The need was clear for the Somali Bantu Community Association in Lewiston, Maine: it had to replace cramped, leased office space in order to hire additional staff, expand community services, and otherwise grow. Founded in 2005, the association reaches more than 2,000 clients annually with translation and interpretation assistance, and guidance on navigating the healthcare system, IRS filing, immigration paperwork,

PHOTO Heather Burt, Rising Tide Co-Op general manager.Damariscotta, Maine Heather Burt, General Manager of Rising Tide Co-op Rising Tide Co-op received financing from the Genesis Fund to purchase and renovate our current building in Damariscotta. That investment in our organization has rippled out into our community many times over in the years since. We are now a local food hub

ABOVE Philip Walsh, Executive Director of Maine Initiatives.Portland, Maine Philip Walsh, Executive Director of Maine Initiatives We are honored to be able to invest in and support the work of the Genesis Fund. At Maine Initiatives, our work is rooted in the belief that our community has the resources it needs to create greater justice, equity and opportunity for all

“Workforce housing” enables teachers, police officers, firefighters, health care workers, and more to live close to their jobs. Shorter commutes give workers more time to take care of themselves, their families, and their communities, while economic and environmental advantages result from people not driving long distances. In Kennebunkport, Maine, two projects saw Genesis working with the Kennebunkport Heritage Housing Trust

Cooperative Ownership Transforms Mobile Home CommunitiesIn rural communities throughout Northern New England, mobile home communities are a key piece of the “naturally occurring” affordable housing infrastructure. But they are sometimes sold to investor-owners who drive out residents and eliminate affordability.

PHOTOFran Hutchinson, who served as Treasurer of the former Maine Women’s Fund.Falmouth, Maine Frances Hutchinson, Former Treasurer of the Maine Women’s Fund The Maine Women’s Fund invested with Genesis for over 25 years—a natural fit with our mission to make bold investments that transform the lives of Maine women and girls. There is a multiplier effect that you simply do

Concerned about food-insecure families beyond their reach, organizers of the Come Spring Food Pantry in Knox County Maine worried that their pantry was hidden. It operated from the back corner of a small community center that lacked accessible parking. Then they saw a solution: a building for sale just down the road, offering a high-visibility location, ample parking, and 2,800

For aspring Islamic business owners, acquiring a loan can be complicated, because many Muslim borrowers are prohibited by their faith from paying interest to borrow funds. Such was the case for Yassin Mousa, a trained accountant determined to put to work his entrepreneurisal spirit and fluencey in four langues, when he settled in Lewiston, Maine after fleeing political violence in

For 80 years, a seven-story brick structure has stood on Portland, Maine’s State Street as a beacon of care. How fitting that the former Mercy Hospital will continue its legacy of caring for people, thanks to its transformation into homes for local workers. The Nightingale project is the first phase of a larger effort to redevelop the former Mercy Hospital

For Wabanaki tribal members in Maine, seeking culturally inclusive treatment for substance use disorder often adds a significant barrier to recovery: most programs that integrate Native culture and traditions are hundreds of miles away. To address this gap, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness partnered with the Genesis Fund and our peer Native CDFI, Four Directions Development Corporation.