AUGUSTA – Last week, a measure sponsored by Rep. Morgan Rielly, D-Westbrook, that would fund the Maine Service Fellows program was advanced unanimously, of those present, by the Housing and Economic Development Committee.
The bill, LD 876, would provide ongoing funding for 20 individuals to participate in the Maine Service Fellows program to help rural communities address issues regarding public health, housing and environmental concerns.
“Our small towns know what they need to address the challenges they’re facing,” said Rielly. “The Maine Service Fellows program will give towns support to take on these issues and build sustainable infrastructure that will continue to benefit our communities long after the Fellows have left.”
Right now, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Piscatquis, Somerset, Waldo, Washington and portions of Penobscot County are eligible to sponsor Maine Service Fellows. The program has had three fellows to date, with four more planning to start their service this year.
“With funding for AmeriCorps at risk, it’s now more important than ever to fund existing state-based service programming in Maine,” said Rielly. “The program will continue to assist in addressing the housing crisis and ensure our communities are resilient in the face of climate-related disasters. It will also help with workforce development while retaining younger Mainers to live and work in our rural towns.”
Rielly is serving his third term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources and the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. He represents a portion of Westbrook.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Rielly) | 305-965-2744