*Goodwill VISTA* Maine Needs Events & Outreach VISTA

Maine Needs is a Portland based 501c3 serving Mainers in all 16 counties across Maine. Maine Needs delivers essential items to thousands of Mainers each year through a dynamic, community-driven model. We partner with nonprofits, schools, hospitals, and frontline service providers¿including caseworkers, teachers, and street outreach teams¿to identify urgent needs and rapidly distribute critical supplies.

In 2024, we partnered with more than 400 providers at more than 125 organizations across the state. We serve Maine¿s most vulnerable populations, ensuring individuals and families have access to essential items that support dignity, stability, and well-being. Our outreach spans children and adults experiencing severe material deprivation¿those without access to bedding, hygiene essentials, cleaning supplies, and other critical necessities. We prioritize support for low- to moderate-income families grappling with the rising cost of living, asylum seekers, survivors of domestic violence, individuals transitioning from incarceration, and unhoused populations facing extreme hardship.

Our model is simple but powerful: We identify what¿s needed most. We collect donations and purchase critical, non-donated items. Providers deliver these essentials directly to those in crisis. Year after year, the demand for support continues to rise.

In 2024, we filled 2,769 more requests than in 2023, a clear indicator of the growing need across the state. As requests increase, we remain committed to expanding our outreach, ensuring that schools, case managers, recovery centers, domestic violence shelters, and homeless shelters know how to access support from Maine Needs. We accept material and financial donations in our Portland donation center, thoughtfully sort donations, and fill caseworker requests (ranging from a single warm coat to everything a family entering new housing might need to outfit an apartment, including bedding, cookware, and cleaning supplies).