PORTLAND, ME –On Thursday, June 2nd, Spurwink’s Humanitarian will welcome guests in celebration of Spurwink’s impact—increasing access to critical behavioral health needs—and honoring community leaders who make Maine a healthier place to live and work. This year’s Humanitarian Award will be given to Founder of MaineWorks and Co-Founder of Maine Recovery Fund, Margo Walsh, and the Corporate Care Award will be awarded to WEX. The event is from 5 to 8 p.m. at Brick South, Thompson’s Point in Portland, ME. Tickets are available for purchase at spurwink.org/humanitarian.
2022 Humanitarian Award: Margo Walsh,
Founder MaineWorks, Co-Founder Maine Recovery Fund
Margo’s passion for second chances, coupled with her employee development experience has led her to believe that people do extraordinary things when given a second chance. Founder and Owner of MaineWorks, Margo Walsh started with one challenging mission: employ the unemployable. MaineWorks is an innovative social staffing company with a mission: to dignify transitional employment for people in recovery for substance use disorder, reentering from jail and prison, new Americans, and veterans in transition. MaineWorks provides jobs in industrial construction, carpentry, masonry, highway, bridge, and road construction. In 2017, Margo and her sister Elaine Walsh Carney, founded Maine Recovery Fund. Maine Recovery Fund supports the needs of people in work-force reentry, by providing: a ride to work, assistance with sober living, workplace outerwear including steel-toed work boots, and immediate access to on-call telemental health. Margo credits the MaineWorks staff for their endless commitment to creating economic viability in tandem with Maine Recovery Fund board and staff.
Since founding MaineWorks in 2011, Margo has been recognized as an SBA Small Businessperson of the year and a SCORE Outstanding Job Creator. In 2019, she was invited to attend the State of the Union address as Senator Angus King’s guest. MaineWorks is working at the state and national level to transform employment for people who struggle.
“Margo, as the founder/owner of MaineWorks and the Co-Founder and Chair of the Maine Recovery Fund, demonstrates vision and leadership that have enabled individuals to live healthy, engaged lives in their communities, aligning with Spurwink’s mission and values,” said President & CEO of Spurwink, Eric Meyer. “Margo’s work reduces barriers and provides opportunities for those impacted by substance use disorder and felony convictions. We are honored to recognize her as our 2022 Humanitarian.”
Corporate Care Award: WEX
Built into WEX’s ethos as a Community Partner is a deep belief that being a good corporate citizen is about showing up and helping to do the work as local communities grow and adapt to help best serve all of us. It is this belief that has guided WEX’s approach to philanthropic support and volunteerism over many years. Underlying this work is a deep belief in creating communities where social equality is a priority. The grants they provide help level the playing field in many areas to ensure access to opportunity for all and help communities to thrive.
Sponsors for the Humanitarian Awards include Lead Sponsor Sun Life; Auction Sponsor The Boulos Company/Boulos Asset Management; Corporate Partner Sponsors Anania Bailey Advertising, Aetna, Foreside, Gorham Savings Bank, HUB, Maine Magazine, Martin’s Point Health Care, Spectrum Healthcare Partners, Systems Engineering, USI Insurance Services, Volk Packaging Corporation, Volk Paxit, WEX, and Wright-Ryan; Event Sponsors AV Technik, Kelly, Remmel, & Zimmerman, Northeast Delta Dental, PBIRx, Pape Chevrolet, Saco & Biddeford Savings, Verrill, Sheridan Construction, and Transformit.
For more information on this year’s honorees, event, or tickets, visit spurwink.org/humanitarian, or contact Emily Silevinac, Director of Annual Giving, at 207.821.1211, ext. 2106 or esilevinac@spurwink.org.
About Spurwink
Spurwink is a nationally accredited nonprofit organization that provides a broad range of mental health, education, and residential services for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Spurwink offers specialized programs throughout Maine with a commitment to caring relationships and treatment expertise, grounded in evidence-based, best and promising practices, and builds upon strengths of the people and the families it serves. For more information, visit www.spurwink.org, or call 207.871.1200.
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Press Contact: Emily Silevinac, Director of Annual Giving | esilevinac@spurwink.org | 207.821.1211, ext. 2106