PHOTO Amistad Inc., which is changing its name to Commonspace, fulfilled its mission during the pandemic by expanding critical social services to literally “meet people where they are.”Exceptional ServiceA Turning PointTo aid those grappling with homelessness, hunger, substance use, behavioral health challenges, and obstacles to treatment and care, the social service organization Amistad admirably responded to surging demand during the

Recognizing that housing instability is a fundamental barrier to health and well-being, Tedford Housing, based in Brunswick, Maine, is on an ambitious journey to break ground next year on a 64-bed emergency shelter with ten family apartments and dormitory space for adults. On-site case management services will assist residents in finding and securing permanent housing.

PHOTO Betsey (above) and Patty invited Genesis staff to visit their apartments, part of Bath Housing. Both are talented crafters—of paintings, textiles, and food!Quick-Turn LoansBefore it’s GoneGenesis works with affordable housing developers and municipal housing agencies across the state. They look to us for flexibility, creativity, or responsiveness that they can’t get from other financing partners. In the current, highly

PHOTO Smiles for the opening of the health centerIn Washington CountyNew Healthcare CommunityPreviously occupied by Family Dollar and Rite Aid, a transformed building on Route 1 is now Machias Community Health Center, a state-of-the-art medical facility in Washington County, Maine. Genesis played a critical part by making a loan that helped Eastport Health Care purchase and renovate the property. We

PHOTO Joe Phelan/Kennebec JournalFor Unique ProjectsFlexibility is KeyPat Dearborn and Jon Miller work separately, but with a shared sense of purpose. Both transform distressed Maine properties into quality rental homes for people with moderate and lower incomes. For their unique, smaller-scale projects, flexible Genesis loans make sense.“It would not have been possible to rehabilitate these historic buildings in Augusta without

PHOTO Katie Bragg, in green, at the Business Building, is the economic council’s director of Small Business & Entrepreneurship.In Washington CountyNew Business CommunityThe Sunrise County Economic Council is the driving force behind the MaineStreet Business Building that opened in 2023 to foster job creation and sustainable prosperity in Maine’s Washington County, where nearly 20 percent of residents live below the

The completion of 60 rental units in Brunswick’s former Naval Air Station, coupled with MaineHousing’s commitment to providing rental subsidies for two years, marks a significant step in addressing the dire need for affordable housing for local asylum seekers.

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,

“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

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