We Are Back!
A NoTE FROM COURTNEY
Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Partners,
Last week, ME-RAP pressed pause. During that time our team reconnected with our shared history and set our intentions for the months ahead. We stepped back from daily operations to rest, reflect, and reset. We celebrated the launch of the Access Center. We celebrated our first four months of blending traditional recovery supports, such as recovery meetings and recovery coaching, with harm reduction practices that include naloxone distribution and a syringe disposal program.
In just four months, we enrolled 501 participants. Together we distributed 1,959 boxes of naloxone, hosted 99 recovery support meetings that reached 719 participants, linked more than 43 people to treatment and housing, recorded more than 4,500 drop-ins, and provided 5,987 referrals to support services. We paused to honor what we have built and to prepare for what comes next.
Our New Hours: Monday to Thursday 7AM to 5PM Drop-In Days
This week we are returning from our time with a renewed commitment to action and access. As part of this reset, we are shifting our hours for winter to better meet the needs of our community. The Access Center is now open for drop-in support Monday through Thursday from 7 AM to 5 PM.
Drop-in support includes showers, storage, harm reduction services, connection to treatment and recovery coaching, and a space to rest, care for yourself, and build community. We will also continue hosting community resources onsite, including the Health on Wheels bus, trainings, recovery support meetings and other supportive services. Please feel free to send anyone by during this time! We are happy to connect them with resources, treatment, a cup of coffee, and more!
Evening Recovery Support: Monday to Thursday 5PM to 7PM
Beginning at 5 PM Monday to Thursday, all drop-in activities will close so we can focus solely on recovery support meetings and intentional recovery time. After 5 PM, we ask that everyone in the Center be involved in a recovery-supportive activity to help maintain a focused and respectful environment for all. This could include attending a meeting, working with a recovery coach, step work, volunteering, or participating in another recovery support service. We made this shift in collaboration with meeting hosts, participants, and the Augusta Overnight Warming Center.
Together we are creating a space where evenings are intentionally grounded in purpose, connection, and growth. Additionally, Friday through Sunday, the Center will be open by appointment or for scheduled recovery groups and special events. Additionally, on Fridays from 7 PM to 9 PM, we also host our friends from Narcotics Anonymous. You can always find our full schedule here.
Daily Community Clean Ups
We are also launching our daily Mini Community Clean Up.
This daily action builds on our already very successful community clean up project.
Because being a good neighbor isn’t just something we say — it’s something we do.
Each morning at 10 AM, a small group will head out to pick up trash and keep our shared spaces clean.
This is one way we show that recovery includes taking care of the place we call home. Anyone is welcome. Just show up at 10 AM Monday through Thursday and we will put a trash grabber in your hand.
Expanding Our Volunteer Program
As our community grows, so do the opportunities to contribute.
We are strengthening our volunteer program and invite you to join us. Volunteers help the Access Center run with dignity and care, and we have several priority roles to fill:
- Snack Counter Volunteers (Monday to Thursday, 11 AM to 2 PM or 2 PM to 5 PM) share snacks, offer a warm welcome, and keep the area sanitized and stocked
- Closing Volunteers (Monday to Thursday, 5 PM to 8 PM) help clean and reset the Center so the next day starts fresh
- Community Clean-Up Volunteers (Monday to Thursday, 10 AM to 12 PM) join staff in tidying Water Street and the surrounding area as an act of mutual respect for our neighborhood.
There are other ways to serve, but these are our most immediate needs. To sign up, email Jeanne Marquis, Volunteer Director, at jeanne@me-rap.org with your preferred role and shift.
Recovery is for everyone.
Together, we are building a community where dignity is non-negotiable, care is mutual, and every step toward wellness counts. ME-RAP exists to meet people where they are, reduce harm, and expand access to resources that help all of us thrive. If you need support, come in. If you want to help, join us. If you have ideas, share them.
We are ready for the work ahead (as long as we do it together!).
In Solidarity,
ACCESS CENTER NEWS
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VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH
We are thrilled to celebrate Desiree Berlanger as the Access Center’s Volunteer of the Month! Dessiree embodies the spirit of community and compassion that makes our center thrive.
Desiree works as an independent stylist who trained at the Aveda Institute of Maine. Her professional mission is simple and powerful: to “make all of my clients feel beautiful and happy.” It is this dedication to uplifting others that she brings with her to the Access Center.
A lifelong Mainer, Desiree loves spending her free time enjoying the state’s natural beauty. She can often be found fishing or hiking, with a special appreciation for the trails around Tumbling Down Mountain.
Desiree encourages everyone to experience the rewards of giving back. Her advice, "Come to the Access Center and volunteer. It’s a worthwhile way to spend your time."
