She felt isolated and alone. For more than three years, she worried constantly about how to get food, how to care for her children, how to stay safe. But then she found the Footprints food pantry in Kittery, where she connected with people who pointed her toward housing assistance.
Accessing housing help stabilize me even more," said Hoxie, 39, who has since moved into an apartment and started her own 3-D printing business. The leaders of a new community resources hub in Kittery hope that bringing the resources that Hoxie depended on together under one roof will make it easier. It is founded by Fair Tide, an affordable housing agency, and Footprints, which addresses food insecurity. Mainspring is intended to be a one-stop shop for social services, while also creating a place for the community to gather in a way that restores dignity and breaks down stigmas.
Volunteers of America Northern New England will offer veteran services, and daytime classes will be hosted by the local adult education program.
Some of the services offered at Mainspring won't be fully in place until next month, but Fair Tide's thrift store opens this weekend with a community grand opening celebration. Footprints, which previously operated out of the garage of an old mechanic shop, opened in its new space in January and has already seen an uptick in people coming in for food.
In just the last three weeks, 47 new households have come to the market. Inside, a table is covered with bins of produce and shelves are neatly stacked with cans and boxes of food. Behind the deli counter, coolers are stocked with eggs, milk and meat.
