PORTLAND and ELLSWORTH–The Knox County Committee of the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) presented $2,500 grants to Midcoast Habitat for Humanity and the Knox County Homeless Coalition to mark the 25th anniversary of the Knox County Fund. 

The grants were announced September 6 at a reception in Rockland hosted by the Knox County Committee and the community foundation. MaineCF President and CEO Steve Rowe joined Knox County Committee chair Kristin Lindquist in presenting the awards. “These two organizations are doing exceptional work to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Lindquist.

Tia Anderson, executive director of Midcoast Habitat for Humanity, and Becca Gildred, director of development at the Knox County Homeless Coalition, were on hand to receive the awards. Camden National Bank provided the funds for one of the awards.

MaineCF also announced that nearly 40 donors and an active volunteer committee helped the community foundation successfully meet a $25,000 matching challenge grant made by the Mainstream Fund, a donor-advised fund at MaineCF, in honor of the Knox County Fund’s 25th anniversary.

“Thanks to the Mainstream Fund and many of you here tonight,” Rowe told the gathering, “we added $50,000 to the Knox County Fund to be available for future grantmaking in Knox County.” 

Established in 1993 as a permanent charitable resource, the Knox County Fund has awarded 226 grants totaling more than $554,000 to support nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life in Knox County.