Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
RIBBON-CUTTING — The Aid For Kids organization held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate renovations to its distribution center on Military Street in Houlton. Taking part in the ceremony are Aid for Kids representatives, from left, Heidi Abbotoni, Dawn Degenhardt, Jane Torres of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, Marilyn Roper, Dannette Ellis and Alyssa Abbotoni.
Charitable group helps those in need for both state, local community
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Aid for Kids has developed an overflowing distribution center on Military Street in Houlton thanks to many grants from numerous foundations, gifts of local businesses and volunteer labor, almost all renovations on the former Dale’s Transmission building are completed.
Those renovations included new wiring, insulated bay doors, windows, a water heater, shelving, new energy-efficient lighting, a heat pump, a new roof, flooring, rain gutters and partial paving.
“We also have installed a state-of-the-art security system that is monitored constantly,” said Dannette Ellis, director of the Other Maine project.
Though the distribution center is not open to the public, Aid for Kids makes sure that the new merchandise is provided to the most vulnerable in the community. They work with 112 other non-profit statewide groups.
“We do not normally have individuals come to our warehouse,” Ellis said. “Instead, we usually drop the goods off at other non-profit [locations] who then distribute the goods we have donated to their clients.”
However, Aid for Kids can be contacted at admin@aidforkids.org for those individuals who do not know if they qualify.
“With basic information on an individual’s needs and a contact number, someone will get back to them to see if they qualify for our assistance,” added Ellis.
Oftentimes, Aid for Kids’ donations come from a variety of businesses or groups. Each of those entities have their own qualifications for a screening process.
“We agree to those screening processes to get their donation,” said Ellis. “Most items are based on income [eligibility] or if someone qualifies for [state aid]. Many of the non-profits we deal with have screened the individuals prior to connecting with us.”
Aid for Kids was started nine years ago by Dawn Degenhardt, her family and friends, after she retired from being the executive director of the Maine Adoption Placement Service (MAPS).
“Our organization strives to help low-income individuals and families, as well as the elderly across the state by distributing new, quality merchandise such as clothing, bedding, school supplies and other household items to those in need,” Ellis said. “We are a local all volunteer non-profit humanitarian group.”
The greater Houlton area is impacted by the work at Aid for Kids directly.
“We donate a large amount of our merchandise to schools, non-profit organizations and families in our local area,” Ellis explained. “We frequently work with the food pantry in our area, as well as DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services), Cary Library, Catholic Charities and several other local non-profit groups.”
Shipping and handling for the goods comes from grants from local banks (i.e. Bangor Savings’ Community Matters), foundations, the Houlton Rotary Club and private donars.
Among the merchandise provided within the greater Houlton community and statewide was the distribution of 6,000 winter coats.
“We recently received 240,000 pencils that arrived packaged in boxes that each contained 1,944 pencils,” Ellis said. “In order to get the pencils to the [numerous] organizations that would benefit by the donation, I decided to repackage the pencils into smaller quantities.”
With such a workload, Ellis reached out to Dee Butler and her group of Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) students at Houlton High School.
“They graciously counted and sorted pencils into smaller containers,” said Ellis. “Those containers were given to all of our local schools, as well as schools from Fort Kent to Lewiston.”
Ellis also noted she had a crayon shipment that was handled in the same manner.
The latest shipment to the distribution center was “a very generous donation” said Ellis of Carter’s children’s clothing.
“Carter’s has been known for years for high-quality and stylish children’s clothing that they produce,” Ellis explained. “We are thrilled that we will have a large amount of children’s clothing to distribute across the state.”
Aid for Kids is coupled with The Other Maine Project, which began five years ago, along with humanitarian work being done in Vietnam, which is directed by Joy Degenhardt, daughter of Dawn and Ed Degenhardt.
“The Other Maine Project continues to add non-profits to our partner list across the state so that our resources benefit the most people,” explained Ellis. “We are always searching for new donations and innovative ways to help those in need.
“The ‘Other Maine Project has been very lucky to make amazing contacts across the United States, who generously donate to us,” she added. “They appreciate that we make every effort to ensure that all goods donated to our organization end up in the hands of those that truly need them.”
Another aspect of Aid for Kids is that their donations cannot be sold, bartered or raffled.
“All individuals and organizations that work with us sign a form that specifies that in writing,” said Ellis.
Complementing the supply of merchandise are the helpers, which Aid for Kids depends upon.
“We have been blessed with a dedicated group of volunteers who make all this possible,” Ellis said.
