Good Helper Boarding House: A Refuge for Struggling Maine Families
About Good Helper Boarding Houses
Good Helper Boarding Houses, one located in Auburn and the other in Gorham, are designed as safe havens for families in need of lodging and assistance. These could be families experiencing financial difficulty and/or under the threat of homelessness.
Here are the details of each house:
Auburn Boarding House
- 4 bedrooms
- 3 bathrooms
- Communal kitchen
- Communal living spaces
Gorham* Boarding House
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathroom
- Communal kitchen
- Communal living spaces
- On-site food pantry
In total, these two houses will be equipped to help up to 12 families at a time (up to 60 individuals in total).
* Note: Our Gorham location is currently under renovation, needing both minor and major repairs before families in the Greater Portland area can take advantage of this resource.
The Need
Throughout Maine, homelessness continues to be an issue. Rising home costs and complex systems pose a barrier for many. This is especially true for populations of new Mianers, who have immigrated here from other parts of the world. Due to language barriers and a lack of knowledge of the rental system, finding a home is a challenging endeavor.
Even with concerted efforts on both the state and local level, homeless shelters continue to struggle with overcrowding and sadly, have had to turn some away.
Our Organization
Good Helper Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping immigrant families thrive in their new home. We accomplish this through education, advocacy, and financial assistance.
We are here to help individuals through the most challenging times of life. Here is a sample of our programs and services that support this mission:
- Board Houses
- Case management
- Housing assistance
- Rental subsidies
- Food distribution
- Transportation assistance
Chief among our services is our boarding house program. These boarding houses serve as safe and reliable housing for families in transition, whether it's an immigrant family who struggles to find affordable housing or a single mother in need of support as she looks for a more reliable living situation.
As part of our boarding house, residents will have access to Good Helper's other services, including a case manager who will help them create and implement an personalized action plan to reach their goals.
We at Good Helper Foundation feel for all in our community who experience homelessness and hope that our boarding houses will contribute to a durable solution to this problem here in Maine.