The Vision

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The Vision

Starting in the year 2002, with encouragement from heads of statewide religious, labor and community networks, leaders from across the Kennebec Valley began meeting, talking with one another, building relationships, and working to create a faith and values-based, multi-issue organization of religious congregations, labor union locals, community and small business groups that will:

• Build community by building relationships among people within and between institutions and across lines of religion, geography, age, ethnic group, and economic status;

• Develop the skills of leaders to be more effective in their institutions and their community;

• Take action on the issues of concern that the members share – for example, saving and creating good jobs, affordable housing, and public services such as physical and mental health care, worker training, and youth services.

These leaders’ efforts were assisted by the InterValley Project (IVP), a cooperative organizing network based in New England. With the encouragement of the National Catholic Campaign for Human Development, IVP Lead Organizer Kenneth Galdston and IVP Organizer Chuck Hotchkiss began working with Maine leaders in 1998 to explore creating an organization in Maine built on the IVP model.