In a rare three-word message, Joe is spreading the word this week about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine.  Committed to making a positive difference in the lives of young people by helping them grow up healthy and ready for the future, BBBS serves hundreds of children each year. Since 1995, the organization has matched caring adult and high school-aged volunteers with children to foster nurturing, professionally-supported, one-to-one mentor relationships. These are matches that truly change lives - for both the children and adults who are involved. January is National Mentoring Month, so Joe says you should keep this organization in mind and consider getting involved! Find more about BBBS at their website.

                   Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

It's January 1, and Joe is ready to tackle a new year with new challenges and new blessings. As Joe's favorite saying goes, "may the best days of your past be the worst days of your future." Joe is sure that the best is yet to come. Happy new year, Portland.

                  Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

With the Patriots soon to play their first playoff game and hopefully make another run at the Super Bowl, it's easy to forget that there are other sports besides football, which is why Joe is here to remind you about the City Cup. The City Cup is the annual hockey game between Cheverus High School and Portland High school and the primary fundraiser for Portland Middle School Hockey (PMSH), a program designed to provide Portland kids an opportunity to play competitive hockey. Staffed by volunteers and funded by donations, PMSH provides the first opportunity to play hockey to many kids who go on to play in high school and college. The Portland Bulldogs and the Cheverus Stags will face off on January 2, 2017,  at the Portland Ice Arena (225 Park Ave). Find out more about PMSH at its website. A graduate of Deering High School himself, Joe is unsure who to root for, but he's sure both games will be great. He hopes you can make it to this great event and hopes that all the teams play well.

                 Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Joe is constantly learning about his hometown of Portland and its surrounding neighborhoods, and he does his best to use the Time & Temp to help educate other Mainers about noteworthy efforts around town. Today, he's talking about My Place Teen Center, a local non-profit that provides free year-round after-school programs for kids ages 10-18. Specializing in at-risk youth, including disabled, homeless, food-insecure, cognitively-delayed, low-income, immigrant, and refugee teens, MPTC offers a multi-purpose, academically enriching, life-skills enhancing, hunger-relieving, youth development program that has been the focal point of greater Portland's teen activities since its inception in 1998. The two most important services they provide are their after-school programming (Monday-Friday, year-round) and free meals. They serve almost 100 different kids each year, and have provided over 9,000 meals in the process.

Joe hopes you consider learning more about this important local organization. You can do so by checking out its website.

        Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

No matter what holiday you're celebrating at this time of the year, Joe hopes it's been a great one, spent in the company of family, friends, or both. Happy holidays, Portland!

                     Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

It's no secret that Joe has a soft spot for Preble Street, a local organization whose mission is is to provide accessible barrier-free services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty, and to advocate for solutions to these problems. Today, Joe wants to bring attention to a Preble Street event. Portland's Homeless Persons Annual Memorial Vigil, taking place this Wednesday, December 21st, at 4pm, is a time to remember our homeless friends who have died and to recommit ourselves to the task of ending homelessness.

On the night of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, a candlelight procession starts at the Preble Street Resource Center and proceeds to Monument Square where a memorial ceremony is dedicated to those homeless persons in our community who have died. All persons who are homeless, who have been homeless, who work with the homeless or who have compassion for the homeless are welcome at this event.

Joe hopes the event goes smoothly and offers his thanks to the wonderful staff of Preble Street for all the amazing work they do.

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Today's local organization that Joe is shining a spotlight on is the Cancer Community Center. We've all been touched by cancer in some way, and this inspiring non-profit draws on the power of community to help those bravely battling this disease. In the fall of 1998, the Cancer Community Center opened its doors. Today, the Center serves adults living with cancer and their loved ones with a wide variety of free support services and programs. Its mission is to support and promote the well-being of people living with cancer, their families and friends. Center founder, Jane Staley, believed that a supportive community was essential to healing.

Find more about this organization here, and please consider supporting them and the wonderful work they do!

Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.