Our November chapter of Patriot Subaru's "12 Weeks of Giving" program took us down the road to the historic City Theater in downtown Biddeford, the heart of a vibrant and increasingly popular arts and cultural community center. We were welcomed by President Steve Ellis and Theater Manager Allyssa Forcier, who gave us a wonderful tour of this treasured building, including a ghost story! We were pleased to present our earnings from our "!2 Weeks of Giving" program, totaling $1675. It was incredibly impressive to hear that all the work the goes into executing the program is the work of volunteers who create and operate all aspects of the event and operations. The non-profit theater provides performing arts programs year-round, and these creative avenues serve to both entertain as well as engage community participation.That outlet is important to the health of any community, and something that Patriot wants to support through our "neighbor-helping-neighbor" philosophy. The City Theater produces five musical/play productions per year as well as hosting films, lectures, outside comedians and performing artists. Busy! We are looking forward to learning more about this excellent resource, and urge you to do the same!

Patriot Subaru connected with Babygirl Foundation of Gorham for our October program, and was proud to make a donation of $1025 to this relatively new, but important organization. In the summer of 2008, Addison Dube, daughter of Tammy and David Dube, was born. Right away, the parents knew they were on a challenging road, with Addison being diagnosed with Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. Addison turned out to be a true fighter, defying all odds, inspiring everyone she met for 10 years, before passing away in 2019. That same year, Tammy and David established the Babygirl Foundation, with a mission to ease the burden on families during an unexpected hospital stay. Having spent hundreds of nights at the hospital with Addison, the Dube family knows the emotions and difficulties of balancing life, work, and care giving, "The Parent's Closet" is the initiative created and funded by the Babygirl Foundation, available to families at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The Parent's Closet offers a steady supply of various toiletries, blankets, phone chargers, sweatpants, t-shirts and more to parents. All items are geared toward helping parents to be more comfortable while supporting their child in the hospital setting. Patriot Subaru has great appreciation for how the Dube family took up the charge to help others who are having the same experience they once did, truly neighbors helping neighbors in the most difficult of times.

Leaves are turning color, and our "12 Weeks" program turned its attention to the important work of the Portland Recovery Community Center, dedicated to providing support, education and resources for people recovering from and affected by addiction throughout the state of Maine. Patriot Subaru earned $1675 for the  PRCC based on sales during the week of September 5-10. Matt Rieders, Holly Pritchard, and Ian O'Brien from Patriot brought the check over and presented it to Emily Davis (red sweater!) We were provided a thorough tour of the Center, talking with various staff members and coaches. We support their vision that every person affected by addiction in Maine will have direct access to a local recovery center to assist in their recovery pathway. Currently the "Recovery Hub" encompasses 17 centers in Maine, Portland to Caribou. All services at the Portland Recovery Community Center are free of charge. It's safe place to go, where a kind hello, and a warm cup of coffee can make all the difference to someone who is in the early days of recovery. To keep it all moving forward, it takes the donations of many individuals, businesses, and foundations - neighbors helping neighbors, something we greatly value at Patriot. 

It's been a hot summer, so we decided to chill out. Hence the August version of the Patriot Subaru "12 Weeks of Giving" program went to work in support of WinterKids! Between Aug 1-6, we set aside dollars from the sale of each vehicle, earning a total of $1125. John Boucher and Jackie Parker paid a visit to the WinterKids headquarters in Westbrook, and presented the earnings to Winterkids Executive Director, Julie Mulkern. Since 1997, WinterKids has helped children develop healthy lifelong habits through education and fun, outdoor winter activity. It is the only nonprofit in Maine dedicated exclusively to increasing outdoor physical activity in children and families in the winter-our longest, most sedentary season. Definitely another example of a wonderful Maine based grass-roots program that has blossomed into something really special, and we're pleased to support. Enjoy the summer….winter comes fast!

Patriot Subaru's "12 Weeks of Giving" took us to the home of SeedMoney and founder Roger Doiron. One would never guess that an organization that has helped fund over 2000 gardens across all 50 states and 40 countries emanates from a quaint neighborhood backyard garden in Scarborough. In our photo, we have Ian O'Brien and Rob Wells from Patriot Subaru, presenting Roger's SeedMoney program with a check for $1250, that will help create more school gardens, community gardens and other nonprofit based gardens. Roger provided details on the impact of the program and how it has evolved since its inception in 2003. It started as a traditional mini-grants program, to one that now creates challenge grants to leverage donations from individuals. The organization has earned Guidestar's highest Platinum rating for commitment to transparency and measurable results. Roger commented that one of areas where there is a lot of involvement now is in Africa. We then received a nice tour of his thriving backyard garden, and some great tips! (Don't plant everything at once - spread it out a bit - a lot less waste.) Roger topped it off by serving some garden fresh tasty mint water that hit the spot. Thank you Roger, we love that this grassroots program has grown neighbor to world!

Our June recipient of our Patriot Subaru "12 Weeks" is The Equality Community Center's workplace, 15 Casco Street, Portland.  Added bonus this time. First, Patriot Subaru raised $1325 from the sale of vehicles during the first week of June. Next, in support of June's Pride Month, Subaru of New England opted to chip in an additional $1000.  The ECC serve the LGBTQ+ community, striving to provide a safer and more inclusive gathering space while offering social and educational programming for all. The ECC currently houses EqualityMaine, MaineTransNet, PFLAG, Pride Portland!, and SAGE Maine, a program of EqualityMaine, Cross Cultural Community Service,Democracy Maine, and Khmer Maine. Their programs make a difference in the lives of thousands of LGBTQ+ people through advocacy, education, community events and support. Patriot Subaru extends its appreciation to the ECC, yet another organization working to make our community stronger, one day at a time! For our photo, we have Jackie Parker/Patriot Subaru, with ECC Board Members Carolyn Thomas and Betsy Smith, ECC Manager Chris O'Connor, Patriot Subaru Owner Adam Arens, and Subaru New England COO, Jeff Ruble.

Patriot Subaru paid a visit to the folks at the Friends of Casco Bay in South Portland, to present a $1225 donation from our May edition of our "12 Weeks of Giving" program. We met at the FOCB office down at the campus of SMCC, and learned a bit more about their good work to keep Casco Bay ecologically thriving. At the presentation we were welcomed by FOCB associates Sandy Marsters/President, Will Everitt/Interim Director, and Sarah Lyman/Community Engagement Coordinator. They provided us with some additional insight into their work, including the careful monitoring of environmental metrics and water quality, advocating for cleaner policies and business practices, and community events and volunteer programs. Patriot was well represented by Holly Pritchard, Erik Gatz, Andre Mercier, Imahdi Zagon, and Dan Walker. Thank you FOCB, we appreciate your work - the Bay has never looked better!

Let's Bike! The Patriot Subaru "12 Weeks of Giving" program teamed up with the Portland Gear Hub for April 2022 edition, and we earned $1550 for their cause.  Pictured here - Ian O'Brien and Peter Fasulo from Patriot on the left and right, with Ainsley Dunsbar, Digary Lumpkin, and Sara Ramirez from the PGH in the center. What a fun program! The Hub's Mission is to get more youths and adults outside and active by increasing equitable access to affordable, reliable gear. They are powered by Ketcha Outdoors, a 501c3 Youth Organization, and staffed year round by volunteers. Biking is one component, but the team also accepts donations of cross country ski gear, camping equipment, winter apparel, and more. (Yes, you can donate!) It has grown every year since starting in 2017, with over 200 people earning bikes at no cost in 2021. Every donation and purchase you make helps to get more of our community safely out on bikes thru their "Bikes For All Mainers" and "Kids Bike Party" earn-a-bike programs. Healthy living, exercise, and having fun are essential for both physical and mental health, and that's good for everyone. It was great to visit their facility in Portland at 155 Washington Street. A great addition to the neighborhood!

For March, our "12 Weeks of Giving" went for a walk with Portland Trails!  From March 7-12, Patriot Subaru raised $1825 from our total vehicle sales, earmarked for "PT".  We met up with PT's Alison Violette and Lindsay Conrad, down on the Eastern Prom, at the beginning of one of their seaside trails. With roots dating back to 1976, Portland Trails began in earnest in 1991 as a non-profit urban land trust. The vision is to provide Greater Portland with a network of walking, hiking, and bike riding trails that promote healthier living and a better connected community.  Today, the 70+ mile trail and green space network in Portland, Westbrook, South Portland, and Falmouth supports active outdoor lifestyles, serving as a valued amenity for residents as well as property owners. All kinds of eco-friendly trails, from woodland escapes to multi-purpose pathways are free to all. A lot goes into your walk in the woods, and that is the work of 1000 members and many volunteers serving as trail stewards who walk the trails, fixing, cleaning, and reporting issues. Thank you Portland Trails for providing and maintaining this wonderful resource for our local residents, and visitors to our area. Flanking Alison and Lindsay on the left, Service Techs Malcolm Emmons and Eric Rubino, with Paul Hall, Ruger, and John Boucher on the right. Happy trails with #PortlandTrails!

Patriot Subaru's February recipient for our "12 Weeks of Giving" program took us to the South Portland Food Cupboard. There we met the team led by Executive Director Dwayne Hopkins and Warehouse Coordinator Jim Welch.  Patriot associates Holly Pritchard, Andre Mercier, and Erik Gatz presented a check of $1575 earned between Feb 7-12, and then took a tour of the facility.  It is amazing how they turn that amount of money into being able to feed 63 families for a month. It happens because it's run by hard-working volunteers who relentlessly track down quality resources for food, produce and personal care items. and then package and prepare it for the people who need these life resources. Cheerful volunteers are in full gear , no matter the weather or day. Support them with a contribution, or volunteer your time, you will be rewarded with smiles, and often tears of appreciation. 130 Thadeus Street, South Portland. southportlandfoodcupboard.org We learned a lot. We salute the South Portland Food Cupboard, a true community leader. #FoodPantry #LovePromise

We began our 2022 "12 Weeks of Giving" program by teaming up with the Rotary Club of Portland, Maine, and providing a $1000 donation to their charitable program. The Rotary is meeting by zoom right now as January saw an uptick in pandemic cases, but the club was enthusiastic in thanking Patriot for the contribution. Zoom Wave! "Service Above Self" is the Rotary motto, and clubs worldwide endeavor to provide both financial as well as much needed "hands-on" support to the needs of their local community. At the Portland Rotary, the local programs are multi-faceted, from preparing and serving meals at neighborhood soup kitchens, collecting and distributing backpacks with essentials to those in need, supporting local literacy programs, green initiatives, mentoring youth, and many more. On an international level, Portland Rotary members have traveled abroad with their professional skills to implement programs for hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, water filtration systems, and more. Rotary welcomes all who are willing to volunteer their time, effort, and abilities to help and assist others. FMI Portland Rotary