Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers

The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers is a nonprofit agency in Waterville, Maine that provides education, counseling, adoption, day care, and early childhood education services for pregnant teens and teen parents. Founded as an orphanage in 1899 and incorporated as the Maine Children's Home Society in 1901, it began dealing solely with adoptions in 1915. It merged with the Maine branch of The Home for Little Wanderers of Massachusetts in 1962, creating the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. In 1973 it introduced an "alternative" high school program for pregnant teens and teen parents.

Maine Children's Home for
Little Wanderers
PredecessorMaine Children's Home Society
Formation25 July 1962 (1962-07-25)
Founded atWaterville, Maine
Merger ofThe Home for Little Wanderers
TypeNGO
Legal statusCharity
HeadquartersWaterville, Maine
ServicesEducation, counseling, adoptions, day care, and early childhood education services for pregnant teens and teen parents
Executive Director
Richard Dorian
Budget
$1.9 million[1]
Staff
40[1]
Websitemainechildrenshome.org

History
Postcard view of Water Street, Augusta, Maine, c. 1920

The Home originally opened as a private orphanage on April 10, 1899 in Augusta to care for children living on the streets or in financially unstable homes. Funded by donations from local residents, the institution provided food, clothing, and shelter for 28 children in its inaugural year. It was incorporated as The Maine Children's Home Society in 1901. It also began offering an adoption service to help place children who needed homes. By 1915, the expansion of the foster care movement obviated the need for an orphanage and it was closed, but the adoption service continued to operate.[2] In the 1930s, some of the infants waiting for adoption were used as "practice babies" by home economics students at the Farmington State Normal School.[3]

In the 1950s the Home started its annual Christmas gift box program, which sends toys, games, and clothing to impoverished children statewide.[4]

On July 25, 1962 the Maine Children's Home Society merged with the Maine branch of The Home for Little Wanderers of Massachusetts, creating the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. The merged institution, now based in Waterville, provided adoption services together with "foster care, counseling, diagnostic study, case work with unmarried parents, and summer camp scholarships".[2]

In 1973 the Home launched its Teen Parent School Program, which offers an "alternative" high-school education for pregnant teens.[5]

The Home acquired a campus with five buildings in Waterville in 2001 with major support from the Harold Alfond Foundation.[1][2]

In 2011 the Home was accredited for international adoption under the Hague Adoption Convention.[2]

Services

Adoption services

The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers is a licensed private agency for adoptions and child placement.[6] It is one of 10 licensed adoption agencies in the state.[7] The agency facilitates domestic and international adoptions, home studies, post-adoption services, and counseling for birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees.[6][8] It places between 10 and 14 children annually.[1]

Teen Parent School Program

An "alternative" educational program offers high-school classes, parenting guidance, childcare guidance, and counseling for pregnant teens and teen parents.[5] The majority of students are girls, although classes and support groups are available for teen fathers. Students can enroll for up to four years, attending classes even after they give birth, and child care is available free of charge.[1] In its first 40 years, this program graduated approximately 1,000 students.[8] The program enrolls an average of 20 students per year.[1]

Daycare and early childhood education

The day care and early childhood education program accommodates 55 children annually.[1]

Outpatient mental health counseling

Outpatient mental health counseling is provided for 200 clients per year.[1]

Christmas gift boxes

Toys, games, and clothing are distributed to impoverished children statewide each Christmas season. In 2012 this program benefited more than 1,600 children.[9]

Summer camp scholarships

Summer camp scholarships are provided for over 150 children statewide.[8]

Fund-raising

The Home runs its own fundraisers and solicits corporate sponsorships. In-house fundraisers include an annual dinner[10] and an annual Lobster Roll Lunch, which in 2014 raised $7,000 for the Christmas gift box distribution.[11] Corporate sponsors include the Ray Haskell Ford Lincoln dealership, which runs an annual ice fishing tournament in support of the Home,[12][13] the Atlantic Music Festival,[14] and 10 credit unions making up the Kennebec Valley Chapter of Credit Unions.[15][16]

Staff

In January 2016 Richard Dorian became executive director of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers.[17] He succeeded Sharon H. Abrams, who joined the staff in 1973 as the first teacher in the Teen Parent School Program[17] and served as executive director from 1992 to 2015.[1] Abrams continues to work at the Home as a volunteer and social worker.[17]

Awards

The Home received a 2003 Certificate of Achievement and a 2000 Community Service Award from the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, a 1999 Giraffe Award from the Maine Children's Alliance, and a Business of the Year Award from the Waterville Business and Professional Women.[18] Longtime employee and executive director Sharon H. Abrams was inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame in 2004.[19]

References
  1. Schreiber, Laurie (11 January 2016). "Leadership change after 23 years at Maine Children's Home". Maine Biz. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  2. "Our History". Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. "Cottage Babies". Maine Historical Society. 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  4. Hongoltz-Hetling, Matt (29 November 2012). "Donations still lag need for Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers holidays program". Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. Ohm, Rachel (16 February 2015). "Waterville program marks 40 years of helping teen parents". Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  6. "Licensed Private Adoption Agencies in Maine". Maine Department of Health and Human Services. 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  7. Pearson, Bill (22 December 2014). "Maine couple starts family by adopting three". Booth Bay Register. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  8. "Our Programs". Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. Hongoltz-Hetling, Matt (10 December 2012). "Little Wanderers exceeds goal for Christmas boxes, thanks to late flurry of donations". Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. "The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers Hosts Annual Awards Dinner, Raises $24,500 (press release)". Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  11. "Children's home raises $7,000-plus toward Christmas program". Bangor Daily News. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  12. "Stay Local Maine – Ray Haskell Ford Lincoln". WFMX. 2016. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  13. "Maine Milestones". Portland Press Herald. 22 March 2011.
  14. "2013". Atlantic Music Festival. 2016. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  15. Williams, Nakell (6 August 2015). "Looks Like Christmas at the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers". WABI-TV. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  16. Counts, Brianna (14 August 2015). "Christmas in July a Success!". Winslow Community Federal Credit Union. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  17. Ohm, Rachel (10 November 2015). "Richard Dorian to become Maine Children's Home executive director". Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  18. "Leadership Unplugged Spring 2015 – Session 2 with Sharon Abrams". Maine Development Foundation. 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  19. "'Seed of Sarah' author Judith Magyar Isaacson, former Bates dean, honored by Maine Women's Hall of Fame". Bates College. 10 February 2004. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
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