Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition

Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition (MMHC) is working to end the cycle of homelessness for individual families in Waldo County Maine through innovation and collaboration around affordable housing.

Updates: MMHC is preparing to open Family Harbor House, a transitional housing facility in 2,200 square feet of space at Belfast United Methodist Church. MMHC has signed a lease with the church and a required zoning and ordinance change has been approved by the City Council and the Planning Board. Modifications to the building are required, including updating two half bathrooms to full bathrooms, dividing one large room into two sleeping rooms, updating a kitchen, adding a washer and dryer, and installing fire doors and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Whitecap Builders has donated design and labor costs. We are also working with Viking Lumber for materials. Once the construction is done, the rooms will be painted and furnished.

On May 10, The MMHC participated in the Resistance Faire held at the UU Church in Belfast. We used that opportunity to spread the word of Family Harbor House, to encourage volunteers, and to add to our information email list. Among the other groups involved were Wellkeepers, Possibility Alliance, AIC, Audacity CAT, Peace and Justice Waldo County, and Indivisible.

Transitional Housing for Families – Explained
At the City Council meeting on March 18, City Councilor Mary Mortier explained the concepts of this transitional housing proposal to explain its importance and to dispel misinformation she has heard around town:

Next Scheduled Local Event
Penobscot Bay Singers Concert to Benefit Family Harbor House
      Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 7pm
      Location: Belfast United Methodist Church, 23 Mill Lane, Belfast

     The Penobscot Bay Singers will provide a benefit concert as part of a fundraising effort for Family Harbor House, which will be under the auspices of the Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition. Admission for this benefit concert is a suggested donation of $25 per person. 50% of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to Family Harbor House.

      Penobscot Bay Singers are proud to support this initiative between Belfast United Methodist Church (BUMC) and Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition. The collaboration is a coordinated effort to establish Family Harbor House, which will provide transitional housing at BUMC for families who do not have stable housing. MMHC will help the families find more stable housing while they are staying at Family Harbor House, as they continue to deal with homeless issues.

      The concert selections reflect the themes of “Moon, Light and Love.” The opening number will be a Kirby Shaw arrangement of the timeless Rodgers and Hammerstein classic tune: “It’s a Grand Night for Singing.” This arrangement is set in a samba style which gives it pep and drive. Selections that focus on the “Moon” theme are the Harold Arlen “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and a Stephen Zegree arrangement of “How High the Moon.” We find “Light” in the Duke Ellington classic tune “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and a Broadway arrangement of “Light” written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt. The theme of “Love” is present in many of the pop tunes of the evening, including the classic Beatles’ hit “All You Need is Love” and the Beach Boys’ familiar tune “God Only Knows.”

      For more info: Penobscot Bay Singers on facebook

We continue to have our non-profit 501(C)3 status. We have funds to create transitional housing at 23 Mill Lane in Belfast. We will provide housing, nutrition, and support for 3 or 4 families at a time, using a mix of hired staff and community partners. With the support of local volunteers at the site, there will be support for the families at night. We will coordinate with many local organizations to provide case management and other services.

In addition, we continue to provide funds to prevent homelessness – assisting families who are in danger of losing their housing due to lack of resources, and briefly assisting with some utility payments or rent.

We will share updates as we move forward. Please check back to this site to keep informed of our progress.

Thank you.
The Board of Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition