Like most communities throughout Maine, we are seeing an increased need for family and youth housing in our district. There are a variety of reasons why the situations are occurring; from the number of social services that are being cut due to state-level funding issues to the increased concerns around instability and substance abuse in families.

On any given day there are children in the MSAD 60 community who have no place to call home. They may be staying short-term with family members, sleeping on a friend’s couch, or living in a shelter. This problem is particularly challenging for teens, who are often not welcome in family shelters. Often the family structure is broken and teens are left without support.

When children are homeless they face hunger, sleeplessness, lack of access to healthcare, inadequate clothing, transportation challenges, and potentially unsafe environments. All of these factors have a profound negative impact on school attendance and success. 

MSAD 60 has always been forward-thinking in providing families with opportunities and has gone the extra mile to support students as they navigate their ever-changing worlds.

They currently have a partnership with the North Berwick Food Pantry, have developed a clothes closet open to any resident of the district, have a health center at Noble High School that is in partnership with Nasson Health Services (a federally qualified health center) in Sanford, and a myriad of other supports all aimed at providing students with equal access to quality education. Now MSAD 60 is joining forces with The Ryan House Project to address the need for stable housing for those students who do not have that benefit.