Mainspring receives $1 million in federal funds for new social services hub in Kittery

KITTERY, Maine — Mainspring, a social services hub under construction at 22 Shapleigh Road, has received $1 million in federal funding.

The funds come via a Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill with support from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine.

“By bringing several nonprofit partners under the same roof, Mainspring aims to fundamentally transform how social services are delivered in York County,” Collins said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact that this innovative collaboration will have on our state.”

The leaders of Fair Tide (affordable housing and supportive services) and Footprints food pantry are coming together at Mainspring. Working collaboratively with numerous agency partners, Mainspring will offer both short-term responses and long-term solutions to hunger, homelessness, and an array of poverty-related issues. Individuals and families will be supported through tailored case management at a one-stop resource hub as they build capacity in their own lives and navigate a path out of poverty. Located in Kittery, Mainspring will serve as a resource for the entire Seacoast region, on both sides of the Piscataqua, and as a partner for social service providers throughout the region.

Footprints Executive Director Megan Shapiro-Ross stated, “Mainspring will serve as a hub for coordinated and comprehensive support for individuals and families in need. Through agency collaboration, a shared data system, and in partnership with the individuals seeking assistance, we will tailor the full spectrum of necessary services on a case-by-case basis – always with an eye toward independence and a personalized plan leading out of poverty, crisis, or need.”

Construction on the Mainspring facility began in December 2023 and is slated to be completed by the end of this year. Fair Tide and Footprints are in the midst of a $6.3M capital campaign to develop this vital resource for the region. The $1 million in federal funds brings the total raised to $5.1M.

“Through Mainspring, this significant investment of federal funds will vastly improve our social service delivery model and have deep and long-lasting benefits for individuals, families, and communities. This project has received incredible support from the local, county, state, and now federal levels — an indication of the urgent need to bring this resource to life," says Fair Tide Executive Director Emily Flinkstrom.

Mainspring's team is working to raise the remaining $1.2M.

Information: mainspringcollective.org

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Mainspring receives $1M in federal funds for new social services hub