Supporting families and ensuring children are ready to succeed when they enter school, as well as beyond.
* 16% of children in Androscoggin County live in poverty.

A Dynamic Community:
Promoting, supporting, enhancing independence and self-sufficiency
* 49% of local residents cannot read higher than a sixth grade level.

Meeting Basic Needs:
Ensuring individuals and families have food, shelter, clothing and access to services that promote physical and mental well-being.
* 60 people in our community are homeless on any given night.

Life-Long Learning:
Promoting opportunities for job training, education, collaboration and volunteerism.
* In 2004, 200 high school students in our county dropped out of school.

Advocating that individuals and families are safe and protected at all times
* Over 3,000 crimes were committed in Androscoggin County last year.

Press Releases
Events
Success Stories
Newsletter
Give Online

United Way of Androscoggin County Kicks Off 2007 Campaign
Celebrates 75 Years of Caring for Community

Lewiston, ME—Over one hundred and fifty community members recently gathered at a breakfast event to help United Way of Androscoggin County kickoff the 2007 campaign. Volunteers, board members, executives and local agency representatives were on hand as Executive Director Joleen Bedard thanked the group for their support and talked about the importance of the annual fundraising campaign.

Doug Rafferty of WGME 13 served as the master of ceremonies and discussed the ways United Way has cared for the Androscoggin County community for the last 75 years. Rafferty also premiered the 2007 campaign video and recognized the 155 volunteers from 19 companies participating in the annual United Way Day of Caring, which brings together volunteers from local companies to complete community service projects at local agencies.

United Way of Androscoggin County’s Campaign Cabinet Chair Dick Albert of Parent Insurance introduced the Campaign Cabinet Members and unveiled the campaign goal of $1.9 million. The Community members serving on the Cabinet this year include Tom Jarvis of the Lewiston School Department, chair of the education division, the commerce division is lead by Marc Pacquette of Androscoggin Bank, Maureen Aube of City of Auburn and Jason Agren of Agren Appliance, the nonprofit division is led by Stephanie Gelinas and Charlene O’Clair of Sandcastle Preschool Program Foundation, the public service division is chaired by Maureen Aube of City of Auburn, the Finance Insurance and Real Estate Division is led by Todd Abbotoni of TD Banknorth, Andre Duchette of Gosselin, Dubord and Bell, Shane Wright of Isaacson Raymond and Joe Lavigne of Ouellette and Associates will lead the professionals division, the healthcare division is chaired by Diane Mulkhey of Central Maine Medical Center and Renee L’italian of Sisters of Charity Health Services, and the Leaders’ Circle division, consisting of donors generous giving $750 or more annually, is lead by Ed and Kathleen Cormier of Auburn.

The 2007 campaign includes incentives for donors – donors giving five dollars per week or more will be eligible to win a 2007 Arctic Cat Z570LX snowmobile donated by Rowe Auburn, as well as a weeklong cruise to Bermuda from Dube, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, which donors giving $4 per week are also entered to win, and those donating three dollars a week will be entered to win a kayak package courtesy of L.L.Bean.