Thanks for visiting Welcome to Housing
Moving to a new home can be daunting when a person doesn't have household items like: bedding, kitchenware, or basic sanitary products. That's how WTH serves the community, we help people in need succeed at transitioning to their own living space.
Our Process When an individual or family is ready to move into a place of their own from an area shelter, a caseworker or member of clergy contacts Welcome To Housing to arrange a time to meet at our warehouse in Old Town, Maine. Once at the warehouse, the caseworker or clergy member works with their client to pick out items that are needed. They’re given a clipboard with a sheet to list the things that they’re taking for their client. It can be items such as a set of dishes, pans, bedding, even paper products like toilet paper and paper towels. Goods provided are based on what we have on hand at the time of the visit. We require that people being helped have someone come with them to the warehouse, whether it’s an agency caseworker or someone from their house of worship. |
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In the News |
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Recent News
Strength through sharing: The growing value of free exchanges
By Marina Schauffler at The Maine Monitor
July 9, 2023
By Marina Schauffler at The Maine Monitor
July 9, 2023
Battery-powered mowers and hedge trimmers at the new South Portland Electric Tool Library (SPETL) are checked out almost as soon as they’re returned. Demand is high among local residents for fume-free and relatively quiet yard equipment that lowers carbon emissions.
The SPETL grew out of One Climate Future, a planning document jointly prepared by the Cities of South Portland and Portland to foster climate resilience and cut carbon pollution. One way to realize those goals is by sharing resources, tools and services — eliminating, in the plan’s words, “the precedent that every individual or household must own their own items.” Using the public library model, the SPETL offers free access to yard appliances that are literally checked out using library cards.
A $16,000 solid waste diversion grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection funded the SPETL which is among Maine’s first equipment libraries (others include a membership-based tool lending library run by a Portland nonprofit, and a shared-use program for farm equipment administered by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association). The SPETL has already sparked inquiries from several communities interested in replicating its electric tool-sharing model.
Full Article at: https://themainemonitor.org/strength-through-sharing-the-growing-value-of-free-exchanges/?utm_source=mainemonitorstories.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-sunday-monitor-july-9-2023
The SPETL grew out of One Climate Future, a planning document jointly prepared by the Cities of South Portland and Portland to foster climate resilience and cut carbon pollution. One way to realize those goals is by sharing resources, tools and services — eliminating, in the plan’s words, “the precedent that every individual or household must own their own items.” Using the public library model, the SPETL offers free access to yard appliances that are literally checked out using library cards.
A $16,000 solid waste diversion grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection funded the SPETL which is among Maine’s first equipment libraries (others include a membership-based tool lending library run by a Portland nonprofit, and a shared-use program for farm equipment administered by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association). The SPETL has already sparked inquiries from several communities interested in replicating its electric tool-sharing model.
Full Article at: https://themainemonitor.org/strength-through-sharing-the-growing-value-of-free-exchanges/?utm_source=mainemonitorstories.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-sunday-monitor-july-9-2023
Compliance
Welcome To Housing also needs to keep track of agencies/houses of worship served; WTH also has to track items given out by doing what’s called a “Reverse Inventory.”
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To ensure that people being served by Welcome To Housing are helped on a first come-first served basis.
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Other Resources
WTH works in cooperation with area non-profits to provide services for Maine families. A full list of partners can be found here.