BATH, Maine — It's evolved over seven years, but the goal of Midcoast Youth Center in Bath has always been to support the young people of Sagadahoc County, along with Brunswick and Harpswell.
It's a skatepark right next to the middle school, offering a safe space for after-school programs, counseling support, closets of clothing, groceries that can be brought home, and a hot meal.
"We started doing after-school snacks for free," MYC founder, Jamie Dorr, said. "Then we started to do things in crockpots. Then we started to do things on hot plates."
New countertops and cabinets donated and installed by Hammond Lumber and Kennebec Builders are just one piece of a brand new kitchen where they're not only cooking to feed some 30 kids every weeknight but also teaching them how to cook for themselves.
"If their basic needs are being met, all of the other things can fall into place," Dorr said, adding that mental health is step one. Here, that means having an adult or, if they'd prefer it, another teen to talk to.
"We also do a lot of support for youth who are experiencing homelessness. So, last year we had 70 youth on our caseload just here in the Sagadahoc County region," Dorr said. "Pre-pandemic, we would average about 35 kids a year. Now, it’s at 70. And that’s just kids who are under the age of 18 that are in the school system."
As for the others, Dorr added, "we just got a grant from Maine Housing to provide transitional housing. So, we just purchased a building across the street. And this fall, [it] will open up and have a place for up to six 18- to 24-year-olds to live in transitional housing and receive case management and workforce development. We have a workforce development program, and we’re really excited about that."
There are days when it's a real challenge for Dorr and her counselors, but there are also major payoffs — like watching a life change.
"I definitely think I would be in a different place in my life without this building," Jeppie Phillips told us. He first came to MYC in middle school. Now, a graduate of Morse High School, Phillips is helping younger kids. To them, he's a rockstar. Well, actually, he's a hip-hop artist. It was a musical outlet he found through MYC.
"I see my younger self in a lot of the younger kids. And it's kind of my way of still dealing with some other stuff I have going on and letting me know that I'm making a difference and being an influence to them and helping them keep motivation and believe in themselves. I think that's always what makes me come back," Phillips said.
No one goes hungry here or unnoticed. As the community continues to change through inflation, job struggles, or substance abuse crises, so does Midcoast Youth Center, growing to meet the needs of its community.
MYC is in the process of purchasing the building so that they can make big changes in the kitchen. They need a commercial oven, and fire suppression installed above that, if anyone wants to donate time or equipment.
Click here to contact them, or to learn more about a Meal Train program they run, in which, they accept donated dinners.