At its annual meeting May 15, United Way of Mid Coast Maine presented Community Builder Awards to Teresa and Peter Fogg of Fogg Art Restoration in Wiscasset for their long-term, deep acts of service to people around them who need help, to the Lincoln County Gleaners and Merrymeeting Gleaners for their work providing fresh local food to people in need, and to the Bath Housing Authority for its work keeping seniors “Comfortably Home."

United Way Executive Director Barbara Reinertsen said that the Award winners had “gone above and beyond in working to build an even stronger, more compassionate Mid Coast Maine community.” Teresa and Peter Fogg of Fogg Art Restoration in Wiscasset received United Way’s Community Builder Award for individuals. United Way staff member John Washburn told annual meeting attendees that they have seen Fogg Art’s work in the beautiful framed awards for United Way events, but that he wanted to talk about the “wonderful and loving impact Teresa and Peter Fogg have on so many lives.”

Washburn gave examples of the deep support the Foggs have given to people they know – even not very well – when they become ill or need help. This has included twice keeping another small business open, in addition to their own, and providing loving care to an older woman otherwise alone in the world, including taking on everything involved in moving her at least twice when she needed assisted living or nursing care. “They keep an eye out for their neighbors,” said Washburn. “They listen to their customers, and keep a supply of United Way’s 211 cards on hand to give out and link people to services they might need. They do all this – as friends. They look at a situation and think through: what would really help, in a meaningful way? Then they sensitively check it out – that this kind of assistance would be welcomed. Then they follow through, and go even above and beyond any expectations or plans.

"Teresa and Peter Fogg build community around them every day, every year. We are so grateful to call them friends, and so proud to give them United Way’s Community Builder Award.” The Lincoln County Gleaners and Merrymeeting Gleaners received United Way’s Community Builder Award for a coalition or initiative. Both groups established relationships with local farmers, organized many volunteers to go into fields after they’ve been commercially harvested, gathered the leftover crops, and distributed the fresh local fruits and vegetables to people in need.

"In the past two years, over 40,000 pounds of food have been harvested and distributed,” said United Way staff member Maria Hinteregger in presenting the awards. “The Gleaners provide fresh fruit and vegetables to people who otherwise have little or no access, in places they are, such as food pantries, schools, Head Start and elsewhere. Their work highlights what can be accomplished when people work together to meet people’s needs.” The gleaning groups’ members and partners include: generous local farms, Land Trusts, Healthy Lincoln County, Cooperative Extension, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, food pantries, Boothbay Region YMCA, Head Start, Master Gardeners, VISTA members, schools, Bath Housing Authority, and many volunteers. Bath Housing Authority was honored for going even beyond its critical work providing safe and affordable housing, to assessing needs in the broader community and developing successful initiatives, such as Comfortably Home.

“Seeing that most people wanted to stay in their own homes as long as safely possible, Bath Housing Authority developed a program to make minor repairs and basic safety and accessibility improvements at no cost to qualified homeowners,” said Reinertsen in presenting the award.

“Since the start of Comfortably Home in 2015, they’ve made 100 homes a safer place to stay - keeping people in their homes, in their communities, where they want to be”, Reinertsen said. “Working in partnership with Mid Coast Hospital, Maine Housing, and Habitat for Humanity, this program has grown become so successful that Maine Housing now works with five additional Housing Authorities around the state to duplicate this model. Bath Housing Authority has a well-deserved reputation as a community leader and partner that evaluates needs, identifies underlying issues, and works steadfastly to create solutions.”

United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. In partnership with thousands of donors, United Way works to improve education, financial stability, and health for people in Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties, Brunswick and Harpswell.