Support The Farm of Hope with Your Donations
The Dahlgren-Skidgel Farm of Hope is coming along great with thanks to volunteers, fund raising and donations. You can help too. Here's how to donate and get involved.
The planning for the Dahlgren-Skidgel Farm of Hope began in July 2015. Founders Vaughn Hardacker, Rudy St.Peter, Dan Durepo, Devon Espling and John Deveau organized in March 2016 and signed a lease with the owners of Phil’s Florist in Caribou, September 2016. Deveau, Executive Director for the United Veterans of Maine Inc., said it all started when a fellow veteran became homeless.
In March of this year, they raised over $45,000.00 with the Project 16 Telethon with the help of WAGM. The Grand Opening of the office complex was April 15th with over 100 guests, including Congressman Bruce Poliquin. The ground breaking ceremony was held July 15th at the future site of the duplexes. The Ribbon cutting and open house is planned for October 14th. Farm Credit East helped The United Veterans of Maine buy the property. Farm Credit East and partner CoBank gave a $10,000 donation as well (pictured below).
Dahlgren-Skidgel Farm of Hope at 358 Washburn Road in Caribou will have four duplex cottages for transitional homes and job training for veterans who are homeless in Aroostook County. Local businesses have donated most of the materials for the project. Much needed items like bedding, furniture, and quilts from a local church have been given to the Farm of Hope.
Volunteer hours have been a great contribution, helping with many things including construction of the cottages, landscaping, and building planter boxes to grow vegetables. The administrative building has had a full remodel and is set up with communications systems including teleconferencing.
Karen St. Peter who chairs the UVM fund raising committee and is a U.S. Army veteran said:
We are now doing a calendar fund raising event and dozens of businesses have contributed so that we have prizes to award every day during the month of August”.
You can get tickets - 3 for $25 or $10 each - at the Farm of Hope and at the UVM booth Thursday nights on Sweden.
Townsquare Media will broadcast live from 9am - 2pm, Saturday July 22nd. We'll be getting the word out on the great work at the Farm of Hope. Stop by and show your support. Here's how you can make donations.
DONATIONS:
Your donation is very much appreciated. Please visit the United Veterans of Maine website: unitedveteransofmaine.org
You can also give with their Go Fund and their PayPal or contact Karen St. Peter at the Farm of Hope at 492-2190 to make a donation.
(Tax Exempt under the fiscal sponsorship of the Center for Advancement of Rural Living or CARL for short)