DAMARISCOTTA — Healthy Kids, a community-based family resource network and Maine Children’s Trust’s designated partner for child abuse and neglect prevention in Lincoln and Knox counties, was a June 10 finalist in the “Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year” category at MaineBiz’s first ever, “Community Impact Awards,” hosted at IHG’s Holiday Inn Portland-By the Bay, Portland.

According to Healthy Kids, in a news release, this new annual recognition program was born from the idea of celebrating the Maine people and nonprofits that transform our communities as well as the businesses that support them.

MaineBiz presented this year’s award recipients and finalists in collaboration with Maine Association of Non-Profits (MANP), who vetted this year’s nominations. Community Impact award categories included Corporate Champion of the Year, Legacy of Service, Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year, In-kind Services Support, Campaign Excellence and Volunteer of the Year. 

Community Concepts, Maine Children’s Trust, Healthy Kids, Franklin County Children’s Task Force & Kennebec Valley Community Action Program were finalists recognized with honorable mention in the “Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year award” for their collaborative “Family Support Communities (FSC) pilot,” a groundbreaking collaboration of these five regional nonprofit providers transforming how Maine families access support.

According to the news release, initiated in October 2025, FSC replaces fragmented services with a coordinated, community-led ecosystem rooted in national best practices.

"Across pilot sites in Androscoggin, Franklin, Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset counties, partners are co-creating innovative approaches to child safety and family well-being," said the release.

Healthy Kids, based in Damariscotta and currently serving Lincoln and Knox counties, was recognized for its “Healthy Kids Kinnects” pilot, a weekly mobile office hours and activities program that started in April at three designated affordable housing communities in Wiscasset, Edgecomb and Boothbay Harbor. Healthy Kids intends to regularly visit other neighborhoods in Waldoboro and Jefferson this summer. It is hoped that additional sites throughout their service area will be added in the second year of the pilot program with additional funder supports. 

Other FSC pilots recognized with honorable mention in this awards category included family resource centers and the "Stuff Coalition," which coordinates concrete support for basic needs in other counties across Maine.

"Early results of this FSC pilot show increased trust, stronger provider collaboration and families more readily accessing resources in their own communities," said MaineBiz, in the release. "With measurable goals focused on relationship-building, shared infrastructure, and scalable learning systems, FSC is already informing a statewide expansion effort. This collaboration is redefining family support in Maine through trust-based, community-driven systems change.” 

For more information about Healthy Kids, their Kinnects pilot program in Lincoln County or to make a donation, visit www.healthykidsmaine.org or call 563-1818.