In the News

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, August 8, 2024 — As Marden’s Surplus & Salvage and Maine Children’s Home recognize their 60th and 125th milestones, they also celebrate a 20-year partnership of supporting Maine children in need. In 2004, the Marden’s family and customers began raising money for Maine Children’s Home’s Christmas / Winter Essentials Program, an effort that became the annual fundraiser, the Red Stocking Program around 2009. To date, the Marden family and Marden’s customers have raised...

WABI TV5 Coverage: Maine Children’s Home providing support to families with annual ‘Christmas in July’ program WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - Despite no snow on the ground and summer temperatures, Christmas could be right around the corner for some Maine families. Maine Children’s Home’s Christmas in July program is set for yet another year. Items from books to toys to winter jackets can be donated and given to families in need across the state. Through partnering with various Maine credit unions...

WATERVILLE, Maine — This year marks the 125th anniversary of Maine Children’s Home (MCH), the Waterville-based organization that provides child and family-focused services of parent support, mental health counseling, adoption support, and holiday and winter assistance. Founded in 1899 as the Kennebec Valley Home for Children, the Waterville-based organization first opened its doors as a temporary refuge or “home” for children whose families faced difficult times. In 1915, it closed its orphanage...

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, April 11, 2024 — The second week of April marks the 125th anniversary of Maine Children’s Home (MCH), the Waterville-based organization that provides child and family-focused services of parent support, mental health counseling, adoption support, and holiday and winter assistance. On Wednesday, April 10, MCH hosted a gathering for staff, volunteers, board members, and business partners to kick off a year of celebrating this milestone and the community support of MCH...

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, November 2, 2023 — Senator Angus King’s request to the Appropriations Committee for $525,000 of congressional spending was awarded to support Maine Children’s Home’s (MCH) renovation project designed to confront Maine’s mental health crisis. The project involves significant updates to a 60-year-old building on MCH’s Waterville campus to create trauma-informed spaces for the organization’s clinical counseling program and for the needs of MCH clients. “Maine children...

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, August 10, 2023 — The Board of Directors of Maine Children’s Home (MCH) has named Candace Marriner the new Executive Director of MCH after a three-month national search. Marriner’s 25 years of leadership experience across the helping professions, 10 years of experience in foster care and adoption work, and deep passion for social work will aid in advancing the mission of the nearly 125-year-old organization. MCH is known for its five core programs in adoption...

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, May 11, 2023 — Maine Children’s Home (MCH) announces the reopening of free pregnancy options counseling and birth parent support in honor of Birth Mother Day on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Pregnancy options counseling is available for people who are seeking assistance to explore all the available options for their pregnancy. Birth parent support is for people who are interested in learning more about making adoption plans for their pregnancy and may need assistance...

Waterville, Maine — Thursday, April 20, 2023 — Rick Dorian has announced he will step down as executive director of Maine Children’s Home (MCH) on July 31, following the organization’s spring outreach and fundraising appeal. Dorian has led the child- and family-focused nonprofit since January 2016, guiding the organization through significant growth and changes based on the community’s evolving needs. Dorian will be exploring opportunities in faith-based community development while MCH’s board...

The work of the Family Adoption Program at Maine Children’s Home in Waterville is not over after a child is placed with a family. They are there to offer a lifetime of support to adoptive families. Since Russia’s war against Ukraine broke out, they have been reaching out to adoptive families who have been affected. One adoptee, Dima Anthony Tripp, raised $10,000 through his church connections at Life Community Church in Gardiner to travel and spend three months delivering necessities to...

A program founded in 1974 at Maine Children’s Home (MCH) that was originally designed to support teens who are pregnant or parenting has recently expanded to serve parents in their early 20s. The shift has required a name change for the program — from “Teen Parent Education Program” to “Journey Program”. “We know that young parents continue to benefit from support into their early 20s,” says Journey Program Director Alaina Wolman. “Expanding the program allows us to continue helping parents who...

Waterville, Maine — September 1, 2022 — Maine Children’s Home (MCH) has been awarded a $35,000 grant from New Balance Foundation to improve and support MCH’s holiday assistance program, Christmas Program. The grant will be used to cover operational expenses for reaching as many families as possible; making the program more responsive by connecting families to mental health and parenting supports; and updating the programs inventory systems and storage areas. “This grant will improve the...

Waterville, Maine — May 19, 2022 — Maine Children’s Home (MCH) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Community Building Grant Program of the Maine Community Foundation to expand the reach of the parenting, life-skills, and mental health support MCH provides for pregnant and parenting teens and young adult parents. “This grant will allow us to expand services and outreach for more young parents in new and exciting ways. Maine is a very rural state with limited transportation resources. This...

Above: Development Director of Maine Children's Home Elizabeth Barron announces the award winners of outstanding supporters at MCH's Annual Celebration on Thursday, January, 20, 2022. Maine Children’s Home (MCH) received such incredible support during the year of 2021. At its Annual Celebration on Thursday, January 20, 2022, MCH honored its outstanding supporters — volunteers, businesses, and foundations. Here are the MCH Award Winners of 2021: Volunteer Award Winners Abby Peabody For her and...

SPECIAL TRAINING 28 SEPTEMBER 2021 - Spaces are filling fast! This workshop is relevant for anyone working with children, teens, families, or adult staff members. About this event The last 18 months of the pandemic and its ensuing fallout have had a profound impact on individual and collective resilience. In this three-hour training, participants will gain an understanding of collective trauma, its impact on individual and collective resilience, and the essential priorities in reinstating a...

Waterville, Maine — August 26, 2021 — Maine Children’s Home (MCH), a 122-year-old nonprofit that provides a variety of programs for supporting families and children, is launching a new brand identity on Thursday, August 26, 2021. 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 will introduce a new system of logos for MCH and its programs, new...

Waterville, Maine — May 27, 2021 — Maine Children’s Home (MCH) has hired a new Director of its Teen Parent Education Program (TPEP), a new Clinical Director, and two counselors at its Family Counseling Center. The former Clinical Director Deb Levenseller and TPEP Director Rebecca Judd will take on new roles at the organization. This growth and staff changes come at a time of increased demand for child and family counseling and during a slight operational shift for the organization to becoming...

Maine authors Chris Van Dusen, Cynthia Lord, Juliese Padgett, Lynn Plourde, Earl Smith, and Maine Humorist Gary Crocker will be reading their work and sharing their creativity during an online fundraising celebration benefitting Maine Children’s Home on Thursday, June 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The online and live-streamed event will conclude a month-long fundraiser called There’s No Place Like Home, which includes an online raffle from May 10 to June 14 and a silent auction from May 26 to June 14...

TBRI® Connecting Principles – “Address attachment needs” March 1, 2, 8, and 9, 2021 8 – 9:30 p.m. each evening - via zoom TBRI® Connecting Principles is a module that focuses on attachment — the most important dynamic system that a child experiences during development. This module covers several topics including the attachment cycle; infant attachment classifications; what happens when things go wrong in attachment; adult attachment styles; and applying your knowledge through TBRI® Connecting...

Join Maine Children's Home (MCH) on Thursday, January 21, 2021 for our Annual Celebration! This will be a virtual gathering that will highlight the success stories of MCH and its supporters during the challenging year of 2020. We will celebrate the thousands of children and families supported by MCH programs each year; the generosity of incoming and outgoing board members; and the continued support from our community that has already kicked off our plans for a successful 2021. Tickets are free...

Maine Children's Home (MCH) played a small role in Kate and Justin Russells' adoption of two-year-old Harry from South Korea this year. WABI featured the story of the Russels in November 2020. Watch the WABI report here.

CAN YOU HELP? It will help us understand….. HOW WE CAN HELP? If you answer YES to both of the following questions YOU CAN HELP US! Are you caring for the child of another family member? Do you live in either Somerset or Kennebec County? If you answered yes to both of the above questions, please help our colleagues at MaineGeneral, who are working to better understand some of the barriers and challenges people are facing when accessing services. They are looking to increase supports for people...

Each year, the Christmas Program distributes boxes of gifts and clothing to more than 1,700 children of low income families throughout the state. Families must be income eligible following federal guidelines and must agree not to seek help from any other source. Our program is available to any eligible child in the state of Maine between the ages of 0-12. Our hope is to provide a complete basic Holiday package to each child that we serve. We do our best to match the interests of the child as...

NOTICE TO ALL VOLUNTEERS, SUPPORTERS, DONORS & STAFF MARCH 17, 2020 The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers is committed to the health and well-being of our staff, our clients, and our community. While we are working together to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) we will be limiting access to our campus to essential staff. “Essential staff” will include our Operations Department and limited maintenance staff for the time being. All other programs of the Maine Children’s Home...

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - A Waterville group that serves Maine families is getting a quarter of a million dollars to help support and grow its operations. The Harold Alfond Foundation is awarding a $250,000 grant to the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. The money is already helping the Home assess its current operations. A portion will go directly to the Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program. A long-term strategy for using the funds is also in the works. The Maine Children's Home...

WATERVILLE, Maine - Today, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers announced that the Harold Alfond® Foundation has awarded the nonprofit with a $250,000 grant to support the agency's Sustainability and Strategic Growth Project. The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, founded in 1899, reaches out to more than 3,000 families and children throughout the state every year. Their mission is to "build and strengthen families and their children, instilling hope for the future and a...

After 18 years of operation, the Children's Place Early Care & Education Center, a program of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, will end and relaunch as the Bright Beginnings Learning Center — Waterville. WATERVILLE — The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers announced on Friday it will replace its Children’s Place program at the end of the month with a new one thanks to its new partnership with a Benton-based child care company. As of Feb. 28, the program known as the...

WATERVILLE, Maine - The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers announced a partnership with Bright Beginnings Learning Center to assure continued access to successful quality early care and education on the Dorothy 'Bibby' Alfond campus at 93 Silver Street in Waterville. This new partnership will increase childcare for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old and grow the program back to 50 children in the near future. After two years of exploring many options, and with great consideration, it...

WATERVILLE — Every December, the Christmas Program at The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers distributes boxes of gifts and clothing to children across the state. This year, because of the generosity of the community and dedicated volunteers, the Maine Children’s Home was able to support 1,711 children, 845 families, and 149 communities, according to a news release from the nonprofit agency. More than 200 volunteers dedicated countless hours to checking, collecting, picking up, stocking...

WATERVILLE, Maine — For many of us, Christmas memories from childhood include opening wrapped gifts stacked under a tree, or peeking into overflowing stockings hanging from the fireplace. A lot of people in Maine, though, are living in poverty -- which means they can't always afford these extravagant celebrations. It's why the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville is working to bring that Christmas joy to every child in the state, regardless of their household income...

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - A Waterville-based organization that supports hundreds of kids in need is turning to the community to help spread the spirit of Christmas. The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers is in urgent need of donations for their Christmas Program to help support more than 1,700 children throughout the state of Maine. Each year, the Christmas Program distributes boxes of gifts and clothing to children who are financially disadvantaged. Each box typically contains two sets...

WATERVILLE, Maine - The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers' strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator. This is the 5th consecutive time that The Maine Children's Home has earned this top distinction. Continue Reading.

WATERVILLE, Maine — Within weeks of opening applications for holiday help, a Maine non-profit is overwhelmed with requests and is asking the public for help. The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers says within four weeks they received applications for their maximum number of children that they can support through their program that provides warm clothing and toys to kids in need this holiday season. Continue Reading: NEWS CENTER Maine

WATERVILLE — A Waterville program to provide financially disadvantaged children with winter clothing and toys for Christmas has, for another year, reached its participant capacity within a month of opening applications. Help, however, is still needed filling the Christmas boxes. The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers’ Christmas Program will provide 1,700 kids throughout the state with new, store-bought items ranging from warm pajamas and mittens to books and toys. The nonprofit, based on...

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - Your help is needed to make sure that more than 1,700 Maine kids have gifts under the tree this Christmas. The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers' Christmas Program provides financially disadvantaged kids across the state with clothes, gifts, and books for Christmas. Continue Reading: WABI

We were fortunate enough to have Rick Dorion & Elizabeth Baron from The Maine Children's Home in studio with us to talk about one of the most important things they do all year long.. The Christmas Program. Continue Reading: Help Support Maine Children's Home Christmas Program

November is Adoption Awareness Month and the Maine Children's Home For Little Wanderers will hold an informational event November 19th at One Longfellow Square in Portland. Enjoy a cocktail and heavy hors d'oevres from Black Tie Catering from 5-6:30, tickets are only $20 and benefit the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. Continue Reading: Celebrate Adoption Awareness Month With Maine Children's Home For Little Wanderers.

BRUNSWICK — Signaling what appears to be the definitive end to the 50-year-old charity, volunteers from Brunswick’s Santa Claus Fund on Tuesday donated the organization’s entire toy inventory to the Waterville-based Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers. The mood was somber as volunteers from the Brunswick-based group boxed up hundreds of toys, mittens, puzzles books and games stored in a sweltering Fort Andross storage unit. “It’s the end of an era,” said Nancy Campbell, fund secretary...

A surge in enrollment at a local elementary school and increasing demand for pre-k services in central Maine are pointing to what observers see as a positive trend: More families coming to the area are seeking out high-quality early education for their children. But a number of challenges stand in the way of that growth, including accessibility and affordability of programming; the cost for program centers and schools providing the services; and a lack of available housing stock that would help...

Nationwide, more than 4 out of 5 students graduate high school within four years of starting ninth grade. In Maine, it’s closer to 9 out of 10. With so many students getting their diploma on time, it’s easy to forget about those who don’t. Fortunately, for one group of students, Maine has the Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School. The school, started as part of Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers and now also aligned with the Waterville High School alternative education program, has for more...

WATERVILLE, ME – Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the fourth consecutive time that Maine Children's Home has earned this top distinction. Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added...

Teen birth rates in the United States have been on a steady decline, but there are still more than 200,000 babies born to teen mothers every year, including about 600 born in Maine. Young mothers are at high risk of dropping out of school because of the pressures they face. According to some national estimates, only 40 percent earn a high school diploma. But there are a few schools in Maine that are designed specifically to help teen parents stay on track, and guide them toward different life...

WATERVILLE — Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers will join the Maine Association of Nonprofits from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, at the 16th annual Maine Nonprofit Day in the Hall of Flags at the State House on State Street in Augusta. Nonprofit Day provides an opportunity for nonprofits and government to assert their commitment to working together in order to creatively, efficiently and effectively serve the people of Maine, according to a news release from the children’s home...

WATERVILLE — An early childhood education and care center at the Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers will have to scale back its services by summer if it does not receive funding help, according to the Children’s Home’s executive director. Richard Dorian said this week that The Children’s Place Early Care and Education Center, which serves 53 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, has not been able to find a grant partner or funding from the state or federal government to help sustain it and...

SEARSPORT, Maine (WABI) - The JMG program at Searsport High School is putting on a polar plunge fundraiser on Wednesday, February 13th from 3-4:30 p.m. The event will take place at the boat landing on Steamboat Avenue in Searsport. Proceeds from the event will go to Maine's Children's Home for Little Wanderers, which helps send children of low-income families to summer camps who wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise. View full article on WABI.

(NEWS CENTER Maine)-- The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville has been running it's Christmas Program since the 1960's. The program provides Christmas packages for families in need. This year the home is expecting to provide for just under 1900 children. The application process begins in early November and usually gets capped shortly thereafter as the need is great. Not just for help, but for people willing to donate. "There have been some moments where we have really...

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers needs your help to make Christmas dreams come true for more than 1850 Maine kids. They provide clothing, toys, and books to income-eligible children ages 0-12. Some of the most urgent needs are pajamas, full outfits, and specific toys. View full article on WABI TV.

WATERVILLE, Maine. (WABI)- "A little chilly, a little naked but pretty proud of the things we accomplished." That was two members of the Low 12, Central Maine Chapter of the Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association. They put together a ride and fundraiser to benefit The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers Christmas Program. "Most of us are masons and a lot of us are Shriners, all of us are masons I should say. In our charitable oath, one of the things that we do is help kids, kids in need...

The University of Southern Maine Foundation launched a campaign to raise $15 million to fund its Promise Scholarship program, money that would provide up to 100 students with as much as 50% of their costs to attend the university. The campaign will fund scholarships of an average of $5,000 a year, and is aimed at students who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend college. The program works with 21 community partners to identify students who qualify, which the university cites as a unique aspect...

WATERVILLE, Maine — Today, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers announced that the Harold Alfond Foundation has awarded the nonprofit with a $400,000 grant to support the agency's Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program endowment fund. The Teen Parent School, founded in 1974, is an alternative high school program open to pregnant and parenting teens across Maine. The program provides prenatal and parenting instruction, as well as academic and life skills courses. All students are...

WATERVILLE, Maine — On Thursday, September 22, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers will host its twelfth annual Passion for Fashion fundraiser to benefit the agency's Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Vintage Manor Event Center—formerly John Martin's Manor—on College Avenue in Waterville. The Passion for Fashion event includes a fashion show with clothing and accessories from Divine Consigns of Waterville. There will also be a game, dinner, and live and...

WATERVILLE, Maine — The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers' strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned the agency a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator. This is the first time that The Maine Children's Home has earned this top distinction. Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, Charity...

~ Program joins the top eight percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs nationwide ~ WATERVILLE, Maine — The Children's Place Early Care and Education Center, as part of The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) — the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. "We're proud to have earned the mark of quality from the NAEYC, and to be recognized for our...

WATERVILLE, Maine — On Thursday, January 14, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers' leadership team presented the agency's awards at its annual celebration. Each year, the awards recognize an employee and volunteer of the year, and community partners that support the nonprofit in a variety of ways. More than 120 board members, staff, donors, Friends of The Maine Children's Home, and local business leaders assembled at the Waterville Elks Lodge to participate in the annual celebration...

Richard Dorian, a unanimous selection based on his experience and proven leadership WATERVILLE, Maine — Today, The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers announced that after a thorough nationwide search and selection process, Richard Dorian will serve as the nonprofit’s new executive director starting on January 1, 2016. Dorian has extensive experience and credentials that made him a unanimous choice to lead one of Maine’s oldest nonprofit agencies. His nonprofit background includes 27...

WATERVILLE, Maine — The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers has been awarded $4,500 for the agency's Summer Camp Scholarship Program through Colby College's Learning by Giving: Nonprofit Organizations and Philanthropy course. Taught by Colby College Department of Sociology assistant professor, Matthew Archibald, the college seminar places students with local nonprofit organizations to introduce them to the nonprofit grant writing process and the skills they need to become successful...

WATERVILLE, Maine — The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers has announced The Harland A. Turner Counseling Center has received the licensing needed to provide case management services for children with behavioral health issues from birth through age 20. The Harland A. Turner Family Counseling Center, one of seven programs of The Maine Children's Home, is licensed by the State of Maine as an outpatient mental health facility. Services include individual, couples, and family therapy, and...

WATERVILLE, Maine — The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers has announced the agency's annual award recipients. The awards were presented as part of The Maine Children's Home Annual Celebration held at the Waterville Elks Lodge on Jan. 22. The Annual Celebration, held each January, included an introduction of new board members, a silent auction, and an award ceremony. To recognize the Teen Parent School Program's 40th anniversary, a panel of four former graduates representing the four...

WATERVILLE, Maine — On Thurs., Jan. 22, The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers will host their Annual Celebration at the Waterville Elks Lodge at 6 p.m., and will focus on the 40th anniversary of the agency's Teen Parent School Program. The dinner held each January includes an awards ceremony honoring employees, volunteers, and community members for their contributions and dedication to the agency, an introduction of new board members, and a silent auction. This year, a panel of former...