Our 32nd Annual Sold on Kids Auction at Brick South in Portland was a huge success! Together we raised the largest total in the history of our event, a record-breaking $330,000+ for Sweetser! 72% higher than last year’s amazing outcome.

Our special corporate partners and event sponsors fueled this success:

• Central Maine Power
• Gorham Savings Bank
• Systems Engineering
• CGI Business Solutions
• Holistic Health International
• Maine Community Bank
• Newscenter Maine
• Elks USA
• R.M. Davis
• Tyler Technologies
• Aroma Joe’s Coffee
• Bangor Savings Bank
• Casco Bay Insurance Agency
• Clark Insurance
• Haven’s
• HM Payson
• KeyBank
• Shaw Brothers Construction
• Shaw’s Star Market
• Gawron Turgeon Dillon Architects
• Geiger
• Martin’s Point Health Care
• InterMed
• Northeast Delta Dental
• Paquin & Carroll Insurance
• PM Construction Company
• Saco & Biddeford Savings
• Binnie Media
• Bear Structure Creative Building
• GoodNylund Wealth Management
• Lebel & Harriman
• Martin Associates
• Morgan Stanley
• McGarry Law Offices
• Personnel Data Systems, Inc.
• GEICO (local office)
• Team Letellier – Caldwell Banker Realty
• Landry/French Construction

We’ll also grateful to the countless volunteers who helped make this event a success.

According to the CDC, 1 in five people reported having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their life. Symptoms of depression and other mental health challenges can surface in specific ways in the workplace. Sweetser’s Chief HR Officer, Holly Hall, appeared on WMTW’s Mental Health Moment segment to discuss.

Sweetser’s Mental Health Awareness Training Coordinator Mason Cashman spoke to WMTW on their weekly Mental Health Moment segment about our free suicide prevention and intervention training called QPR, which stands for Question Persuade and Refer.

Thank you Pizza By Alex for serving up some hope for the youth in our community in need of mental health support! It was a very tasty fundraiser. Your commitment to our community is deeply appreciated as is your long-standing support for our nonprofit. Pictured here: Sweetser team members Justin & Michelle and Pizza by Alex management Craig and Chris.

HOME RUN! Our 1st Annual Hit It Out Of The Park For Sweetser softball tournament was a big success! We deeply appreciate the participating teams of Maine Molecular Quality Controls (MMQCI), Pond Cove Millwork, and Nikel Precision Group for raising over $8,000 for youth mental health. They were all competitive as friends, family, and colleagues watched on at Biddeford Rotary Park. Our friends at Barreled Souls Brewing Company held an after-party for the teams, and a portion of those proceeds went to our total as well. Thank you to all involved for making this possible! Can’t wait to do it again next year to fuel mental health support in our community.

Sweetser’s Senior Director of Public Relations & Advancement Justin Chenette appeared on WABI’s Ask ME segment to talk about efforts to eliminate mental health stigma and ensure access to treatment and recovery is possible for all.

Sweetser led a free Youth Mental Health First Aid training for the leadership team of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute at their offices in Portland. We appreciate all their efforts empowering Maine’s next generation of leaders and their interest in mental health strategies as they engage youth.

With many families preparing to send their kids back to school, it’s natural for youth to feel stress and anxiety about returning. Sweetser’s Senior Director of Public Relations & Advancement Justin Chenette was interviewed on WGME Channel 13 and WMTW Channel 8 about some strategies and resources for families during this period of annual transition. Watch the stories below.

Sweetser held a free community screening of the film ‘Compassion Cures’ and a recovery panel discussion at our Brunswick clinic. Events like this can help reduce the stigma of seeking recovery services. Check out our featured panelists below:

Alyssa Pelchat, Director of Crisis Services

Joey Rossignol, Senior Director of Community Based Services Cumberland County

Alaina Knox, Director of Recovery Services

Eating disorders are a form of mental illness that can affect anyone at any age, including teenagers and younger children. Lindsay Susi, Sweetser’s Clinical Director of our New England Eating Disorders program, discussed the signs parents should look out for on WMTW’s Mental Health Moment.

Sweetser has immediate openings for those who require medication management as part of their mental health treatment at our Sanford Clinic. Wendy Anders, Sweetser’s Senior Director of Community Services, joined WMTW’s Mental Health Moment to discuss when people might need medication to treat a mood disorder.