"WE'RE COMMITTED TO GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY"
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2015 was good to Joe, and he hopes it was good to you too. That being said, he 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.
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 Monday, 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.
At this time of the year, Joe always gets in the holiday spirit- that's why he couldn't help but use the sign this weekend to promote the production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, put on by Joe's friends over at A Company of Girls (ACOG). ACOG is an award-winning, nationally recognized after-school theater/arts prevention program. The program is offered throughout the school year free of charge and provides transportation for girls and their families to meeting dates and field trips. ACOG's programming helps shape girls into young women who have the confidence and spirit of inclusiveness to make positive changes in our community, and remain resilient to life's challenges. Joe has a lot of respect for the work that ACOG does, and thinks you should not only check out their website, but also try to make time to see the play, which is playing December 11th-19th. Joe says break a leg, ladies!
By now Portlanders are familiar with the fact that Joe loves to support local organizations that promote the arts, and especially our amazing local theaters. This weekend's message is spreading the word about Shrek the Musical, a play being put on by The Portland Players. Located in South Portland, The Portland Players is an organization dedicated to the development and fostering of an interest in dramatic arts, the creative expression of those arts and the encouragement and appreciation of community participation in all of the theater's activities. Find more about this great local organization here. Shrek begins tonight, December 4th, and runs through December 20th. Joe says you should check it out!
It seems to Joe like every day of the week now has a title: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. Well, add one more to the list, because today is officially Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources. For a local twist on this global event, check out the Maine Association of Nonprofits website, which provides information on how you can give back to your local community. Joe hopes you consider joining this important movement and thanks the good people who work tirelessly to ensure that Maine benefits from countless nonprofits, many of which are promoted on the Time & Temp!
One thing about Portland that always makes Joe proud of his hometown is its strong "buy local" ethic. Ghandi once said that it's a sin to buy from your farthest neighbor at the neglect of your nearest neighbor. Joe's no Ghandi, but he couldn't agree more, which is why he's proud to promote The Portland Buy Localcampaign, a partnership of local business-owners and citizens, whose mission is " to support locally owned, independent businesses in Portland, to maintain our unique community character, provide continuing opportunities for entrepreneurs, build community economic strength, and prevent the displacement of community-based businesses by national and global chains." Joe wanted to spread the word that tomorrow, Friday April 3rd, is the final day of Portland Buy Local's membership drive- if you want your business or organization in this year's Buy Local print directory, please contact them. You can find more about this organization at the official website.
