Dear Members and Friends of the Bowdoinham Community:
Round two recipients of BCDI's COVID-19 Community Response Grants have been decided! Thanks to the extremely generous support of you, our members and friends in the community, BCDI was able to award $12,000 in grants during this second round! In just over one month, we have awarded $19,000 to folks in the Bowdoinham community whose work supports BCDI’s core mission with a focus in increasing access to food, improving the health and safety, and/or otherwise meeting the basic needs of the Bowdoinham community.
We plan to offer a third round of grant funding this summer. Individuals wishing to contribute to this effort can do so at: https://www.bcdimaine.org/covid19-grants. BCDI will use 100% of funds donated to award these round three COVID-19 Community Response grants.
Without further ado, here are the round two BCDI COVID-19 Community Response Grants recipients:
Fairwinds Farm: For almost twenty years, residents of Bowdoinham and surrounding communities have been able to pick fresh berries at Fairwinds Farm. Fairwinds Farm will use the grant funds to ensure that customers can continue to do this safely. Funds will be used toward tables, tents, contactless credit card machines, hand washing stations, masks, gloves and hand sanitizer.
Blue Bell Farm: Blue Bell farm has seen an increase in demand at its farmstand. Grant funds will be used toward the purchase of another refrigerator as well as additional hand sanitizer and packaging to ensure customers can obtain food safely.
Maggie’s Farm at Mulberry Creek: Maggie’s Farm has seen a significant increase in traffic to the farm. Grant funds will be used to make improvements to the farm stand and parking areas to ensure customers can access food safely.
Shearlings Salon: Julie Booty has been a licensed cosmetologist for 30 years. She is responding to the current crisis by reopening a one chair salon in her home. Grant funds will be used to support this transition, to purchase necessary protective equipment, and to help with the additional cleaning and sanitation costs necessary to provide Bowdoinham residents of all ages a safe place to get a haircut.
Bowdoinham Farmers’ Market: The Bowdoinham Farmers’ Market will use grant funds to implement best practices according to guidance from the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets. Grant funds will be used for signage, tables and coolers for preorders, hand sanitizer, and touch free screen readers, as well as to support a Veggie Valet position to manage traffic flow and deliver pre-orders to customers safely.
Whatley Farm: Whatley Farm has seen a significant increase in traffic and an interest in on farm purchases. Grant funds will be used to convert an existing woodshed to a small self-service farm stand. The finished farm stand will have a glass door, a refrigerator and freezer, and new signage to facilitate safe and contactless access to food.
Harvest Tide Organics: Harvest Tide has seen a significant increase in traffic at their farmstand and will use the funds to make improvements to respond to the increased demand. Harvest Tide is also providing space for some other area farms and businesses to sell their products. Grant funds will be used to increase cold storage capacity to ensure that a wider selection of food is available in sufficient quantities to meet the increased demand.
Stonecipher Farm: The farmstand at Stonecipher Farm has seen significantly increased traffic and has become an outlet for multiple area farms and businesses to sell their products. Grant funds will be used to continue to improve the farm stand, specifically to increase cold storage capacity to respond to the increased demand.
Scape Goat Garlic Farm: Scape Goat Garlic Farm will use the grant funds to help defray additional costs associated with providing culinary garlic and seed garlic to the community. Funds will be used for bags, gloves, sanitizing supplies, and other increased costs associated with delivering garlic safely.
Bowdoinham Public Library: The Bowdoinham Public Library will use the grant funds to help facilitate access to books in the current climate. Funds will support four different StoryWalk book projects on the Bowdoinham waterfront trail throughout the summer. Funds will also be used to support an expanded summer reading program and to build the Bowdoinham Book Trailer, which will be used to increase access to books for people of all ages.
Thank you again for your support and for continuing to inspire us. We are grateful for our strong, steadfast community. Our eyes are raised to the horizon -- we hope yours are, too. Be well, friends!
Best wishes,
BCDI Board of Directors & BCDI Program Manager
