Origin & Core Values
The Story of Family Promise of MidCoast Maine
Family Promise of MidCoast Maine grew out of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast’s Warming Center Task Force (2020-2021) and the desire of volunteers to provide more comprehensive support and services to families experiencing homelessness. With the support of the Greater Bay Area Ministerium (GBAM), a decision was made to create a separate nonprofit organization to support families at risk of homelessness in the MidCoast region with a special focus on Waldo County, which currently has no shelter serving families. We are an affiliate of the national Family Promise program, the largest provider of services for families experiencing homelessness in the country. In its 37 years, the national Family Promise program has grown to over 200 affiliate agencies in 43 states, including an affiliate in Portland, Maine, and others in New England. Nationally, there are now more than 6,000 local congregations and community groups working together to support families at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
Our Core Values
The values we believe are critical to developing such a community are these:
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person
- Self-determination within healthy boundaries for families and communities
- Personal and communal peace as a universally desirable byproduct of life choices
- Justice grounded in equity and compassion
- Right of conscience for all people
- Well-being through living out the variations of the Golden Rule as found in all major religions: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
- Respect for, and compliance with, the laws of the land, i.e. our community, state, and national laws and standards