Sponsorships
“What I took away from this retreat is that no matter where you come from come you can interact with anybody” - Rise and Shine Youth Retreat attendee
Black Kid Joy
In July 2019, The For Us, By Us Fund sponsored 10 Black families to attend John Graves Production’s Black Kid Joy stage play during the performance troupe’s 3-day tour in Maine. We also sponsored a second tour of the all-Black stage play by providing lodging and travel funds for the performance troupe.
Outdoor Afro
In fall of 2018/19 we worked with Outdoor Afro, sponsoring 2.5-days of science-based learning and outdoor activities including rowing, climbing and swimming along the rocky shores of Hurricane Island. The trip was led by the Hurricane Island Foundation, a science and education non-profit that offers hands-on science curriculum and opportunities to explore and connect with the island’s natural environment.
Rise and Shine Youth Retreat
In 2018, For Us, By Us funded Rise and Shine Youth Retreat’s (RSYR) Fifth Annual Weekend Getaway. During the retreat youth aged 12-18 learned how to make natural self-care products; explored their creative voice and built community through meaningful conversation around the campfire. The Fund also supported RSYR in 2020 by providing matched funds during their fundraising campaign.
Maine Humanities Council - Visit by US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith
In November 2018, The For Us, By Us Fund joined several other community-based organizations to sponsor a visit from Tracy K. Smith, the (current at that time) US Poet Laureate. Smith visited the Lewiston Public Library for a public conversation about the importance of poetry in our lives. Prior to the public conversation, Smith met with a group of young, Black poets from the Lewiston area who had been participating in a month-long poetry workshop in anticipation of her visit. Tracy K. Smith’s trip to Maine was organized by and primarily funded by the Maine Humanities Council.