Boothbay Community Resource Council outlines programs, warns commissioners of housing shortages

Holly Stover, director of the Community Resource Council, and Hannah Corko, the council’s community navigator, briefed the Lincoln County Commissioners on their eight programs and urged continued county support as federal and state safety nets shrink.

"We only have three full‑time staff," Stover said, describing a volunteer‑heavy operation that runs a wood bank called Woodchucks, a 24/7 community fridge, Boothbay Rides volunteer transportation and other targeted programs. Corko said the agency provided approximately $166,000 worth of goods and services last year and that volunteers delivered about 90 cords of wood and distributed roughly $36,000 in fuel assistance.

Stover noted the council raises most of its own funds and receives in‑kind space at Saint Andrews Hospital; the towns of Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay each contribute $15,000 annually, Southport $7,500 and Edgecomb $2,500. The group also partners with Mid Coast Maine Community Action and New Ventures Maine for referrals.

Both speakers emphasized severe housing shortages on the peninsula. "We have tents," Stover said, describing people who live in campers, cars or tents during summer months when rental housing is dominated by visitors. The speakers described long wait lists for subsidized housing (often one to two years) and frequent requests for security deposits and short‑term assistance.

The council also highlighted collaborations with the Tedford Shelter (for placements to Brunswick), an assistive‑technology grant used to provide life‑alert devices, and a volunteer driver program that supplies rides for medical appointments. Commissioners thanked Stover and Corko and asked staff to follow up on requested materials, including a board list and funding details.