YouthBuild The CEI-sponsored HUD Youthbuild program accepts young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who have dropped out of high school and have little or no work experience. The program participants learn carpentry and other building skills and attend daily GED or high school equivalency classes. For practical experience, participants work on housing rehabilitation projects that benefit the local community. Daily counseling and encouragement, career exploration and learning a positive work ethic are all part of the program.
For more information, contact Sandy Goss, 207/795-6820,
Predatory Mortgages in Maine Recent Trends and the Persistence of Abusive Lending Practices. A joint report issued by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and the Center for Responsible Lending, 2006.
The most vibrant example of our community development work
in Lewiston is Youthbuild. The
CEI-sponsored program accepts young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who
have dropped out of high school and have little or no work experience. The program
participants learn carpentry and other building skills and attend daily GED or
high school equivalency classes. For practical experience, participants work on
housing rehabilitation projects that benefit the local community. Daily
counseling and encouragement, career exploration and learning a positive work
ethic are all part of the program. Youthbuild Lewiston is a part of CEI’s
Housing Program.
190 Bates Street,
Lewiston’s former Legion Hall, is now home
to the members and staff of Youthbuild Lewiston.
Lewiston Farmers Market - More than a place to buy produce
In the spring of 2004, the Lewiston Farmers Market opened for its first season.
Every Monday afternoon in Kennedy Park, a half a dozen vendors sold
vegetables, flowers and specialty foods. Amid the lettuce, honey and
sunflowers, were farmers from as near as Sabattus and as far as
Guatemala. Where else in Maine would you find a farmers market with
vendors from eleven countries: Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Peru, Colombia, Sudan, and Somalia as
well as the US. They are all part of CEI's New Americans Sustainable
Agriculture Project (NASAP), which helps "new" refugee and immigrant
farmers build their technical and business skills, find land for
growing, and markets for selling their products. Through its Americorps/VISTA program, CEI organized the market
as a way to bring fresh, locally grown food into a predominantly low
income urban neighborhood and create a new venue for small farmers. A
lot of work goes into setting up a market. CEI organized the farmers,
worked with the City, set-up a non-profit organization, designed a
logo, helped develop the market processes and procedures, and made sure
farmers could accept food stamps.
A big event at this year's market was the creation of the
NASAP mural, funded by Heifer International. More than 40 people,
including farmers, children and community members, joined with
Maine-based artist Natasha Mayers to create a mural depicting flags,
vegetables, symbols and people of the countries represented at Maine's
newest farmers market.
36 Water Street, PO Box 268, Wiscasset, ME 04578; Telephone: 207/882-7552; FAX: 207/882-7308; E-mail: cei@ceimaine.org
Philosophy and Programs 
Maine Legislature Passes Model Anti-Predatory Lending Bill.
