Maine Children’s Home (MCH) has been around for more than 122 years! The Waterville nonprofit provides a variety of programs for supporting families and children, and now it has launched a new look — logos and colors!
 
This “new look” is the result of a thoughtful two-year-long process with a goal of strengthening the public’s understanding of MCH and the variety of services that the organization provides. The launch introduces a new system of logos for MCH and its programs, new primary program names, and refreshed top-level messaging for the organization and its programs.
 
“We’ve evolved over the past 122 years,” said MCH Executive Director Rick Dorian. “We’re so proud of our history of once being a refuge for homeless Maine children, and we’re also very proud of our growth. This ‘new look’ not only presents a hopeful and respectful message, but it truly reflects our warm and compassionate spirit, our focus on relationships and connection, and the vibrance of our supportive community. Each of our services and supports help Maine children to live in safer, happier, and healthier homes.”

Founded in April of 1899, MCH began as an orphanage. Today, the organization is not a physical home for children, but a home base for family-focused programs with a mission to build and strengthen families through the following services:

• Accredited adoption services that meet the Hague international standards on adoption
• State-licensed outpatient mental health counseling
• Professional and community support and education for pregnant and parenting teens
• Winter essentials to families facing financial hardship during the holidays
• Trust-based and trauma-focused trainings for caregivers

A major goal of the rebrand is to move away from images and language that allude to the idea of MCH being an orphanage. The original MCH logo depicts the silhouettes of two children standing in a doorway, which no longer represents the breadth of MCH services. The new logo is an abstract and more inclusive image that introduces warm colors and three celebratory figures that could be interpreted as being children, teenagers, adults, or a family — the range of people MCH serves. For marketing materials moving forward, MCH will use only its shortened name — “Maine Children’s Home” — instead of its longer legal name — “Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers” — which suggests the idea of a refuge for children.
 
The brand identity launch also introduces new primary names and taglines for its five core programs:

• Family Adoption Program (Also known as the George J. & Mary S. Mitchell Adoption Unit)
  • “Providing a lifetime of services for birth parents and adoptive families"
• Family Counseling Center (Also known as the Harland A. Turner Family Counseling Center)
  • “Guiding toward hope, healing, and wholeness”
• Teen Parent Education Program (Also known as the Sharon Abrams Teen Parent Education Program)
  • “Helping teen parents build a foundation for their future”
• Connected Families Project
  • “Offering powerful, accessible tools to help strengthen families”
• Christmas Program
  • “Sharing joy and winter warmth with kids and families”

 
MCH plans to formally unveil their new logo and new road sign in front of their campus at 93 Silver Street, Waterville, Maine later in September 2021.

Want to support Maine Children's Home?

Donations to Maine Children's Home fund specialized trauma-focused trainings for staff; provide play therapy supplies that are always needed for counseling clients; keep diapers and supplies in stock for young parents; provide winter essentials and gifts for children from families facing financial hardship during the holidays; and so much more. 

Build and strengthen families with MCH, and make a donation today.