed. What followed was the Oxford County Resiliency Project. With a two-year grant from the Foundation, the program has helped schools across the county implement practices that make students feel safe, supported, and resilient. In this interview, LeBlanc speaks about the project’s successes, next steps, and how the Fellowship has influenced her as a leader.  

ANALYSIS: Countering Adverse Childhood Experiences

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have significant effects on a child’s development and chances for future success – a rising concern during a pandemic that is putting them and their families under much greater stress. In this timely analysis, Senior Program Associate Jennifer Beck, PhD., uncovers the science behind ACEs and outlines the strategies the Foundation is using to prevent and mitigate them in Maine.

Photo Journal: 2020 Direct Services Grantees

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Since receiving funding this spring, our 2020 Direct Services Grantees have done exceptional work across Maine to meet new and increased needs for low-income Mainers while coping with numerous challenges. These pictures from the field offer a glimpse of how they’ve done it. 

With Foundation support, Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership holds first meeting

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The John T. Gorman Foundation has made a grant to support the work of Maine’s new Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership. The following is a press release from the Maine Securities Administration announcing the partnership’s first meeting today. The initiative is being led by John T. Gorman Fellow Jaye Martin, executive director of Legal Services for the Elderly, a longtime partner in the Foundation’s work to help Maine seniors age in place.  

Summer 2020 Foundation News of Note

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Fellowship Delayed: Due to the COVID pandemic, the Foundation has made the tough decision to delay recruitment for the next cohort of John T. Gorman Fellowship until 2021. An exact date will be shared in the future. During this time, we continue to reach out to and support our past Fellows, who are doing exceptional … Read more

5 Takeaways from Foundation’s Two-Generation Approach Webinar

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On July 21, the John T. Gorman Foundation hosted a webinar on its recent policy brief, “The Two-Generation Approach: Recommendations for Bridging Practice and Policy in Maine.” Panelists included the brief’s author Sarah Griffen, Maine Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Commissioner Bethany Hamm, and Tracye Fortin, Director of Child and Family Services at … Read more

Grantee Profile: Cooking for Community

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This May, the John T. Gorman Foundation awarded $700,000 to 43 nonprofits across Maine in its annual Direct Services Grant Program. These grants support efforts to meet immediate, basic needs for low-income Mainers. In this profile, we learn more about first-time grantee Cooking for Community, which is using an innovative approach to help the food insecure and a struggling food industry.

Prolonged Pandemic Brings New Challenges for Maine Families

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As the pandemic stretches on, the John T. Gorman Foundation directs grants to address emerging concerns about domestic violence, the safety of children and families, and the well-being of Maine’s tribal communities When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Maine this spring, the John T. Gorman Foundation quickly joined others in diverting resources to meet sudden … Read more