Giving back to the community is an important part of my mission statement which is "Selling real estate is my job, but helping people is my passion."
With each closing for real estate a contribution is made in the name of the client to the following non profit.
In appreciation of your business and with my ongoing effort to give back something to the community, I am happy to inform you that a contribution will be made in your name to the following charity:
Good Shepard Food Bank
Why are people hungry?
Basically, there’s no good reason for people in Maine to go hungry. There’s plenty of food. The problem has always been overcoming the economic and political obstacles that prevent food from reaching those who need it. Ending hunger means solving these more systemic problems while, at the same time, doing everything we can on a daily basis to feed hungry people.
Many people are hungry because they get sick or injured, a spouse or parent dies, or they lose their job or are unable to work. Unfortunately, these bad breaks happen all the time to people in all socio-economic conditions, forcing them to make painful choices like whether to buy food to eat or pay their rent or other necessities.
How does Good Shepherd Food Bank confront hunger and food insecurity in our community?
This year, the Food Bank will distribute over 13 million pounds of food and grocery products to more than 600 agencies that serve all 16 counties in Maine. Good Shepherd Food Bank is the primary and best source of food for most of these agencies. By partnering with the Food Bank they receive a combined savings of millions of dollars annually! This enables many agencies to stretch their limited operating funds to further extend their services to those in need.
What is the Food Bank service area?
Good Shepherd Food Bank serves all 16 counties in Maine, from Kittery to Fort Kent. We serve 600 nonprofit partner agencies operating on the front lines of hunger relief in our state.
Do people who are hungry go directly to Good Shepherd Food Bank for food?
No. Our partner agencies – including soup kitchens, food pantries, neighborhood centers, and homeless shelters – provide the food and grocery products they receive from the Food Bank to their clients. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people are fed through our partner agencies each month. For every dollar you give, Good Shepherd Food Bank can distribute 4 meals to hungry people in Maine
Volunteer of the Year Award Presented By Cumberland County Soil & Water District
SUCCESS AT LAST!
FEDERAL FUNDING OBTAINED FOR MILFOIL MITIGATION
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE FULL STORY
MILFOIL INFESTATION, MITIGATION, ERADICATION, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INITIATIVE
From Left to right in Washington: Maggie Shannon, Maine Congress of Lakes,Bob Mills. Lobbyist for LSLA, Peter Lowell, Lakes Environmental Association,Carol Ann Doucette, President of LSLA, Dr. Joseph Lee, President of St. Joseph's College and Elizabeth Schran from St. Joseph's College.
Bob Mills, new property owner on Little Sebago and a professional lobbyist and former member of the Professional Staff of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington, has created a proposal to help with funding for milfoil mitigation in the state of Maine. The proposal in its conceptual stage was first introduced by Carol Ann Doucette President of LSLA at a meeting with Governor Baldacci in late fall. The Governor was extremely interested and asked for a follow up meeting with Mr. Mills in Augusta, when the proposal was completed . At that meeting the Governors support plus that of the DEP brought the proposal to the next level which was a presentation to the constituents in Washington D.C. Making the trip were Carol Ann Doucette, of Maggie Shannon of Maine COLA, Peter Lowell of LEA, Elizabeth Schran of St. Josephs College and it President, Joe Lee, representatives of the partnership. Below is an overview of the proposal.
Six Maine organizations are working together to raise $4,000,000 over the next three years to control and contain variable leaf milfoil in Maine water bodies. As a first step, the group is seeking $1,250,000 as part of the fiscal year 2009 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
Partners include the Little Sebago Lake Association, Saint Joseph’s College, the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, the Lakes Environmental Association, Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, and the Maine Congress of Lake Associations. In addition to the $1,250,000 federal earmark, the partnership will pursue $800,000 in competitive Federal grants, and seeks to raise $250,000 in private donations. State funds have already been allocated for controlling invasive aquatic plants. At the start, the initiative will focus on a seven-lake test bed where proven control methods will be applied and evaluated for the dual purposes of plant control and developing a best practices guide for plant managers. Saint Joseph’s College has contracted with Jackey Bailey to oversee the applied research component under the direction of Dr. Mark Green of the Saint Joseph’s College faculty.
The proposal has received letters of strong support from Governor John E. Baldacci and Commissioner David Littell of the Department of Environmental Protection. On February 27 several of the partners presented the proposal to staffers at the Washington, D.C., offices of Allen, Michaud, Snow and Collins and to Senator Collins in person. Congressman Allen and Michaud and Senators Snow and Collins are writing the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environmental and Related Agencies to advocate for funding.
Congressman Tom Allen’s Director of Economic Development Visits Little Sebago
Senator Susan Collins Representative Boards Milfoil Suction Dredge on Little Sebago
Amy Carroll, Washington representative of Senator Susan Collins, in regards to environmental and energy matters visited Little Sebago recently. This was a follow up visit to that of Senator Collins earlier in the week. Amy was escorted to Hippo 1 by Carol Ann Doucette and Sharon Lamontagne of LSLA. While on board crew captain Leo Shannihan and deck hand Debbie Sanborn demonstrated the boats operation, the
detailed documentation of areas where milfoil was removed and discussed the history of milfoil removal on the lake. Randy Richardson, the diver doing the underwater suction also explained his techniques. Amy was very complementary of the level of organization that LSLA has exhibited in its milfoil mitigation.She also was impressed that a trip was made to Washington by Carol Ann with other Maine representatives to present the proposal now being supported by Senator Collins to provide federal funding to help with mitigation in the State of Maine
Senator Collins Visits Little Sebago Lake
Mark Green, Saint Joseph's College; Dr. Mark Lee, Saint Joseph's College; Senator Susan Collins; Carol Ann Doucette, Little Sebago Lake Association; and Pam Wilkinson, Little Sebago Lake Association.
Windham, Me-- Senator Susan Collins today visited Little Sebago Lake to meet with the members of the Little Sebago Lake association a group dedicated to keeping the lake clean and free of invasive species that threaten the lake’s ecosystem. The Senator is supporting the group’s efforts to address Eurasian water-milfoil, which is a destructive plant that causes problems for swimmers and boaters, and degrades water quality by displacing native plants, fish, and other aquatic species. There are currently at least 28 lakes in Maine affected by aquatic invasive species. Senator Collins is seeking federal funding for a milfoil invasive species mitigation initiative and to secure funding to support a statewide initiative to mitigate milfoil infestation before it gets worse. The federal funding would also support a freshwater marine laboratory at Saint Joseph’s College.
“The value of Maine’s lakes and ponds to our economy and environment is invaluable. It is critical that we work to stop the spread of invasive species in Maine and throughout the nation. I am proud of the dedicated efforts of the Friends of Little Sebago to stopping the spread of milfoil in the Sebago lake region and will continue to support their efforts on the federal level,” said Senator Collins.
Senator Collins has also joined Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) in authoring bipartisan legislation to help identify and combat aquatic invasive species like milfoil. The legislation, “the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act,” would end the easy access of invasive species into U.S. waters through ships’ ballast water and establish a grant program to assist state efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species in ecosystems.
Milfoil is one of the world’s most notorious and troublesome invasive aquatic plants. Its presence has been confirmed in nearly every state in the U.S. It grows well in both still and flowing waters, tolerates mild levels of salt, and can survive under ice cover.
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