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Letter from the co-op: nomination process
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s nomination process for Register Round Up. Each year, we are amazed by the number of nonprofit organizations doing vital work in our region, and this year was no exception. We received a total of 72 unique nominations.
In previous years, we had kept our final voting list to 40 organizations, feeling that more than that would create an unwieldy ballot. We upped that to 50 organizations this year because of the unprecedented number of nominations.
Unfortunately, this means that 22 nominated organizations did not make it onto the final ballot. We used a random number generator to create the final list. We feel it vital that you all know that no one at the Co-op made any subjective decisions about who made it onto the final ballot. All organizations are worthy and there was no set of criteria we could use to narrow down the list to 50. We had to rely on random selection.
We are one food co-op with twelve available slots for our Register Round Up Program. It is an unfortunate reality that the need out there is far beyond our ability to cover by ourselves.
We are, however, very excited about the slate of 50 nonprofits we are able to offer as options for you to vote on for the next round of Register Round Up.
Nominated nonprofits:
Voting closes at midnight on Friday, June 19th
Learn more about each nonprofit:
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Agape, Inc. works to support people affected by substance use disorder through harm reduction, recovery support, advocacy, and community education. The organization seeks to reduce stigma and improve quality of life by meeting people where they are with compassion and dignity.
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Alpha Legal Foundation supports historically underrepresented individuals enter and excel in the legal profession while providing free community-based education and support on routine civil legal matters. Through mentorship, education, and community engagement, they work to expand access to justice and create a more inclusive legal system.
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Amjambo Africa is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to informing, connecting, and amplifying Maine's immigrant communities. Through independent journalism and storytelling, it helps New Mainers navigate life in Maine while fostering cross-cultural understanding.
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The Bayside Neighborhood Association is working to build the Bayside Opportunity Center, the neighborhood’s first community center. The Opportunity Center hopes to empower Portland residents, particularly immigrants, refugees, and underserved community members, by connecting them with resources, education, and support services.
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BPM is a nonprofit performing arts venue that fosters community through music, arts, and cultural programming. It provides a welcoming space for artists and audiences while supporting creative expression and cultural connection in Portland.
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Casco Bay Trail Alliance is working to create and support a 72-mile multi-use trail loop connecting communities throughout the greater Portland region. The organization promotes active transportation, outdoor recreation, public health, and environmental sustainability by expanding safe, off-road trail access.
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Dyke March Maine is the community responsible for planning the annual Dyke March in Portland, Maine.
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Food for All Services provides culturally relevant, Halal, and identity-affirming food to immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities across Maine. Through food access programs, cultural education, and community support, the organization advances dignity, wellness, and food justice for all.
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Friends of Casco Bay works to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay through science, advocacy, and community engagement. As the home of the Casco Baykeeper program, the organization monitors water quality, promotes environmental stewardship, and advocates for solutions to threats facing the bay.
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Friends of Congress Square Park is dedicated to activating, improving, and stewarding Portland's Congress Square Park as a vibrant public gathering space. Through events, partnerships, and community engagement, the organization fosters arts, culture, and civic connection in the heart of downtown Portland.
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Friends of the Eastern Promenade protects, preserves, and enhances Portland's Eastern Promenade and its surrounding parklands. Through advocacy, education, and community partnerships, the organization works to ensure the long-term enjoyment and stewardship of this treasured public space.
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Friends of Lincoln Park works to preserve, enhance, and celebrate Portland's historic Lincoln Park for the benefit of residents and visitors. The organization supports park improvements, community programming, and stewardship efforts that promote recreation, accessibility, and neighborhood pride.
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Friends of Portland Adult Education helps adult learners strive to become stronger citizens, employees, parents & entrepreneurs. Friends was formed in 2012 to assist in meeting the unique needs of Portland Adult Education’s students and to bridge the gap between what PAE is funded and the cost of running the largest adult education program in the state.
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Greater Portland Health provides high-quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare services to individuals and families regardless of income, insurance status, or background. As a community health center, it promotes health equity by delivering comprehensive medical, behavioral health, dental, and supportive services.
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Grime Studios is a community-focused arts organization that provides affordable rehearsal, recording, performance, and creative space for musicians and artists in Portland. Its mission is to support local artists, foster collaboration, and strengthen the region's independent music and arts community.
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Home Start works to increase the supply of year-round affordable housing on Peaks Island. The organization seeks to preserve a healthy, sustainable island community by promoting housing opportunities for residents of diverse ages, incomes, and family structures.
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The Independent Seniors Network supports and empowers seniors in the greater Portland area who wish to remain living in their own homes as long as possible. Volunteers provide services, social connections, and activities for members, helping both members and volunteers to maintain active, social, safe, and independent lives.
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The India Street Neighborhood Association works to strengthen and advocate for Portland's India Street neighborhood by fostering community engagement, neighborhood stewardship, and collaboration among residents, businesses, and local stakeholders. The organization helps preserve the character and vitality of one of Portland's historic waterfront neighborhoods.
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Khmer Maine is a nonpartisan, community organization working to improve the quality of life and the social and economic well-being of Cambodians in Maine through cultural exchange, community building and civic engagement. Khmer Maine also partners to support members of Maine’s Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander communities and strives for solidarity with Black and Indigenous communities in Maine.
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Kindling Collective is a queer-centered gear library creating an accessible pathway to outdoor experiences. At Kindling Collective, members can check out the gear they need for camping, hiking, and backpacking adventures. Borrowers don’t need to be queer to be members; they just need to be on board with supporting and affirming queer people’s access to the outdoors.
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Since 1987, with the help of its dedicated volunteers, Maine Animal Coalition has worked to promote compassion towards all animals. Education is our most important tool. We believe in educating the public about animal suffering and exploitation in hopes that this knowledge will fundamentally change society’s approach to animals. Members of the Maine Animal Coalition also believe in leading by example. Therefore, an important function of our organization is to provide members with the information needed to live lives that minimize animal suffering.
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The Maine Asian American Community Center seeks to meet the needs of Maine’s AAPI community by constructing a first-of-its-kind Asian American Community Center located in Westbrook. The center hopes to offer a variety of programs including citizenship and immigration support, workforce development, social services, English language classes, a small business incubator, a community garden, and more.
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MANA promotes social & personal empowerment of immigrants and addresses racial equity and health disparities in Maine through:
Raising awareness of individual and collective trauma among immigrants;
Providing trauma-aware and multilingual transportation to zero/low income families to address racial and social inequalities in accessing healthcare, social services and other related services;
Connecting immigrants with their peers across cultures and to the resources.
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Maine Community Swimming breaks down barriers to swimming by providing financially accessible and inclusive programs, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to become water-safe. Through education and community engagement, they strive to build a water-safe community, fostering a safer and healthier society and promoting lifelong water safety.
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The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition”s mission is to improve legal, social, and economic conditions for immigrants in the state of Maine. MIRC brings together more than 100 organizations to form a unique statewide network representing diverse ethnic communities. These organizations, a majority of which are led by people of color, work together to foster immigrant inclusion and integration through both support programs and policies.
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MaineTransNet is a community based organization led by transgender people for transgender people. They provide peer-to-peer support groups, social and community events, advocacy for the transgender community across Maine, and training for medical, mental health, and social service providers. They engage transgender people and allies across Maine in the practice of community building and organizing for mutual liberation. Their work is rooted in a deep desire to care for one another which informs how they build systems of mutual support centering accessibility, inclusivity, and hospitality; they view structures of power and oppression as interlocking.
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Mechanics' Hall preserves and activates one of Portland's historic civic landmarks as a center for culture, learning, and community engagement. Through public programs, partnerships, and stewardship of the historic building, the organization fosters education, creativity, and civic life.
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Nibezun, an indigenous led organization, celebrates culture as medicine, provides an inclusive space for healing, and promotes sustainability for all people and future generations. They do this through
Cultural Preservation: Teaching the ancient Wabanaki languages, traditional lifeways, and passing down cultural practices through mentor programs.
Healing & Ceremony: Providing an inclusive, safe space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to gather, heal, and practice traditional ceremonies.
Sustainability: Promoting ecological conservation and sustainable living, highlighted by off-grid solar and heat pump systems.
Peacemaking: Facilitating restorative practices to heal relationships and build a strong, supportive community.
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Niweskok, a collaboration of food and medicine providers, rematriates Wabanaki life ways by engaging with our kinship responsibilities and reclaiming traditional foods and healing. They prioritize restoring the Penobscot Bay region as a Wabanaki food hub. They are food and medicine providers who have been organizing as Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective (EWR) since 2018. During that time, local capacity and leadership in Wabanakik (now known as Maine) have thrived and they evolved with this growth into our new iteration– Niweskok: From the Stars to Seeds.
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The Opportunity Alliance helps individuals, children, and families achieve stability, well-being, and self-sufficiency through a wide range of social services and community programs. The organization addresses challenges such as poverty, behavioral health needs, housing instability, and early childhood development to build stronger communities across Southern Maine.
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Pharos House is a non-profit residential re-entry center which assists Maine residents who have been convicted of a federal offense. Their program fosters social support networks, education, employment, stable housing, and involvement in self-improvement programs in order to reduce recidivism.
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Their mission is to ensure that state and federal laws affecting poor people are upheld, while also addressing the systemic barriers to justice faced by Mainers with low incomes. To achieve their mission, they provide free civil legal assistance in cases where it can make a difference in one’s ability to meet one’s basic human needs or in enforcing one’s basic human rights, including access to housing, food, income, safety, education, and healthcare.
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Portland Intown Contra Dance enriches lives and cultivates a vibrant community through dance.
Our series is delightful, welcoming to all humans, and a heck of a lot of fun. We gather every Thursday night for zesty, joyful dancing on the peninsula in Portland, Maine, host special events, and find ways to enjoy each other's company when we're not on the floor. We're teaching and practicing traditions, contributing to an evolving art form, and welcoming new dancers to our community every week. We dance with partners and with everybody in the room. It doesn't matter what gender you are — you can boogie in both dance roles!
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Portland Community Squash uses the sport of squash as a tool for youth development, academic support, and community building. The organization empowers young people through mentorship, enrichment opportunities, and access to athletics regardless of financial circumstances.
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They assist with treatment expenses beyond insurance coverage, home modifications to deal with new limitations, support groups and social events with other burn survivors or family members.
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Their mission is to provide equitable access to outdoor experiences and gear, promoting well-being, sustainability, and resilient communities. They refurbish, sell, and donate bikes and outdoor gear, run a full-service shop, offer educational programming, and hold community events and bike rides. They strive to make access to bikes, education, and the outdoors more equitable.
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Portland Public Library is a welcoming cultural center that brings people together and connects them with trusted resources, ideas, experiences, and information. We build a stronger community by inspiring learning, creativity, and collaboration.
We envision a vibrant, inclusive, and engaged community that thrives through connections discovered at Portland Public Library.
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For over 30 years, they have been building and maintaining a trail network for residents and visitors of Portland to use and enjoy. We believe that trails, in conjunction with safe streets and robust public transportation, can transform our community.
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Presente! Maine empowers and uplifts Maine's Afro/Indigenous-Latines community through community organizing. The organization works to advance equity, amplify Latine voices, and build a more inclusive and just Maine.
Presente! Maine is a grassroots, mutual aid organization that empowers and uplifts Maine's Afro/Indigenous-Latine community. Their programs address food access, public health, and community safety while also working to create a more equitable, joyful, and resilient future.
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Project FEED provides nutritious meals and essential support to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in the Greater Portland area. Through community partnerships and volunteer engagement, the organization helps ensure that vulnerable residents have reliable access to healthy food.
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Rainbow Arts Collective creates opportunities for LGBTQ+ artists and creatives to connect, collaborate, and share their work with the broader community. Through arts programming, exhibitions, and events, the organization fosters visibility, belonging, and creative expression for LGBTQ+ people in Maine.
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Reentry Sisters supports women transitioning from incarceration back into their communities by providing mentorship, advocacy, resources, and peer support. The organization works to reduce barriers to successful reentry while promoting dignity, healing, and long-term stability for women rebuilding their lives.
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The Reiche Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) collaborates with teachers to provide our students with fulfilling academic, cultural, and physical enrichment activities. The PTO also promotes parent volunteerism to build strong relationships between parents and the school and to foster a welcoming and engaging community.
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Sea Change Chorale of Portland, Maine is a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the work of social justice organizations by raising money and awareness of community needs through music. All concert proceeds go directly to our social justice partners.
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Side x Side is a Portland–based nonprofit organization that serves Maine communities through creative, arts-based in-school classroom programs, professional development, and community art programs. They help students and teachers connect to what they are learning and to themselves, helping them to feel engaged, confident, and an integral part of their community.
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Conservation land trusts, like South Portland Land Trust, protect the special places in our landscape that offer public benefit - urban park space for gathering with your family, natural marshes for wildlife protection, and land that links neighborhoods with shady trails.
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The Hill Arts Mission Statement: Arts and Culture - creating an affordable and accessible venue for diverse offerings of performance arts - theater, dance, music, film, workshops and more. Neighborhood and Community - adding activity, entertainment, cultural enrichment, social interaction, renovation, and investment that serve both the surrounding neighborhood of Munjoy Hill as well as the residents of Greater Portland. Historic Preservation - rehabilitating this local and national landmark with the adaptive reuse of an arts center.
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United Recovery Fund’s mission is to support marginalized jobseekers facing barriers to employment, focusing primarily on people recovering from substance use disorder, many of whom have been justice-involved.
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Wayside Food Programs works to combat hunger and food insecurity by providing nutritious food and supportive services to individuals and families in need. Through its food pantry, community meal programs, and partnerships, the organization helps ensure that community members have access to healthy food with dignity and respect.
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Women in Harmony is a community chorus that brings women together through music, performance, and shared artistic expression. The organization promotes connection, personal growth, and community engagement while using choral music to inspire, educate, and build understanding.