MATE Moments

A Season of Gratitude & Growth

MATE Begins New Leadership Chapter

(Published: 12.22.25)

After four years of steady leadership during a major transitional period, Mission at the Eastward (MATE), a Farmington-based nonprofit organization, announced that Executive Director Chris DeLisle will be stepping down to pursue other opportunities.

Since joining MATE in 2022, DeLisle has helped expand the organization’s volunteer-driven home repair work across Central Western Maine. Under his leadership, MATE increased staff capacity, secured critical funding, improved program efficiency, and recruited volunteers from across the country to repair homes in a five-county region, helping neighbors facing housing insecurity remain safe, warm, and healthy in their homes.

Nails, Beams, and Grace:

A Volunteer’s Heart in the Work

(Published: 12.09.25)

Everyone thinks we’re fine but we’re not ok”. Her tears and story tumbled out as easily as the ice tea flowed from her plastic pitcher into my scuffed red Tupperware cup. There was no shame, no judgement: just a quiet assurance that her family was loved by us because God had brought our church mission team to her door.

Together, through bent nails, perfectly straight window beams, and more laughter than any of us ever imagined something remarkable began to grow.  What began as strangers meeting one sultry Sunday afternoon in July had become new friends.  

­­All of us come to MATE to “help” someone in need, but remarkably our lives are forever challenged and changed by the relationships we build with our homeowners.

A Second Way Out:

How Mission at the Eastward
Helped Linda Feel Safe at Home Again

(Published: 12.09.25)

Linda has been a “Farmington girl” her whole life. She and her husband moved into their home in 1989, and for decades it was the steady center of their lives together. After her husband passed away in 2022, Linda found herself facing the realities of homeownership on her own as grew older.

When repairs started piling up, she was stuck in a situation many Maine homeowners know too well: the work was needed, but the cost was out of reach.

“It wouldn’t have gotten done if MATE didn’t do it,” Linda said, explaining that she didn’t have enough money to make the repairs on her own.

Building Hope – One Gift at a Time:

Why Jane Joined the Builder’s Team

(Published: 09.30.25)

For more than 30 years, our family has been actively involved with Mission at the Eastward. (MATE). We’ve seen firsthand the impact this ministry has on families across Central Western Maine. When we support MATE, we aren’t just giving money, we are investing in safer homes, stronger communities, and renewed hope for our neighbors. 

That’s why I chose to become a member of the MATE Builder’s Team, the recurring giving program that sustains this vital work. Setting up a monthly gift through the MATE website was simple, but what it provides is powerful: consistent help, hope, and connection to families who are battling housing insecurity right here in rural Maine… 

Building Hope Through Home Repairs:

A Look Back at MATE’s 2025 Volunteer Home Repair Season

(Published: 09.24.25)

This summer, Mission at the Eastward (MATE) Housing Repair Program completed another remarkable season of service in Central Western Maine. With the support of dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and strong community partnerships, we reached more neighbors in need than ever before, bringing safety, dignity, and hope to households struggling to maintain their homes.

Thus far in 2025, 118 households have applied for assistance, a 44% increase from last year, which was our previous record high. The growing demand highlights both the urgent need for affordable housing repairs in rural Maine and the trust that families place in MATE to walk alongside them in difficult times…

April Golden Hammer Award:

Site Assessment Volunteers

(Published: 04.30.25)

We are proud to present the Golden Hammer Award to the incredible volunteers who powered this year’s Site Assessment process, laying the groundwork for our summer home repair season.

In just two weeks, MATE staff and dedicated volunteers completed 85 home site assessments—a record-breaking achievement. What once took more than a month to accomplish at half the scale utilizing only one team or a single individual was made possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of dedicated teams, each consisting of a Construction Specialist and a Homeowner Liaison…

February Golden Hammer Award:

Sharon Cowen & Karen Hagy

(Published: 02.11.25)

We’re thrilled to present our first joint Golden Hammer Award to two recipients who always go above and beyond for MATE, our previous two Board President’s and Builder’s Team Program Managers, Sharon Cowen and Karen Hagy!

January Golden Hammer Award:

Paula Olsen

(Published: 01.14.25)

Hopeful, hardworking, humble, helpful, handy, and a heart of gold, with a heart for mission all describe this January’s Golden Hammer award recipient: Paula Olsen.

Paula’s beautiful spirit and unique set of gifts and talents are what make her so special. Her family would tell you how loving, compassionate and supportive she is. Her colleagues would describe her as smart, creative, dedicated, and she works to the highest standard.

A Roof Over Their Heads:

How Mission at the Eastward Restores Hope for Maine Families

(Published: 12.9.24)

When a devastating winter storm ripped the roof off her family’s rural Maine home just before Christmas, Diane, her husband, and their daughter found themselves in a desperate situation. Diane recalls, “We tried to apply for FEMA, but because my husband made the house ‘livable’ by pulling down the metal, they wouldn’t do anything. We had buckets lined up throughout the house catching water, but no help was coming.”

Like many low-income to moderately-low income families in rural Maine, Diane’s family fell into a gap—unable to afford major repairs but also ineligible for government assistance. “Where were we going to live? Who was going to put us up in a hotel or pay our rent somewhere else?,” said Diane.

A Roof Of Hope:

How MATE Helped One Man Reclaim His Home

(Published: 12.9.24)

For James, his home in rural Maine had become a source of stress rather than comfort. The roof, worn and leaking, had turned his hallway into a rain-soaked hazard and left him feeling overwhelmed. Replacing it was not only expensive but labor-intensive, and James simply didn’t have the means to take on such a monumental task on his own.

Mission at the Eastward stepped in, assembling a team of volunteers to replace James’ roof. “When you guys peeled those shingles off, I breathed a sigh of relief,” James shared.  “And when the new roof went on, it was like a guardian angel got placed over my house.”

Steps Toward Safety:

How MATE Helped a 72-Year-Old Widow Regain Peace of Mind

(Published: 12.9.24)

For 72-year-old Gloria, her rural Maine home had become a source of worry. Living alone and relying solely on social security, Gloria faced a growing safety hazard: her back staircase, the second exit from her mobile home, was crumbling and unusable. “I couldn’t afford to get the steps repaired,” she shared. “Without that fire escape, I didn’t feel safe.”

In mobile homes, a second exit is not just a convenience—it’s a lifeline. Emergency scenarios like fires, which spread quickly due to the compact design of mobile homes, make it critical to have multiple escape routes. A blocked or unsafe exit can mean the difference between life and death.

Building A Future:

How Mission At The Eastward Helped A Family Stay Together

(Published: 12.9.24)

For Sam and Laura, raising their three young grandchildren was a labor of love born out of necessity. When the children were removed from their mother’s custody, the couple stepped in to provide a stable home. But their aging house in rural Maine, with a roof that leaked and ceilings damaged by black mold, posed a dangerous obstacle.

“The state told us the house had to be up to code for us to keep the kids,” Laura explained. “The water was leaking into the insulation, and the ceilings were rotting and coming down. The mold was terrifying—especially for our middle grandson, who was born premature and has a respiratory condition. If we didn’t fix it, he might have ended up back in the hospital, hooked to a breathing machine.”

A Home To Pass On:

How Mission At The Eastward Transformed One Family’s Future

(Published: 12.9.24)

Living in their home since 1990, Paul and Sarah faced an overwhelming challenge—a leaking roof that hadn’t been replaced since 1958. Decades of wear had left the roof in dire condition, with rot and leaks causing severe damage to the house and dangerous black mold. For Paul and Sarah, repairing the roof was more than just a matter of comfort; it was essential for their home’s survival and their future stability.

“When it rained, it was like a total panic for me,” Sarah shared. “The first night it rained after the new roof, I kept thinking, ‘I need the totes!’ But we didn’t need them anymore. That moment meant the world to me.”

A Fresh Coat of Care:

How Mission at the Eastward Helped a Widow Keep Her Home

(Published: 12.5.24)

When Ruth first noticed the peeling paint on her aging home in rural Maine, she knew she was in trouble. Her insurance company warned her that if the repairs weren’t made, her policy could be canceled, putting her home—and her stability— at risk. A hole in the siding, where squirrels had begun nesting, threatened even more damage.

As a widowed, elderly woman battling the lingering effects of cancer, Ruth was unable to climb ladders or tackle the extensive repairs herself. Her struggles highlight the unique challenges faced by low-income rural residents in Maine, where limited access to resources often leaves homeowners vulnerable to compounding issues.

A Historic Home, a Renewed Hope:

How Mission at the Eastward Makes a Difference

(Published: 12.5.24)

In the quiet countryside of Maine, Edith, a widow in her seventies, faced a daunting challenge. Her home, which is over 200 years old and once served as the stagecoach stop in the rural town in which Edith resides was in dire need of some important repairs. For years, Edith sought help to have the peeling paint on the side of her house repaired and a hole sealed that had become a gateway for squirrels. “I tried for three years to find someone to help me with my house, and I just couldn’t find anyone,” Edith explained.