ID: white background with blue paint splatters on the right- and left-hand side. Auction information is in the middle
Save the date for STRIVE's Annual Auction! This year's event will be in a hybrid event again! Join us for a live, in-person event on Thursday, November 14th at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland from 6pm-9pm! Our live event will feature bidding on live items, our fund-a-need, participant speeches, games and activities, and more! Online bidding on our silent auction items will be open from Thursday, November 14th-21st. More information coming soon!
We're currently collecting auction items! Do you, or a business you know of, have an item or experience you'd like to donate? Contact STRIVE Program Director, Whitney Wildes, at wwildes@pslstrive.org or visit our auction website at https://pslstrive.org/auction for more information! We have sponsorship opportunities available too!
PROGRAMS
STRIVE U
STRIVE U students are settling into the fall semester. Students are attending Learning Group and SMCC classes 2x a week! When the students aren’t busy with classes, they have found time to start a weekly activity hour on campus- doing different style workouts. They are also continuing to learn and navigate Portland by foot and bus.
ID: 12 STRIVE U students standing outside with IDs and around their necks and backpacks
ID: STRIVE U student smiling at the camera, about to get on a bus
ID: selfie of 2 STRIVE U student smiling at the camera
ID: five STRIVE U students exercising outside. Two are standing up in squat position and three are doing sit ups on the groups.
Applications for the STRIVE U class of 2027 are now available! Please reach out to admissions@pslstrive.org with any questions or if you want to schedule a tour!
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.
Our weeks have been filled with lots of varied activities at TOPS. Students have been busy learning the expectations and routines of our program, experiencing some new volunteer sites, and learning how to navigate in the community. All day students have been working on meal planning, grocery shopping, food preparation and cleaning up. All students have participated in kitchen safety and cooking workshops, trying a variety of different types of workouts, learning about safety and transportation in our community, working at a variety of volunteer sites, and enjoying nature walks outside. Recently we have also touched upon nutrition and eating a balanced diet, trying new foods during our Taste Lab, and learning some new skills in the kitchen! Also, we have been working hard on a collaborative art project that we will present at our open house in October.
ID: TOPS student making a grilled cheese on the stove
ID: 2 TOPS students washing buckets outside a barn
ID: TOPS student standing outside next to slugger
ID: TOPS students ercising inside on yoga mats
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.
Check out what's coming up in STRIVE WorldWIDE's October Term!
ID: PSL Services / STRIVE logo is on the top left, while the STRIVE WorldWIDE logo is on the right hand side in front of a globe
ID: Flyer with information about upcoming STRIVE WorldWIDE courses and programming for high school students. The STRIVE WorldWIDE logo is in the top corner and there is an image of a laptop in the middle of the flyer.
ID: Colorful schedule of SWW courses through the end of the year. The top of the schedule has the SWW logo as well as 3 cartoon images of a certificate, a handheld video games, and a person with a breifcase and heart.
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.
The days are continuously getting cooler and drier as we make our way into fall, and like the leaves changing on the trees we are also going through our transformation as we continue packing in preparation of our move.
As we get excited about our new place and all we look forward to, we are also taking time to appreciate what we will be leaving here in Portland. Taking advantage of the Downtown area by visiting businesses, remarking at the cruise ships competing with the city’s skyline, and soaking up the view from here on the 10th floor.
Amongst all the excitement we celebrated Jakobs graduation on the Friday 13th! We spent the morning celebrating with corn hole, jeopardy, and Truth-be-Told. He cooked up quite a feast of rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy, with Double Chocolate cake for dessert. Congratulations Jakob!
ID: Bayside participant and staff member playing cornole inside
ID: six bayside participants standing up and smiling
ID: Bayside participant receiving a graduation certificate from a staff member
For more information on Bayside, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
ACTIVE: This month we've been playing lots of disc golf! Weekly, we head over to Sunset Ridge in Westbrook to get some exercise and spend time outdoors by playing disc golf. We also often go to local parks to practice! We always have so much fun and have enjoyed exploring new and fun ways to stay active. Thank you to Sunset Ridge for having us every week!
WAVES: To celebrate the beginning of fall, we decided to visit Randall Orchards to do some apple picking! While we were there, we picked lots of apples and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Afterwards, we got a sneak peak of the cider making process. They allowed us to take a peek inside the cider mill! We finished the day by having lunch and trying some delicious cider!
ID: Two ACTIVE partcipants standing on a grassy lawn. The participant in the front has his hands open to catch a disk. The participant in the back is watching and wearing headphones
ID: WAVES participant eating an apple in front of a tree
For more information on ACTIVE or WAVES, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
We’ve been living large at STRIVE Studios! This September we’ve worked on oversized projects, from giant canvas paintings to big red car sculptures. We’ve also been practicing our skills on the pottery wheels to create our own candles and have worked with slab-building to create ceramic character figurines. All and all, we’ve been getting our hands dirty this month, and the results have paid off!
ID: Participant smiling and sitting by a large canvas painted blue
ID: participant standing and smiling holding a handmade candle
For more information on STRIVE Studios, please contact Community Support Program Director, Veerle Pottie, at vpottie@pslstrive.org.
Our Healthy Relationships Series will continue through October 9th, and we will have a new series starting on October 23rd!
Internet Safety will run from October 16th through November 16th! We will cover topics such as how to stay safe online, social media, privacy, online communities, and more! Please register using the form on our website!
ID: blue and white background with a graphic of one person sitting and two people in computer screens 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.
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
Tweens kicked off the new season with some fall themed activities! We had rice Krispie pumpkins, macaroni art mosaics, did improve, and made our own fall themed slime!
ID: Two tweens putting orange rice Krispie balls on a baking sheet
ID: Tween placing M&Ms on orange rice Krispie treats
October is shaping up to be another great month in Tweens! Check out the flyer below for some fun activities, including our popular HalloTweens Halloween Party!
ID: orange background with Halloween graphics like pumpkins, purple witch's hat, ghost, black cat, spider web, and brook around the outside.
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.
September STRIVE Nights were a blast! Whether it's singing karaoke, playing bingo, competing in air hockey, or just having a great time with friends, STRIVE Night is also so much fun! Thanks to everyone who came out to Super STRIVE Night as well! Happy 25 years of STRIVE!
ID: two participants wearing blue and smiling. One is holding up a peace sign
ID: two participants standing and singing. One is holding a microphone
ID: participant smiling and wearing a red 'Portland Sea Dogs' shirt
STRIVE Night has another fun month coming up in October! The big event will be our STRIVE Night Halloween Party! Join us on October 25th for a night of all things Halloween! More details coming soon!
ID: orange and white striped border with three orange pumpkins in the middle of the flyer. There is a small ghost on the top right
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.
STRIVE 25 is looking forward to another fun social on Thursday, October 3rd! Get those costumes ready as this will be our STRIVE 25 Halloween Party! Save the date for our next social as well - November 7th!
ID: grey background with border of pink, red, and blue stripes. There is a sun with clouds in the center.
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, October 1st from
3-4:30pm!
ID: light orange background with the PSL Services STRIVE logo in the top right. There are red, green, orange, yellow, and purple leaves in all four corners.
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!
ID: Kevin, STRIVE staff, Patriot Subaru staff and customers smiling and waving in front of Patriot Subaru
Kevin did it again! After 8 days (172 hours!) on the roof of Patriot Subaru, Kevin came back to ground level, raising over $88,000 for STRIVE- a Kevin on the Roof fundraising record! Thank you to all who supported Kevin’s efforts by donating, visiting, and even sharing our social media posts. Communities are stronger when everyone is involved, and our Kevin on the Roof event is a perfect example of that motto. Thank you!
ID: five STRIVE staff members (including Kevin) standing in front of a white board with Kevin on the Roof event information
Big thank you again to this year's Kevin on the Roof Sponsors!
ID: Logos for Kevin on the Roof sponsors
Super STRIVE Night!
Thanks to the over 120 people who joined us on Friday, September 20th for Super STRIVE Night! We had the best time celebrating 25 years of STRIVE! Here's to many more to come!
ID: participant holding blue and silver star balloons
ID: participants and volunteers doing a conga line
ID: four participants sitting on a couch smiling. One participant is sitting on a cube on the lift and one participant is in the back playing Skee-Ball.
ID: wide shot if attendees in the big room at STRIVE. There are two participants sitting at a table in the foreground.
ID: participants smiling at the camera and dancing on the dance floor
ID: participants dancing
STRIVE Shout Outs
Thank you to our September Donors!
Glenn Orlic and Sarah Button
Ellen DeCotiis
John Forbes
Pam and Scott Chamberlain
Gordon and Laurie Oliver
Jill Knight
James KilKenny - In Honor of Michael Pellozzi
Janet and Michael Collins
Richard Gill
Lisa Gorman
Mark and Lisa Piper
Robert Doughty
The Ayotte Family- In Memory of Mike Nixon
Cynthia and Scott Zwicker-In Honor of Sarah Zwicker
Jamien Jacobs and Gregg Raymond
The Callaghan Family
Ellen and Steve Smith-Erb- In Honor of Charlie Saffian
Martha Ann Savard- In Memory of Robert and Barbara West
Shari Carey
Roberta O’Brion
Jeff Kerrigan
Marc Lamontagne
Katherine Collins
Richard McIntosh
Pierre Chabot
Mora Lapage
The Schiel Family
Michael Beaudoin
William Johnson
Rita Ann Smith
Kurt and Kelly Stokes
L & L Structural Engineering Services
Paul and Linda Nicak
Caroline Janover
James Booth
Charles and Harriett Vaughan
Sandra Abbott- In Memory of George Foley
Daniel Reardon
Stephanie ad William Scherr
Barry Dunalp- In Honor of Caleb Dunlap
Rita Katherine Fields
Gabrielle Lobster and Shrimp
Michael DuBose
Margaret and Craig Wilson
Eric and Jeanne Lazo-Wasem
Joseph and Lisa Stevens
Jack and Katherine Emory
Nappi Distributors
and to everyone who generously supported our Kevin on the Roof event!
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 Ben outside, wearing sunglasses and a bucket hat. There is a second person in the photo with their air over Ben's shoulder.
Meet Ben! Ben is the Education and Training Coordinator at STRIVE U! Ben says, "One thing that I have enjoyed so far at STRIVE U is building community in Learning Group. The clients have been working hard to make learning group a safe and fun place to make mistakes and learn from them. One interesting thing about me is that I am currently teaching myself how to play the banjo." Thanks, Ben, we're grateful to have you!
Member Spotlight
Meet Dylan! Dylan attends STRIVE Night and is a student in our TOPS program. At STRIVE Night, Dylan loves "dancing and the people!" His favorite part about TOPS is that "the teachers are nice". Thanks, Dylan!
ID: photo of Dylan - He is standing up and smiling with one hand in a peace sign and the other hand holding up a STRIVE pamphlet
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy birthday to our STRIVE Members with a birthday in October!
ID: Colorful happy birthday candles on a chocolate cake
AJ Bryant
Jacob Roberts
Thorin Wagner-Peck
Patrick Cook
Bryant Lindsey
Breanna Parenteau
Juniper Butler
Emily Whalen
Chloe Fisher
Lynn Feely
Tristan Moreau
Zachary Inkeles
Ted Prosack
Thomas Woodman
Matthew Archer
Kayla Campbell
Violette Roy
Michael Johnson
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 $2,000 sign on bonus (after 60 days of successful employment and completed training) 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!
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