July 2026 newsletter
💛 Celebrating One Year Of Impact 💛
A Note from Reagan, Our Board chair
Dear Friends,
One year ago, we opened the yellow door of the ME-RAP Access Center with a simple but ambitious vision: to create a place where every person would be welcomed with dignity, compassion, and hope.
Today, the Access Center operates as a welcoming community space where anyone can warm up, rest, and connect with support. It blends traditional recovery supports – including peer-led recovery meetings and recovery coaching – with harm reduction services such as naloxone distribution and syringe disposal. The Center also offers showers, personal storage, basic needs support, and housing and employment navigation, connecting people with treatment services through providers across Maine.
Over the past year, the Access Center has served 1,093 unique individuals, helped 107 people connect to treatment or housing, distributed 5,234 boxes of naloxone, hosted 385 recovery meetings attended by more than 5,300 people, and organized 80 community cleanups. Each of these milestones was made possible by more than 130 volunteers and a dedicated staff team who showed up every single day with consistent hope and radical love for our community. What was once a long-vacant downtown building is now a vibrant community hub, built by and for the people we serve.
And while these numbers tell an incredible story, they only capture part of our impact.
Behind every statistic is a person. A neighbor who found support instead of isolation. A family that found hope. Someone who took their first step toward recovery. A volunteer who gave their time to make our community stronger. A staff member who chose compassion, even on the hardest days.
What's happened behind the yellow door this year is bigger than any one of us.
It was built by volunteers, neighbors, participants, supporters, and community partners who showed up day after day because they believe everyone deserves dignity and a place to land. That is the heart of this organization.
Serving as Board Chair during this first year has been an incredible privilege. I have watched this community come together to prove that recovery is possible, that people deserve second chances, and that when we invest in one another, our entire community benefits. As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead.
There is still more work to do, more lives to reach, and more opportunities to strengthen our community. I have no doubt that the same spirit that carried us through this first year will continue to guide us into the future.
Congratulations to everyone who made this first year possible. This milestone belongs to all of us. Thank you for helping us build something meaningful. 💛
With gratitude,
In solidarity,
ME-RAP Board Chair
P.S. I wouldn't be doing my job as Board Chair if I didn't ask! If the Access Center has inspired you, would you consider making a $10.93 donation in honor of the 1,093 people who walked through our doors this past year? Every gift helps ensure the next person who needs us finds the same welcome, hope, and support.
Did we mention it's our birthday month?!
Join us on Thursday, July 9, from 4PM to 7PM as the Maine Recovery Access Project (ME-RAP) celebrates the first anniversary of the Access Center with an evening of community, gratitude, and reflection. The celebration will take place at the ME-RAP Access Center, 47 Water Street in Augusta, bringing together volunteers, community partners, participants, families, and supporters to recognize one year of life-saving impact. Remarks will begin at 5:00 PM. Everyone is welcome as we celebrate the people, partnerships, and community that have made this first year possible.
In addition, ME-RAP will be hosting our largest community clean up yet! We are hoping to celebrate the Access Center's Birthday and the 107 people we connected to treatement and housing by brining together 107 volunteers for a community wide clean up!
Clean up supplies will be provided! Join us to celebrate and serve Augusta on July 18th at 1PM at 47 Water St.
A FOURTH of JULY to remember!
This year’s Fourth of July parade was a beautiful reminder that recovery belongs in every part of community life. ME-RAP was proud to walk through Downtown Augusta with participants, families, volunteers, and friends as the city celebrated America’s 250th birthday. From the smiles along the parade route to the treats shared with the crowd, it was a joyful day of connection, visibility, and showing up together. We are grateful for every opportunity to be out in the community, building relationships and reminding people that everyone is welcome here. 💛
ART, RECOVERY, and community
The See the Artist, Not the Use art show was hosted by Maine’s Project to Prevent Prescription Drug and Opioid Overdose-Related Deaths and held on June 16th at Lithgow Public Library.
The show was a beautiful reminder that people are more than their substance use. It featured artwork from members of our recovery community and created space for dignity, creativity, connection, and conversation.
You can see more from the evening here.
Feeding it Forward at Capitol Park
ME-RAP was grateful to be part of All of Us 250: Feeding It Forward at Capitol Park on Saturday, June 27th. The event brought together neighbors, community members, and local organizations for an afternoon focused on connection, mutual support, and making sure people have access to the resources they need.
There was a great turnout, and we are so thankful for everyone who stopped by, donated, shared information, or helped spread the word. Donations collected supported Augusta Food Bank, United Community Living Center, and Maine Recovery Access Project.
A new series for the next chapter
As we celebrate one year of community, connection, and growth, we’re also looking ahead to what comes next. This July, we’re excited to launch a new Life Skills Workshop Series at the Access Center to help participants build practical skills that support stability, confidence, recovery, employment, and personal growth.
Across the series, participants will explore personal strengths, set goals, build or update resumes, learn budgeting basics, practice interview skills, and connect with support in a welcoming environment. Each workshop is free, open to all community members, and designed to offer tools participants can use right away. 💛
upcoming access center event highlights
As we look ahead, July is filled with opportunities to connect, celebrate, and take part in community at the Access Center. ME-RAP will be joining the City of Augusta’s July 4th parade and tossing popsicles to help keep community members cool during the summer celebration. We are also looking forward to the Iron Man race in Augusta! We’ve included a few July highlights below for anyone who would like to join us. 💛
OUR FULL CENTER CALENDAR!
volunteer of the month
Rachel Wolfe is the Access Center Volunteer of the Month. She enjoys giving back to a community that has helped her throughout her own recovery journey. Rachel says helping others and making a positive difference in someone's day gives her a sense of purpose. She is actively involved in the recovery community, regularly attending meetings and events and building connections with others in recovery. Through her kindness and willingness to help, Rachel helps strengthen the sense of community that makes recovery possible.
