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.

(L-R) Renee St. John and Lindsey Civello of Central Maine Medical Center painted walls at New Beginnings Shelter during the 2007 Day of Caring.

UNITED WAY IMPROVES COMMUNITY WITH DAY OF CARING

Lewiston, ME— Over one hundred and fifty volunteers from 19 local companies teamed up and participated in United Way of Androscoggin County’s Sixth Annual Day of Caring on September 7, 2007.  The volunteers were spread throughout the community to complete several projects.  Some volunteers painted walls, washed furniture and spruced up offices for Androscoggin agencies, while others helped with maintenance on clients’ homes, sorted food, weeded gardens, and dug trenches.  The day was a success for both the volunteers and the agencies. 

Androscoggin agencies submitted projects that needed to be completed and United Way staff matched the agencies with local company volunteers.  Companies that participated in the Day of Caring include:  Androscoggin Bank, Austin Associates PA, Central Maine Medical Center, Central Maine Power, City of Auburn, Electro-Static Technology, General Electric, Healey & Associates, HRH Northern New England, Lewiston Auburn Water Pollution Control, L.L. Bean, Mechanics Savings Bank, Northeast Bank, Ouellette & Associates, Oxford Networks, Paychex, Shaw’s (Lewiston), TD Banknorth and Walmart (Distribution Center).  Employees of these companies donated their time and effort to help the following Androscoggin agencies:  Abused Women’s Advocacy Project, Advocates for Children, Androscoggin Head Start & Child Care, Catholic Charities Maine, Common Ties Mental Health, Good Shepherd Food-Bank, New Beginnings, Inc, Rural Community Action Ministry, Sandcastle Preschool Program, SeniorsPlus, Sexual Assault Crisis Center, St. Martin de Porres, The Caleb Group, Tri-County Mental Health, Trinity Jubilee Center, United Valley American Red Cross and Volunteers of America.

For 75 years the United Way of Androscoggin County has worked to increase the organized capacity of people in Androscoggin County to care for one another. If you would like to volunteer or make a donation call 795-4000 or visit www.unitedwayandro.org.