The STRIVE for 5: Foden Road 5K is just a few weeks away! This year's event will take place Sunday, July 14th at 8:30am. The race will be here in the South Portland Foden Road neighborhood, but there's a virtual race option as well! Our registration fee is $30 until 07/12 so register now! Participants 12 and under are free with a registered adult. For more information, or to register, visit our event website HERE!
ID: 2024 STRIVE for 5 logo. The logo includes the state of Maine with the STRIVE logo and runners inside.
The STRIVE for 5: Foden Road 5K is a flat and fun course that runs around the STRIVE Neighborhood. Whether you're running/walking your first 5K or participating in you 50th, we hope you'll join us! All participants will receive an event t-shirt and finishers medal! Plus, the neighborhood block party after the race can't be missed! This event will go on rain or shine.
ID: 5K runners and walkers standing under an arch that has the STRIVE logo and says "start"
ID: participant running across the finish line
ID: Two participants wearing race shirts. One is holding a balloon animal and the other is holding a bottle of water.
STRIVE U
On June 22, 2024, STRIVE U graduated eight students! While in the program these students have shown tremendous dedication at STRIVE U and SMCC. They have made significant academic strides in the classroom and developed a profound understanding of themselves and their capacity to make positive contributions to their communities. They also completed countless hours of goals, classes, and employment during their two years. We couldn’t be more proud! Congratulations STRIVE U Class of 2024- best of luck as you continue on your path of independence!
ID: eight graduates wearing blue caps and gowns and holding white roses
STRIVE U is a comprehensive two-year residential, post-secondary educational opportunity for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To learn more about the program, schedule a tour, or get an application, please contact admissions@pslstrive.org or call (207) 774.6278.
It's officially summer in TOPS! TOPS follows a school year calendar which means the month of June wraps up the school year and then allows for a few weeks for a much-needed reset. What does it mean to "reset" TOPS? It means our staff deep clean, organize and restructure any part of our programming that we can see needs an improvement before the new class starts in July!
To wrap up the school year, our returning students planned out their last week of school with activities that they love most. Some things they chose were bowling at Westport Bowl, golfing at Pleasant Hill in Scarborough, a cooking group, visiting Reds Ice Cream, exploring some beautiful sights and volunteering at our usual spots.
ID: 2 TOPS students standing in front of a lighthouse and smiling.
ID: TOPS student taking a picture of a sailboat on the ocean.
ID: TOPS student standing at a counter paying for an item.
ID: TOPS students at a golfing range. They are hitting golf balls into a body of water.
TOPS (Transition Outcomes Program for Students) provides transition programming for high school students from area school districts who are typically 18 years and older. For more information, please contact Ryanne Desjardins at rdesjardins@pslstrive.org or by phone at 207-879-0847.
STRIVE WorldWIDE starts a new term in August! Staring the week of August 5th, we'll be offering four courses:
Internet Safety
Time Management & Organization
First Aid Basics (non-certification)
Emotional Intelligence
We hope to see you there!
ID: Image of a computer on the left side. Right side shows August course topics. The STRIVE WorldWIDE logo is at the top
STRIVE WorldWIDE is STRIVE's online program that teaching independent living skills. For more information about STRIVE WorldWIDE, contact Courtney Veinotte at cveinotte@pslstrive.org or call 207-712-0048.
This month we have been making the most of our sunny days by taking walks into Portland to explore new businesses and by spending time at Deering Oaks Park.
It has been an exciting start to the Summer as three of our Bayside participants are having graduation celebrations this month! Ayla and Charlie graduated on the 14th and we celebrated by having an epic UNO Tournament, playing cornhole, and having meatball subs, veggies and dip and homemade peanut butter cookies! Ayla said she is looking forward to new adventures at Strive ACTIVE while Charlie is excited to start STRIVE U at the end of the month. Nathan is graduating on the 28th and plans to make a charcuterie board with meats, cheeses and fruit and a homemade brownie cake!
ID: Bayside participants outside smiling. There are green trees in the background.
ID: 2 Bayside participants smiling. They are standing at a kitchen counter with a veggie tray in front of them.
ID: Group of STRIVE Bayside participants and staff grouped together in the kitchen. They are smiling.
For more information on Bayside, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
WAVES: This month we kicked off our WAVES Movement Challenge! Each year in WAVES, we challenge ourselves to keep moving and to try out different activities. For every 30 minutes of activity, we earn a star on our chart. Activities that we do include walking, swimming, bowling, yoga, dancing, qi gong, and more! At the end of the year, we will count up our stars to calculate the amount of time we spent moving our bodies. We celebrate our hard work by throwing a party and having an awards ceremony!
ACTIVE: This month we celebrated STRIVE Pride Day! STRIVE Pride Day happens once a year, and we spend our day celebrating our space and program by cleaning the Foden Rd. building. We wiped down windows, swept and mopped the floors, cleaned out the kitchens, and more! Afterwards, we celebrated all of our hard work by enjoying hot dogs, hamburgers, and other delicious snacks. Getting to spend the day together was a lot of fun!
ID: Two WAVES participants standing outside in front of a pond
ID: Two ACTIVE participants cleaning windows
For more information on ACTIVE or WAVES, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
Strives Studios’s has been busy this month gearing up for our first art show! We also finished our partnership with Opera Maine helping them to make props for their upcoming performance of AIDA. Participants have been working on the wheels, making candles and bowls and the photography group is working hard to make their Shrek themed photo shoot come to life!
ID: STRIVE Studios artwork
ID: STRIVE Studios art work
For more information on STRIVE Studios, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
Our July Wednesday Night Ed Series is all about self-advocacy! In this series, we will talk about how to speak up for yourself and your needs! We are also excited to have guests from Disability Rights Maine helping lead this series!
ID: purple background with darker purple swirls and dots on the right side. There is an image of two people sitting at a table talking on the left hand side.
The Wednesday Night Educational Series is held every Wednesday in person for participants 15-24 years old. Series are between 4 and 8 weeks and topics vary from month to month! The price per series is $30-$40, depending on the series' length. For more information or for your link to join class, contact Alex at awoodhouse@pslstrive.org.
We're two weeks into Camp STRIVE and we could not be having any more fun!! We kicked off the summer with a Spirit Week where we made friendship bracelets, hit the bowling lanes, and enjoyed dipping our toes in the ocean! Week two took us to Outer Space where we caught a planetarium show, explored Fort Williams, and completed an astronaut training course! We can't wait for what the rest of the summer holds!!
ID: camper making a friendship bracelet with beads and string
ID: three campers sitting in a slide smiling
ID: eight campers standing outside in front of a lighthouse
ID: two campers standing on rocks in front of the ocean
Camp STRIVE is a day-camp experience for campers between the ages of 11-24. Camp STRIVE is held every school vacation (Winter, February, and April) as well as for the full summer. For more information about Camp STRIVE, contact Alex Woodhouse at awoodhouse@pslstrive.org.
Tweens
We had a great time in June Tweens! We worked together to build boats, made smoothies and cinnamon rolls, created our own obstacle course, and practiced our improv!
ID: tween with her homemade boat made of popsicle sticks in front of her
ID: two tweens with boat building materials
ID: tween putting his boat made of popsicle sticks in a tub of water
July is shaping up to be another great month in Tweens! Check out the flyer below for some fun activities!
ID: white background with summer images around the outside. Images include watermelon, pineapple, starfish, iced tea, coconut, ice cream cone, ice cream sundae, bathing suit, and fruit.
Tweens is a safe and fun environment to build new friendships and learn new skills for folks 11-14 years old. We run every Friday from 3:30-5:30pm. We have a scheduled activity each week, with free time built in to maximize socialization. For more information about STRIVE Tweens, contact Alex at awoodhouse@pslstrive.org.
June STRIVE Night was a blast! We sang lots of karaoke, played bingo, celebrated pride, and kicked off the summer season with a carnival!
ID: participant smiling and wearing a pink cowboy hat on top of his baseball hat
ID: two participants smiling and wearing rainbow colors
ID: participant coloring at a table
STRIVE Night has another fun month coming up in July! Stay tuned for more information about our July activities - planned by our advisory board!
ID: teal and blue checkered background with a pool in the center. Program information is in the pool image.
Friday Nights at STRIVE, fondly referred to as "STRIVE Night," is a relaxed but fun evening of socialization for 15-24 year olds. New members are always welcome, and your first night is free! STRIVE Night is Friday from 6-9pm, with at least one special "theme" night happening each month. For more information, contact Alex at awoodhouse@pslstrive.org.
Our June social was a STRIVE 25 favorite - the semiannual Talent Show! Attendees showed off a wide range of talents from headstands to exercise routines to songs to naming all the James Bond movies!
ID: participant wearing tie dye and speaking into a microphone
ID: Two participants singing together with a microphone
ID: participant wearing blue and singing into a microphone
This month we will meet on July 11th! Save the date for our August social as well - August 1st!
ID: yellow, green, and blue background with a green circle in the middle. There is a palm tree with three coconuts in the bottom left.
STRIVE 25 is a social event for folks 25 and older. It currently runs in-person on the first Thursday of every month from 6-8pm For more information on STRIVE 25, contact Whitney at wwildes@pslstrive.org or Alex at awoodhouse@pslstrive.org!
Join us for another STRIVE Senior Social, Tuesday, July 2nd from 3-4:30pm!
ID: white background with green leaves in all four corners. There is a coffee cup and two bags of chips in the center.
STRIVE's Senior Social is a social event for individuals 55 and up. It takes place in-person on the first Tuesday of every month from 3-4:30pm. For more information on STRIVE Senior Social, contact Abby at abohlen@pslstrive.org!
Save the date for upcoming STRIVE fundraisers and events!
STRIVE Turns 25!
ID: the original STRIVE logo is joined by a large 25 with confetti and star balloons.
We hope you join us for a number of upcoming events
to celebrate 25 years of STRIVE!
ID: Flyer with information about STRIVE Sea Dogs game. There are images of a baseball and bats as well as the STRIVE and Portland Sea Dogs logos.
Saturday, July 20th, 6pm: STRIVE at the Sea Dogs!
Join us in Hadlock Field’s “Corportate Corner” as STRIVE enjoys a night out at the Sea Dogs! Tickets are $35. Your ticket includes a picnic buffett from 5-7pm and seats right off the 3rd base line! Purchase your tickets right online using the button below!
ID: Flyer in shades of pink and purple with information about boat cruise. The logos for Casablanca Cruises and STRIVE are also included.
Thursday, August 15th, 6-9pm: Sunset Cruise on Casablanca Cruises
Hit the high seas with STRIVE as we enjoy a sunset cruise around Casco Bay! Light refreshments and cash bar included. Tickets are $35 per person and $20 for STRIVE participants and staff. Reach out to Whitney to purchase your tickets today!
Friday, September 20th, 6-9pm: Super STRIVE Night at STRIVE
Celebrating where it all began, we’ll be having “super” STRIVE night full of dancing, music, food trucks and more! This special STRIVE Night will be open to all ages. More info to come as we get closer to the event!
We also plan to present our annual awards and induct new members into our Volunteer Hall of Fame at this fall’s auction. Our auction date will be announced soon!
If you are interested in any of the events mentioned here, or have questions, reach out to STRIVE Program Director, Whitney, at wwildes@pslstrive.org. We hope to celebrate with you this summer! 😊
STRIVE Shout Outs
Thank you to our June Donors!
Scott Cook and Melanie Cook-In Honor of Colin Cook
Barry Dunlap - In Honor of Caleb Dunlap
Jane and Terry Sheehan- In Honor of Austin Pietras
Burns and McDonnell
Linda Lamberson
Timothy and Sharon O'Neill - In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Patricia Faria - In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Donna Liimatainen
Jeffrey and Lisa Harrington- In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Gary Liimatainen - In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Cynthia and David Ferrick - In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Dana and Andrew Greer - In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Patricia Brigham- In Honor of Donna Liimatainen
Shari Chaney
Robert Barna
Roberta O’Brion
…and to everyone who has generously supported our Beach to Beacon Runners!
ID: STRIVE participant smiling and holding a colorful sign that says "thank you". Games in the STRIVE Teen Center are behind him.
Thank you for your generous support of STRIVE!
With your support, we are able to continue our work each and every day.
Staff Spotlight
ID: photo of Delaney. She is in a car and wearing sunglasses
Meet Delaney! Delaney is one of our counselors at Camp STRIVE this summer! She is "looking forward to all the fun adventures and activities we are doing this summer". Thanks Delaney, we're grateful to have you!
Member Spotlight
Meet Sam! Sam attends Camp STRIVE and STRIVE Night! Sam's favorite parts of STRIVE Night are singing, playing ping pong, hanging out with friends, and basketball! Thanks for sharing, Sam!
ID: photo of Sam, siting and smiling and holding a microphone with a disco ball in front of him
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy birthday to our STRIVE Members with a birthday in July!
ID: Colorful happy birthday candles on a chocolate cake
Taylor Googins
Carter Harnden
Nate Murray
Gabby Sloan
Darren Ingraham
Patrick Taylor
Jakob McDonough
Nathan Ickes-Coon
Jack Christensen
Camden Ryan
Brady Fitzgerald
Georgia LeBlanc
Brooke Dempsey
Sawyer Marston
Julia Cofone
Nolan Dorrance
Lauren Bell
General Announcements
Join Our Team!
We're Hiring!
ID: Hand with marker writing We Are HiringI
Are you, or someone you know in the market for a new job?
We're hiring for a number of positions!
We have full time, part time, and per diem opportunities available- including weekdays, evenings, and weekends!
We are also offering a $1,750 sign on bonus (after 30 days of successful employment) plus an additional $250 bonus for those that are already DSP, MHRT, or CRMA certified!
ID: Image of business partners discussing at a meeting table
Did you know we host a free monthly networking group for our local community? The STRIVE Business to Business Networking Group is just one way we work to be a mutually beneficial partner, with the hope of expanding our partnerships with local businesses.
We are looking to grow! The group meets virtually on the last Wednesday the month at 12pm . Contact Pete or Whitney to find out more about joining us this month!
Shop STRIVE!
We have an online store to purchase all your STRIVE swag needs! Take a look at all the shop has to offer! There are so many items to choose from AND you can customize any item by choosing the color and STRIVE logo that you want. Happy shopping!
ID: white background with two rows of swag. Top row from left to right is a gray backpack with the STRIVE WorldWIDE logo, a black mug with the STRIVECast logo, a white t-shirt with the STRIVE logo, and a blue baseball hat with a STRIVE U logo. Bottom row from left to right is a blue tote bag with a PSL Services/STRIVE logo, a gray sweatshirt with a STRIVE U logo, and a white travel mug with a STRIVE logo.
Listen to the STRIVECast
ID: STRIVECast flyer with images of our two hosts and sound and video engineer.
The STRIVECast is a podcast brought to you by the team at PSL Services/STRIVE in South Portland, Maine — bringing you engaging, hilarious, and thoughtful conversation through one interview week by week. Co-Hosted by two young men with Down Syndrome, the STRIVECast aims to change the voices we typically hear on the radio and through podcasts, as well as to provide meaningful dialogues with all sorts of public figures in our world. We are very proud to be both hosted, produced AND edited by people with disabilities! Like what you hear? Shoot us an email at strivecast@pslstrive.org!
Have questions or comments about any of our programs and events?
Email info@pslstrive.org to update your address or speak to a STRIVE staff member!
New members: You will be asked to complete an updated information form upon your arrival to Tweens, STRIVE Night or STRIVE 25. Want to get a head start? Visit https://www.pslstrive.org/membershipform to submit your membership form today!
-1.jpg?upscale=true&width=520&upscale=true&name=AG%20waterfront%20(2)-1.jpg)
.png?upscale=true&width=996&upscale=true&name=Sunset%20Cruise%20(1).png)
%20(Instagram%20Post%20(Square)).png?upscale=true&width=720&upscale=true&name=Copy%20of%20STRIVE%20Cast%20flyer%20(4%20%C3%97%206%20in)%20(Instagram%20Post%20(Square)).png)
