MATE Housing Ministry

We Create Safe Places to Live!

MATE’s Housing Ministry helps community members in Central Western Maine stay in their homes by conducting critical home repairs they otherwise could not afford. Volunteers from around the country, largely consisting of work teams located throughout the east coast, spend a week in Maine in each summer performing the indispensable service. These volunteers respond to the needs of the community with commitment, dedications, and an open heart, developing a deep bond with each other and the homeowners they assist, resulting in better understanding, empathy, and knowledge of the needs of our fellow community members who are struggling, at the moment, to get by. Volunteers are often left feeling as though they got more than they gave from the experience, leaving with a newfound prospective on rural poverty and often returning for service trips year after year.

Our housing repair service is available to anyone who requests assistance, most of whom are dealing with financial and other difficult and systemic challenges. Often times, these homeowners don’t qualify for the aid they need and we are their last and only home. The repairs that our volunteers carry-out each summer are critical, enabling our neighbors to stay in warm, healthy and safe environments, and avoid falling into the devastating cycle of homelessness.

For Our Clients

WHO? You have a home, but you’re unable to perform repairs or pay someone to do them. You are elderly, a single parent, a veteran or a person with a disability – reach out to us!

WHAT? Painting, roof repairs, porches, steps, ramps and simple interior and exterior repair are likely projects for MHM. Wherever possible, we ask homeowners and families to participate in the work and its cost.

WHERE? Mostly our neighbors in parts of Franklin and Somerset counties. For a full list click this link: Franklin County for the following areas/towns: The “Greater” Farmington area, Chesterville, Mercer, Jay, N. Jay, Livermore Falls, Wilton, New Sharon, Temple, Strong, Starks, Industry, New Vineyard. Western Somerset County for the following areas/towns: New Portland, Lexington, Highland Plantation, Embden, N. Anson, Anson.

WHEN? Most of our work takes place during the summer, but we are working hard to get the program going year-round.

HOW? Fill out this application and return it. Each application received will be considered. You will be contacted to set up an assessment appointment, and we will notify you whether or not we are able to do the work requested.

WHY? Because we love to serve God and we care about our neighbors and community. We strive to bring health, safety and warmth to homes and bring resiliency to the people and communities we serve.

For more information about who we are and what we do, or inquiries for participation in our volunteer program, contact Operations Manager, Dan Flint at housing@missionattheeastward.org.

Click Here to Download the Client Application

For Our Volunteers

Are you someone who likes to get your hands dirty and build? We need you! Individuals who desire to work with MHM should contact our Operations Manager at housing@missionattheeastward.org. Church & community groups who wish to send a work team should click the button below to download our volunteer application!

Click Here to Download the Work Team Application

Individual Volunteer Information Form

2023 MATE Housing Ministry Calendar

WEEK
June 4 – June 10
June 11- June 17
June 18 – June 24
June 25 – July 1	Dover Church Pilgrim Church of Duxbury Center Congregational Church (FULL)
July 2 – July 8	NOT AVAILABLE
July 9 – July 15	Union Congregational Church Sudbury Presbyterian Church
July 16 – July 22	Camp Hill Presbyterian Church
July 23 – July 29	Allentown Presbyterian Church Flemington Presbyterian Church (FULL)
July 30 – August 5	Bedford Presbyterian Church
August 6 – August 12	Grace Community Church Hartford Street Presbyterian Church
August 13 – August 19

ROOF WEEK 2023

9/11 – 9/15

This year, we received a record number of homeowner applications. Many of such applications were requesting aid replacing old and leaky roofs, a common issue in our area of service due to harsh winters. We were not able to get to all of the projects completed during our normal volunteer work season, so we have decided to organize another “Roof Week”, which will run from September 11th-15th.

We are seeking people who are comfortable with being up on ladders, lifts, roofs, and working from heights, to help us complete two challenging roof replacement projects.

Meals will be provided by MATE, as will lodging at the Farmington Conference Center. In order to complete these critical projects, we need your help! Come for a day, a couple of days, or the whole week, all support is greatly appreciated and needed.

If you’re interested in learning more about Roof Week or would like to volunteer, please contact our Executive Director, Chris DeLisle, by clicking on the button below.

Thank you!

What People Are Saying…

TESTIMONIALS

MATE Volunteer

Volunteering has so many wonderful outcomes: It builds life skills, provides opportunities to learn, boosts confidence, grows leaders, reduces stress, inspires happiness, helps create new friends and appreciate diversity, and it can even plant seeds for future careers! We can volunteer any time, even amidst these very challenging times!
Karen H.

Youth Trip Leader

“In addition to being the Senior Pastor, I have been the Youth Pastor and I have always found that meaningful service work is transformative for youth. It’s transformative for everyone, but for young people I get to actually watch the before and after. So that’s the first reason why MATE matters to me.”

Rev. Max

MATE Volunteer

“Our recovery work team commitment has transformed our comfortable community church into one of mission and outreach, and has had a life-changing impact on those who go. The stories are endless, inspirational, spiritual. We return with opened hearts and minds. Our work restores our faith in humanity.”

Larry C.

MATE Client

“I’m just trying to do the best I can for my kids—trying to break the chains of an abusive childhood and give them a life of stability that I never had.”

-Ashley

MATE Volunteer

“MATE gives me the opportunity to put my faith into action, and work together with others to accomplish something that we couldn’t do individually. It’s a living illustration of the Body of Christ, where we all contribute our different talents toward a common goal.”

MATE Volunteer

I got to help on a crew that was putting a metal roof on a mobile home. Valerie, the homeowner, was such a special person. I loved getting to hear her story. Often the most rewarding part of this job is listening to the homeowners.
Karen R.

Youth Trip Leader

“MATE gives people, including youth, the opportunity to really serve others in tangible and meaningful ways. Young people from all over our school district rush to sign up to come to MATE with us when the first announcement goes out in September.”

Rev. Max

MATE Client

“I woke up that morning and felt like a new person. The constant stress was gone and I could breathe again. I could get my life back on track.”

-Ashley

MATE Volunteer

“Working in the kitchen with the crew is always such fun… We all serve different purposes, but are all part of God’s work team.”

Joy D.

MATE Volunteer

“I’ve met homeowners who inspired me with their perseverance in such difficult situations, and the kindness and generosity they showed to us strangers.”

Alan D.

MATE Volunteer

“Hard work paid off. The finished product is amazing. So glad I was able to make a difference.”

MATE Volunteer

“Working in the kitchen with the crew is always such fun… We all serve different purposes, but are all part of God’s work team.”

Joy D.

Youth Trip Leader

“When I think of the 30 odd families that the teams of adults and youth from our church have helped in those four years, the ways in which we have improved the quality of their lives with safe stairs and ramps, weather-proof walls, siding and roofs, new floors, kitchens and bathrooms, anyone who has come to MATE knows what’s possible, well, it just warms my heart. To know that these people really have nowhere else to turn and not getting the help may very well mean having to leave their homes, and to know that every time some lady or gentleman turns on their kitchen water or holds the handrail while walking through winter snow and ice, that she or he might just think of us and smile while thinking, ‘that was that pastor and kids from down near Boston who did this for me,’ that’s more than thanks enough for me.”

Rev. Max

MATE Volunteer

“I learned lots of very valuable life lessons on this trip. Thanks MATE!”

MATE Client

“I didn’t want to lose my home, but that was the only option we were coming to before MATE was able to help.”

-Ashley

MATE Volunteer

“This has already turned into a highlight of my summer. Thank you!”

MATE Volunteer

“This experience has been such a blessing to me. Thank you for this opportunity”

MATE Volunteer

“Thank you MATE for the experience and opportunity to help others.”

MATE Client

“It’s a surreal feeling to know that my house and kids will be warm this winter.”

-Ashley

MATE Volunteer

“Thank you MATE for the experience of a lifetime.”

MATE Volunteer

“Awesome Time. Great projects. Great people. Great state of Maine.”

MATE Volunteer

“This has been such a great experience that put everything into perspective.”

MATE Client

“Thank you to all those who support MATE and make it possible to help people like me. There are families like mine out there, doing their best to make ends meet and provide for their children, who just don’t qualify for the aid they need.”

-Ashley

MATE Volunteer

“Thank you so much for the opportunity! So grateful for what this has taught me and shown me.”