Mainspring breaks ground, brings hope to Seacoast residents in need
KITTERY, Maine — Teri Hoxie was part of the large crowd of supporters who filled the parking lot of what will eventually become Mainspring — a group of nonprofit organizations under one roof at 22 Shapleigh Road.
The new home for the Kittery-based Fair Tide, Footprints Food Pantry and other nonprofit agencies have joined together to establish a centralized social services hub to help the estimated 4,500 people on the Seacoast who are struggling to make ends meet.
For Hoxie, of Kittery, the moment of joy at the groundbreaking ceremony was personal. With tears welling up in her eyes, she recounted her circumstances ten years ago and how she and her son are now thriving, thanks in large part to the services she was able to access.
A decade ago, Hoxie was a Navy wife and stay-at-home mom. When she left the unhealthy marriage, she was destitute and without a home.
“For me, it was about starting from a suitcase and building back up from that,” Hoxie said.
She now has a job she loves, an apartment in Kittery, and her 10-year-old son is an honor student.
“I couldn’t be happier to be here at this event and to know that this will be a place to give and receive and be a part of, Hoxie said. “I was disconnected once, and I am not now. I am completely independent and have had so much emotional growth as well. Back when I struggled, just having access to the food pantry and knowing people cared made a huge difference.”
Many in the crowd could relate to Hoxie’s story, including some seniors on fixed incomes who are having trouble affording groceries, medication, or rent and rely on the Footprints Food Pantry and assistance from Fair Tide Housing and other organizations.
Commentary: Mainspring will help people right here in Seacoast
Mainspring aims to make a difference
Fair Tide Executive Director Emily Flinkstrom said the idea behind Mainspring started with a simple question: How can we be doing this better? How can we better meet the needs of our community?
“And, getting to this milestone is proof that there is some serious power in a group of people with great minds and caring hearts coming together with a vision,” Flinkstrom said.
Shifting the current social services to a wrap-around service model that is accessible to all will lead to better long-term solutions, said Footprints Food Pantry Executive Director Megan Shapiro-Ross.
She noted they have seen a 134% increase in the number of people served at the pantry in the last two years.
Shapiro-Ross beamed as she surveyed the large crowd of community members who gathered for the groundbreaking of the Mainspring project.
“It was truly amazing to be surrounded by people who understand the intersection of housing, hunger, and the impacts of poverty and who are inspired by the vision of Mainspring and the impact it will have on the Seacoast region,” Shapiro-Ross said.
Included in the audience of more than 100 people were representatives from the Maine Congressional delegation, all of whom strongly support the project.
“By bringing several nonprofit partners under the same roof, Mainspring aims to fundamentally transform how social services are delivered in York County,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in a statement. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact that this innovative collaboration will have on our state. As the vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for funding for this important project as the appropriations process moves forward.”
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How can you help Mainspring?
Mainspring is in the middle of a capital campaign and has raised $3.8 million of the $5.45 million needed to renovate and expand the property at 22 Shapleigh Road. The construction phase of the project is slated to span 10 months, with an anticipated opening in early fall of 2024. While located in Kittery, Mainspring will service the entire Seacoast region with comprehensive and holistic support available for the community.
Key donors to Mainspring include the Tom Hass Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, York County Commissioners with the American Rescue Act funds, Paul and Jessica McKeon, Jim Stott and Jonathan King, and Kennebunk Savings.
Other key donors were Gary Blake, the Hannaford Charitable Foundation, the Mary Safford Wildes Fund, Jean and David Lincoln, Jay and Amanda McSharry and the J Group’s Kittery businesses, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Peter Lamb and Faith Harrington through the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and many more.
The town of Eliot voters budgeted a contribution of $50,000, and the town of Kittery allocated $100,000.
The project architects are ARQ Architects, and the construction manager is TPD Construction. For more information on getting involved or donating, visit MainspringCollective.org.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Mainspring breaks ground, brings hope to Seacoast residents in need
