Annual Report 2023 Final Version

'Transformation'

Healthy Communities of the capital area

Annual report 2023

Butterfly by Joselyn Walsh

our mission

To convene and support people, organizations, and communities to collaborate on quality of life and public health issues.

Table of Contents

Reflections from the Executive Director

Remarks from the Board Chair

Financial Statement

Financial Overview

Substance Use Prevention

Gardiner Area Thrives

Tobacco Prevention

LGBTQ+

Let's Go! 5-2-1-0

SNAP-Education

Maine Farm & Sea to School Network

Maine Farm to Institution

State and Federal Grant Funders

Foundation and Other Program Funders

The Board of Directors

Meet HCCA Staff

Reflections from the executive director

Welcome to HCCA’s annual report. The theme is Transformations. Like the beautiful butterfly featured on the cover and at the Gardiner Public Library, HCCA has undergone some transformations this past year too. Most notably are the wrap-up of 5+ years of serving as a Maine Prevention Services partner, the successful launch of the Maine Farm & Sea to School Institute, the return to more engaging in-person work, and the celebration of staff who are retiring from the organization.

HCCA is hosting its annual meeting in person for the first time since the pandemic began and is looking forward to meeting with board members and community partners for some zoom-free networking and celebrating. The annual meeting will feature awards for those doing exceptional work in public health in partnership with HCCA and celebrate soon-to-be retirees, former and founding HCCA Executive Director Joanne Joy and former Let’s Go! Coordinator and current HEAL Coordinator, Nan Bell. HCCA also welcomes new staff and board members to the team.

HCCA’s transformation continues into 2023 with the launch of the Maine Prevention Network and HCCA serving as the lead for Central Public Health District, working closely with Somerset Public Health to implement primary prevention efforts across the District and bringing us back to our coalition building roots. HCCA’s food systems work continues to flourish with the launch of the Maine Marinara Collaborative and enhanced Farm to Early Care & Education programming centered on farmer wellbeing.

In the following pages you will learn more about HCCA's accomplishments this year. The Financial Overview highlights how HCCA is continuing to provide direct support to the communities we serve. Please consider donating to HCCA to support this valuable work. Thank you to HCCA staff, board, and community members who continue to transform public health and primary prevention in our communities.

Renee page

Renee Page, HCCA Executive Director

3 | Annual Report 2023

Reflections from the board chair

On behalf of the HCCA Board of Directors, it is with great pride and pleasure to share some of the highlights of the past year and transformative changes to come.

I will start by extending our sincere gratitude to board member and MSAD #11 Superintendent, Pat Hopkins, for her 9 years of service to the HCCA board. Pat’s continued dedication and commitment to the board, especially over the last three years while dealing with the enormous challenge of COVID-19 in the school system, shows her passion for keeping our communities as safe and healthy as possible. Thank you for your leadership on the HCCA board.

The board sub-committees continued their work by reviewing current systems and procedures to determine if changes needed to be made to better support the mission of HCCA. They also recruited new board members and informed local public health advocacy efforts.

We are pleased that HCCA is serving the crucial role as Central Public Health District lead with the launch of the Maine Prevention Network, which expands their reach to all of Kennebec County. Renee and the skilled HCCA staff have full board support as this work kicks off.

This organization is strong and resilient because of the foundational leadership and vision of the founding/former Executive Director, Joanne Joy. As she transitions into retirement, we can’t thank her enough for her boundless energy, passion, and advocacy in the quest to improve the lives of the people of our communities. We wish you all the best!

jodi beck, rn

Chair of the Board of Directors

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Financial Statement

Fiscal Year 2022

7/1/21 - 6/30/22

584,438

394,078

189,490

870

Assets

Cash

Accounts Receivable

Pre-Paid Total Assets

Total Assets

Liabilities

Accounts Payable

Notes Payable

Total Liabilities

Net Assets

114,519

30,018

144,537

Net Assets with Donor Restriction

Net Assets without Donor Restriction

Total Net Assets

222,990

216,911

439,901

Information for this report is from IRS Form 990 (7.1.21 - 6.30.22)

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Financial Overview

Fiscal Year 2022 Revenue Breakdown

Information for this report is from IRS Form 990 (7.1.21 - 6.30.22)

Ways to support HCCA

Host Facebook fundraisers
Purchase Hannaford gift cards from HCCA
Participate in Hannaford reusable bag campaigns
Donate directly at hccame.org

6| Annual Report 2023

Substance Use Prevention

Patricia Buck-Welton, April Hughes, and Joanne Joy

Substance Use Prevention at HCCA is largely focused on preventing underage use of alcohol, cannabis, and other substances among 12-25 year-olds in partnership with schools, law enforcement, and community organizations. HCCA works to change community conditions, share information, provide education, and collaborate across towns and systems to extend the impact. Funding was provided by Maine Prevention Services for HCCA's service area of southern Kennebec County.

Presentations

Vaping presentation to middle schoolers by high school students

Transition comes this year in different funding and project guidance through the Maine Center for Disease Control (MCDC) Maine Prevention Network (MPN). HCCA serves as lead for Central Public Health District that covers all of Kennebec and Somerset Counties, and is partnering with Somerset Public Health for implementation. The focus for the first six months is coalition building. Community and youth coalitions will form to identify highest areas of need and engage community partners in carrying out the work.

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Gardiner Area Thrives

Patricia Buck-Welton and Joanne Joy

Gardiner Area Thrives (GAT) is supported by the US CDC’s Drug Free Communities (DFC) Coalitions support funds. The coalition is made up of interested and involved individuals that inform and implement prevention efforts. The members represent twelve sectors: youth, parents, business, media, schools, youth-serving organizations, law enforcement agencies, religious and fraternal organizations, civic and volunteer groups, healthcare and behavioral health professionals, state or local governments, and other organizations with a focus on reducing substance use. Projects this year included Red Ribbon Week, vaping nicotine and cannabis prevention, community engagement events at Gardiner Area High School, and training for staff and students.

Red Ribbon week at the Middle School with support from 92 Moose

Community Engagement at the Middle School - Fly Tying

"Gardiner Area Thrives is an essential part of our community that brings us all together from our various areas of expertise. This allows us to connect across our community and truly work collaboratively. When I think "it takes a village", I think of my experience with this group and the work we are doing! " - Sara Sims, Ed.D. Principal, Gardiner Regional Middle School

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Tobacco Prevention

April Hughes

HCCA supports a tobacco-free Kennebec County through education, prevention, policy, and training initiatives. Highlights include Sidekicks, interactive youth training on holding respectful peer conversations about tobacco and vaping; and Quitting Tobacco Together (QTT), training for social service and healthcare providers to initiate effective quitting conversations.

Cony High School Key Club presenting on vaping to Cony Middle School students

"Winthrop High School positively benefits from HCCA's expertise in youth prevention strategies. This year, HCCA gave an informative and memorable presentation on the impacts of vaping on teenagers, and teachers continuously refer to that information when addressing individual student concerns. The awareness that this presentation brought to the staff prompted the need for all students to hear the information, which will be done by one of our students, who is working with HCCA on an independent study focused on community health. I very much appreciate HCCA's ability and energy to connect with Winthrop High School in dynamic and relevant ways."

- Sarah Hubert, Winthrop High School

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LGBTQ+

Joanne joy

LGBTQ+ Youth programming relies on a variety of strategies and funding streams. LGBT(Q+/non-binary) youth consistently report higher rates of risk factors like being bullied, or using substances including tobacco, than their non-LGBT(Q+) peers on the MIYHS survey (Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey). In the past three years, HCCA increased attention to the impact of minority stress on LGBTQ+ Youth in Maine.

Projects and Programs

LGBTQ+ Support Me Network

LGBTQ+ Youth Tobacco Prevention Project

LGBTQ+ Youth Engaging in Summer Supports (LGBTQ+ YeSS)

Increasing Partners to support LGBTQ+ Youth to quit using tobacco

Photo above: LGBTQ+ Youth feel they matter when they see rainbow crosswalks and flags in their communities

Photo to left: Local teens gathered at the Hallowell Pride Festival with HCCA staff

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Let's Go! 5-2-1-0

Nan Bell

HCCA partners with Let’s Go! to connect with schools, after-school programs, Head Starts, and other early child care sites. Let’s Go! aims to create and support environments where children can live the 5-2-1-0 messages every day. These include eating fruits and vegetables, doing physical activity in place of recreational screen time, and reducing sugary drink consumption.

The prevalence of obesity in Kennebec County is 19% for middle school students, 17% for high school students, and 35% for adults. HCCA's Let’s Go! program worked with 60 sites in southern Kennebec County to promote healthy eating and active living.

Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 worked with:

6 School Districts
6 Nutrition Programs
24 Individual Schools
19 Early Childcare Education Programs
5 After School Programs

Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 collaborated with several school to open StoryWalks

“We celebrated screen-free week with a week of activities and contests for students. We encouraged students to choose physical activity instead of screen time.” -Let’s Go! School Champion, Readfield, ME

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SNAP-Education

Rachael Reynolds and courtney whitney

HCCA’s SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educators support SNAP-eligible individuals and families in gaining the knowledge and skills to shop, cook, and eat healthfully on a limited budget. This year, Rachael and Courtney offered virtual live, recorded, and in-person classes throughout southern Kennebec County. They also work in collaboration with community partners on policy, systems, and environmental change (PSE) strategies to address food insecurity and increase access to healthy food environments. HCCA's educators collaborated with community partners on four different PSE strategies, including community gardens, gleaning, and healthcare/community linkages.

Students enjoying a

StoryWalk at Gilbert Elementary School in Augusta

HCCA's SNAP-Educators conducted 42 class series, with a total of 230 sessions that reached 77 adults of all ages through 11 series and 51 classes, and 617 youth pre-K through 6th grade.

Courtney Whitney and Chelsea school staff hosting a taste test event during parent teacher conferences

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Maine Farm & Sea to School Network

HCCA is home to two statewide food systems networks, Maine Farm and Sea to School Network (MFSN) and Maine Farm to Institution (MEFTI). These social impact networks aim to increase the amount of locally grown food in food-serving institutions as an effective way to improve health and local food economies.

MFSN shepherded the successful launch of the inaugural Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute in 2022. Three school teams came together in June for a 3-day academy to develop farm and sea to school community action plans that they then carried out over the course of the following school year. Six new school teams will participate in the 2023 institute, building staying power for farm and sea to school across Maine.

Participants at the educational orchard during the 3-day academy

Other MFSN initiatives include serving as the Maine state lead to the Northeast Farm to School Collaborative, supporting a number of regional efforts like Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE), a local food purchasing incentive community of practice, and state and regional policy change efforts to increase access to local foods by all.

Learn more about the Maine Farm & Sea to School Network and Institute at: www.mainefarmtoschoolnetwork.org

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Maine Farm to Institution

Maine Farm to Institution continues to serve as a convener, connector, and partner for statewide food systems projects. During COVID, MEFTI established a partnership with FRSAN (Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network) to lessen the burden that the pandemic laid on food producers by helping identify new markets. These include an innovative CSA Box pilot with Early Care and Education sites and delivery of Selling to Schools trainings to facilitate more procurement opportunities with K-12 schools.

MEFTI supports the Maine Food Convergence and its Processing Work Group, which led to securing a Henry P. Kendall Foundation Food Vision Prize to launch the Maine Marinara Collaborative. Two other MEFTI Leader organizations also won HPK Food Vision Prizes, demonstrating leadership and innovation in Maine food processing.

MEFTI also hosts the Maine Food Policy Work Group, convening food system advocates to stay informed of local, state, regional, and national food policy efforts.

HCCA is represented on several regional food systems partnerships including Farm to Institution New England, Food Solutions New England, and more.

Learn more about MEFTI at: www.mainefarmtoinstitution.org

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Thank you!

State and Federal Grant Funders

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Maine Prevention Services

Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at MaineHealth

Center for Tobacco Independence at MaineHealth

Maine Youth Action Network at Opportunity Alliance

University of New England

Department of Health and Human Services - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

United States Department of Agriculture - Food and Nutrition Services

University of New England

United States Department of Agriculture -

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

University of Maine

Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry

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Thank you!

Foundation and Other Program Funders

Thank you also, to all of our individual donors, we could not have done this without your support!

Steve Welton Masonry

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Board of Directors

Thank you to HCCA board members for your continued engagement in HCCA's work. We are grateful for your support, dedication, and efforts in fundraising, equity, advocacy, and development in new processes and protocols.