NORTH YARMOUTH, Maine — Many living rooms and kitchens across Maine are likely to be filled with wrapping paper and holiday decorations ahead of Christmas. Patricia Lee's North Yarmouth home looked like Santa's workshop Sunday afternoon, as coats, hats, backpacks, and presents covered nearly every square inch.
Lee said she and her family try to do something every year to give back. One of her own children actually sparked this year's idea: Give back to unhoused teenagers.
What started as a simple idea grew into a community-wide effort.
“It makes you feel good that everybody out there wants to give back," Lee said.
She said she was happy to "raise her hand" and use her own home as the base of operations, collecting donations and gifts that will all be delivered to the Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter in Portland, a place for unhoused and at-risk youth.
If you met Patricia Lee for even just a few minutes, you would believe her when she said she goes "all in" on everything she does.
However, this year's donation drive is fueled by a more personal passion.
“I was a kid at the [Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter], I was homeless when I was younger, on and off the streets, in and out of group homes, and the teen center was always there for me. It was a constant in my life," she said. “It’s hard to describe being in that shelter around the holidays, [or] any time.”
Lee said she began experiencing homelessness at age 11 and knows that Christmas at the shelter can be hit or miss.
"If someone feels like donating presents to the teen center, then they get a Christmas. If they don’t, they don’t," she explained. “It feels really hopeless and alone, so I’m hoping to give that hope back and let them know people are thinking about them.”
So, Lee decided to give those teenagers the best holiday possible. Besides essentials like coats, hats, gloves, and quilts, Lee is also collecting presents to be used for a holiday party at the shelter.
Items like nail polish, makeup, or textured hair products may seem like everyday items for a lot of Mainers, but they'll be received as blessings by the teenagers.
While Lee and her family had this donation effort under control, more generous Mainers stepped in, even dropping off bags of gifts unannounced at their front door. Hundreds of items have already been delivered, with even more on the way.
Other women Lee spent time with years ago at the teen shelter are also pitching in. One set up a wish list for people in the community to buy gifts that will delivered to Lee. You can find that wish list here.
The Greely High School swim teams even held their own event Sunday night, packing donated gifts into backpacks, boxes, and bags that will all be dropped off at the shelter on Saturday.
Lee said she overcame her early struggles in life thanks to the shelter, its staff, resources, and support. To her, it's her family.
“Bringing attention to [unhoused teenagers] and their needs was something I wanted to do," Lee added.
The North Yarmouth homeowner is open to talking about her past. She said she learned to accept that part of her life, and she knows that giving back and helping family can mean the same thing.