General Updates

• March has been a super busy and longgg month. It is the longest stretch of programming each year between Feb break and April break without a break in between. Staff have been doing a great job managing a lot of great programming and a lot of complex community dynamics.
• There has been a significant uptick in the number of teens getting in trouble for some very problematic behaviors/responses including using weapons. Many of these are being captured on social media or are stemming from inappropriate social media usage. There are many threats, fights and chaos happening in the community including at schools. We know 2 youth proximate to Tree who have ended up in the hospital due to altercations. Tree is trying to be supportive to all authorities/school leadership while also addressing kids/families as we can. It’s a hard balancing act to try to stay on top of what is happening and knowing our role in it as each stakeholder is not in alignment with the same values or approach to what kids need and kids are becoming less and less receptive to correction from adults they feel don’t actually know them or have their best interests in mind. It’s complicated, the world is complicated, and adults are not on a whole modeling what we want kids to be held accountable to themselves. It’s hard to maintain that line of yes that may be true but you still need to hold yourself to your values and doing right…it’s just hard right now.
• Save date for IN PERSON Retreat!!! April 29:2-6; April 30 9-1

Bright spots!

• Basketball is going amazing!! The league we put together with the Rec, boys and girls club, and root cellar has been great. Tree has 2 teams one for high school and one for middle school. High school team is undefeated so far! There are nearly 100 kids playing in the league across the 4 organizations!
• There has been some great novel experiences this month: going to the Maine Celtics game, Harlem Globetrotters, visiting Phoenix karate Dojo in Auburn, having alumni Safiya Khalid come in and speak on a campaign about the dangers of vaping, and guest speakers from Recovery connections of Maine.
• PINE construction with Hebert has been going well we have about 8-10 kids involved consistently and will be having the 1 month review this week.

Building/Facility

• Basement is getting closer! Still a few more steps involved, but it’s happening and it is being fully paid by CDBG.
• They discovered and issue with the pipe connecting into the building for our drinking water…this is contributing to the water in the basement. It needs to get fixed. CDBG funds will cover most of it but I have to start over with getting 3 bids and it’s challenging right now with contractors being so busy…it’s like a never ending Story of the basement! The saga continues!
• Soundproofing of the gym has happened!!!! It’s amazing and the space is so much more useful!
• They are working on installing the new water fountain on the bigs side also.
• Recovery Builders have begun doing some of the repairs around the building which has been very helpful so far!

Samara

• Julia has engaged a contract with the leadership at Trekkers to do some consulting/coaching-this is $750 a month contract for 6 months
• Julia has had an initial conversation with Lawrence High School who is interested in how we built Next STEP.

Fundraising/Development

• We will begin to reach out for sponsorships for the fall event this month! Alli has designed some amazing materials promoting the event! Save the dates will go out soon! Save date for October 30th!
• We have leverage grants from: Maine Womens Fund-5k, National Recreation Foundation-20k

Contracts

• Julia has been having multiple conversations with DOC about our contract and are trying to leverage more funding and a more flexible contract that allows us to support kids beyond just sequoia/redwood diversion silos
• We are waiting for the school budget to pass to review school partnerships contracts

Operations/HR/Finance

• We are working on shifting to Combined Management for our Payroll and explore the new benefits structures to be implemented for July 1.
• We have posted a operations manager position if you have anyone in mind!
• You should have all received an email from Michale Malloy’s office to sign our annual report filing-this is needed to confirm you are a board member of Tree
• Some members of Finance team met with Liana from Maine Community Foundation about our sustainability fund as it has been a year and will be attending their annual presentation for all fund holders where they will discuss the portfolio and state of the union of investments etc.
• Finance members will be meeting with Androscoggin Bank to discuss if there is a better way to be managing the large gift to leverage more interest while we decide where to go with things