Project Relief Maine announced in a Sept. 6 Instagram post that it would be forced to cease operations if its fundraising goals are not met. The organization has been a vital resource for marginalized communities across the state since 2019, and has called on allies and supporters to step up as it faces a critical financial shortfall. 

The group launched a “Community Support for Project Relief” fundraiser, which aims to raise the funds necessary to keep Project Relief Maine running and continuing its fight for racial justice and mutual aid.

As a Black-led organization, Project Relief Maine is at the forefront of addressing inequities faced by Black and underserved populations in the state. Since its founding, the group has provided crucial assistance by supporting families without housing, combatting white supremacist threats and advocating for victims of police brutality. Most recently, the organization sheltered 25 individuals and families –many with young children– who were left to sleep outside in Portland due to a lack of space in local shelters. 

The urgency of the situation is clear. With winter approaching and demand for their services growing, Project Relief Maine is at risk of ceasing operations just when the community needs them most. The organization shared via its social media channels that they are seeking $10,000 in donations, which will allow them to keep employees on staff as they fight social injustice. The message is simple: without adequate funding, Project Relief Maine will no longer be able to offer its services to the Maine community.

The organization emphasizes that recurring monthly donations are crucial for its continued operation and survival. They assert there is a nationwide trend of Black led organizations receiving less donations than they need to survive, and Project Relief Maine is relying on grassroots support to sustain its work. 

“The harsh reality is that Black-led organizations like ours aren’t receiving the support we need. Since the media has turned away from the Black Lives Matter movement, the vital work happening on the ground is being overlooked, underfunded, and ignored,” the organization stated in its fundraiser description.

Project Relief Maine’s work spans a broad range of services, including financial aid, emergency housing support, food distribution and mental health resources. Their focus extends beyond immediate relief to long-term advocacy, with efforts aimed at dismantling systemic racism and fostering equity for future generations. Yet, without sufficient funding, these initiatives are at risk of disappearing, leaving some of the state’s most vulnerable populations without a safety net.

Project Relief Maine is calling on the community to act, and as of Oct. 6 only has $700 left to raise. Without financial support, Project Relief Maine won’t be able to continue its vital work. For allies and those invested in dismantling racial injustice at UMaine, this is the moment to show up so the organization can keep showing up for Maine’s most marginalized communities.

The Portland City Council vote on Sept. 4 to divest from more than 80 companies linked to Israel appears to have renewed activism among college students at the University of Maine. Groups such as the UMaine chapter of Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) consider the divestment vote an opportunity to advocate for divestment across the nation and raise awareness regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.

Israel initiated continuous military actions that spread to Lebanon since the attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 reignited ongoing conflicts in the region. The loss of human life in Gaza has escalated significantly, with “more than 40,000 lives lost” amid the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine, as reported by AP News on Aug. 15. Currently, over 1.1 million Palestinians are facing famine, and only a handful of hospitals remain operational due to the attacks, as data from the March 2024 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification acute food security analysis shows. 

Protests around the world—and within Maine— erupted in response, calling for a ceasefire and underscoring the urgent need to address Palestinian rights and humanitarian needs.

Portland City Council voted unanimously to divest from companies with financial ties to Israel on Sept. 4 in an effort to recognize the humanitarian crisis and to avoid financially supporting Israel. 

The resolution was brought forth by Council Member April Fournier, who spoke during the meeting.

“We’re not global peace solvers. We’re not sitting at a table at the U.N. We’re not presidents of countries,” said Fournier. “But what we do have control over is the decisions that we make as elected officials for the way that our resources are used, the way in which our programs are funded and living out our values through the policies that we pass as a body.” 

The list of more than 80 companies that Portland will no longer work with include banks, electronics companies, weapons manufacturers and real estate development firms. The vote stems from an Aug. 7 memorandum, which was led by Fournier and sponsored by the city mayor, city manager and several others. The memorandum requested that a meeting take place to discuss the vote. The resolve is set to remain in effect as long as the conflict continues. 

City Finance Manager, Brendon O’Connell, stated that he does not believe this will cause any economic impact on the city, as reported in a Sept. 6 article by News Center Maine.

In the weeks prior to the Portland City Council meeting, many concerned citizens sent emails to the council members requesting they support the vote to divest. 

“As an American Jew, I’m horrified by the genocide Israel is carrying out in Palestine. I don’t want my tax dollars funding genocide and mindless violence,” said Portland Resident Eva Fury ina n email. “Please pass the resolution to divest from Israel, and help Portland stay on the right side of history.”

As events unfolded in Portland, the UMaine Orono campus chapter of JVP celebrated the vote. 

“Obviously we are very excited by the city of Portland’s commitment to divest from Israel. I think that our efforts here at the University of Maine in Orono are bolstered by the state’s largest city taking this step,” said UMaine Student and Club Member Brooke Arend. “As a student chapter of JVP, seeing the state JVP chapter be involved in this victory feels very promising for our own future goals of divestment.”

A mission statement on the national JVP website describes the organization:

“Like generations of Jewish leftists before us, we fight for the liberation of all people. We believe through organizing, we can and will dismantle the institutions and structures that sustain injustice and grow something new, joyful, beautiful and life-sustaining in their place.” 

Sept. 17 marked National Voter Registration Day. With the youth vote expected to play a vital role in elections this year, University of Maine students were able to register to vote in an event sponsored by UMaine UVote and staffed by volunteers and coordinators in front of Fogler Library. Students lined up to participate before the event began. 

“With UMaine UVote our goal is to spearhead nonpartisan efforts here on campus, getting people registered, educating them on the issues and ensuring they make it to the polls,” said Colleen Frazier, assistant director of Student Organizations and Leadership. “We want to teach students how to seek out nonpartisan resources so they can form their own opinions on the issues.”

Echoing Frazier’s sentiment, coordinator of Student Involvement Kathryn Huntress said, “Students have a really powerful voice. Whether they live here full time or not, it’s important for them to use their voice in the town they’re currently in.” 

When asked what she might say to any students disinterested in the election or without a plan to vote, Huntress said, “It’s important to stay educated on the things that are impacting you and to make sure you use your voice to the best ability that you can. If you care about your loved ones, voting is a good way to show that you care about them.”

One highlight of National Voter Registration Day on campus was the excitement among first-time voters as they prepared to exercise their civic power this November. 

“I registered to vote in my hometown, but this is my first election. I think it’s really important, especially right now, and my voice matters,” said UMaine Student Dinah Lowen.

“I’m most excited about the sense of community,” said UMaine Student Malaja Uzzell, as she registered to vote for the first time.

Additionally, Frazier recommended resources such as nonprofit organization Rock the Vote and the app IssueVoter to help students find nonpartisan information on the issues. 

Beyond registering to vote, UMaine students can get involved by volunteering as poll workers.

“In the US, our election system is decentralized, and local election clerks rely on community members to help run polling locations,” said Professor Rob Glover of UMaine’s Political Science department. “Each election year, we need to recruit roughly 1.5 million people to assist, which is equivalent to the size of our active-duty military.”

UMaine students have a track record of stepping up when needed. This was especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Typically, in Maine, poll workers tend to be older. Many are retirees. That generation is aging out of doing this work and so we need younger folks to help ensure adequate staffing. This was crucial in 2020 when we were in the height of the pandemic without any vaccine. Lots of older folk didn’t feel comfortable doing this public-facing work, and we had over 40 UMaine students step up to staff that election,” said Glover. “It went seamlessly.” 

Glover went on to explain, “Perhaps more importantly, there’s research that suggests people have a better experience at the polls and more trust in elections when they are staffed by people they can personally identify with, like students helping fellow students. Last but not least, the political habits that you form when you’re in early adulthood tend to follow you around for the rest of your life. So, if students are participating in this active way now, they’re more likely to do this work and be politically engaged for the long haul. And that’s good for democracy. Everybody wins.”

UMaine works closely with the town of Orono to train and schedule students as poll workers, but those outside the area can participate by signing up through online platforms such as Power The Polls. Interested students can also fill out the form to volunteer as a poll worker here.

While students can have a significant impact by working the polls, the most important thing is that they vote. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who oversees elections, emphasized this while attending an on-campus talk regarding the role of Black women in the early 20th century suffrage movements by Mackenzie Reynolds, an undergraduate student.

“Voting is fundamental to everything that we care about, and if voting didn’t matter, people wouldn’t work so hard to keep others from doing it. I’ve seen elections come down to just a handful of votes – especially in local and state races,” said Bellows. “Those margins can mean the difference between electing someone who stands up for women’s rights, civil rights, voting rights, or someone who doesn’t.”

As listed on UMaine UVote’s homepage, here is a simple guide for UMaine students to get registered to vote either in-person or online:

In-person locations:

1. Town of Orono at 59 Main Street, Orono, ME
2. Center for Student Involvement (Room 149, Memorial Union) between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (available until about 3 weeks before the election)
3. Your town polling site the day of the election

Online: 

1. Students can register online until Oct. 15 in the State of Maine here.

If you have questions about registering to vote or want to be a participant in the campus-wide effort to turn out students this election year, contact Professor Rob Glover  (robert.glover@maine.edu) in the Political Science department or Colleen Frazier (colleen.frazier@maine.edu) who directs UMaine UVote in Student Life.