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2021 Humanitarian Awards

Name: 2021 Humanitarian Awards
Start: 2021-04-07T16:00:00-08:00
End: 2021-04-07T17:00:00-08:00

April 7, 2021 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Spurwink’s 2021 Humanitarian Virtual Gala

Donate to Spurwink

Thank you to all who joined us virtually this year as we honored our 2021 Humanitarian, Cullen Ryan, who has dedicated his professional career to serving homeless and special needs populations. We also honored Spurwink’s frontline workers who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic.

View Video: How Spurwink Has Adapted

View Video: Spurwink’s Frontline Heroes

Donation Impact

$500 Donation support programs like ShifaME which serve traumatized refugee children and helps them thrive and bloom in their school and community.
$250 Donation provides a tele-therapy session which gives individuals the support they need to sprout and grow.
$100 Donation helps find safe, stable homes for children to flourish and blossom.
$50 Donation plants the seed to begin the journey for an individual with behavioral health challenges

Special Thank You to our 2021 Host Committees

2021 HONOREE

Humanitarian Award: Cullen Ryan, Executive Director, Community Housing of Maine

For the past 34 years, Cullen Ryan has dedicated his professional career to serving homeless and special needs populations. A formerly licensed clinician (LICSW) with a BA from the University of Vermont and a MA in Counseling and Psychological Services from St. Mary’s University (Minnesota), Cullen has provided case management, family therapy, and individual/group psychotherapy to homeless adults, families, and adolescents in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings in three states. Since 2004, Cullen Ryan has served as Executive Director of Community Housing of Maine, the largest supportive housing provider for homeless and special needs populations in the state. Throughout his career, Cullen has continuously been a leader in collective, grassroots advocacy efforts. He has organized, united, and led diverse groups, helping Maine and other states speak with one voice to effect change for vulnerable populations through local, state, and federal policy development. Cullen has been elected to numerous leadership roles pertaining to ending homelessness and improving the system of care for people with disabilities in Maine. He currently chairs the Board of the Evernorth, the Maine Developmental Services Oversight and Advisory Board, the Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services, and he serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Maine Continuum of Care. Cullen was a recent past Chair of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, and recent Acting Chair of Maine’s Statewide Homeless Council, and actively serves on both. Cullen’s advocacy has been recognized by receipt of the Maine Association of Community Service Providers Legislative Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts to support people with disabilities and their families in 2013; the Joseph Brannigan Community Excellence Award for providing supportive housing options and advocacy for homeless and special needs populations in Maine in 2014; and the Port Resources Shining Star Award in recognition of strong advocacy and support for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges in 2015.

Community Housing of Maine provides supportive housing for homeless and special needs populations throughout the state and provides advocacy on their behalf. www.chomhousing.org