With the help of the Genesis, residents of Medomak Mobile Home Park in Waldoboro purchased their park on March 13, 2009 becoming the first mobile home co-op in Maine. The residents now own the land as well as their homes and make their own decisions about lot rental rates and park improvements. As long time resident Alton "Shorty" Hayden said: "Now I don't have to worry about someone coming in, buying the land and kicking us all out. I don't have to worry about a huge rent increase or not having any place to go."

For the past 18 months, Yvonne Mickles, program coordinator at Genesis has been working with residents to achieve this goal. Under her guidance, the group has elected officers and begun discussing park rules, maintenance issues, and lot rates. They are looking forward to improving the park grounds by tree trimming and old utility pole replacement. Already, they are enjoying a better sense of community, with many residents, a mixture of families and retirees, meeting each other for the first time.

With the help of the Corporation for Enterprise Development, Genesis launched its mobile home park program in 2006 to help residents transition the parks to co-ops as they came on the market. "Mobile homes represent affordable housing for many Maine families, said Yvonne Mickles. Forming a co- op gives residents more security and a stronger sense of community."

For more information about how you, your business, church or foundation can put your money to work for good across Maine, please contact Jane Irish at 207.563.6073 or jane@genesisfund.org.

Since 1992 those who support the Genesis Community Loan Fund have understood the extraordinary work that a revolving loan fund can do. By making flexible, low-interest loans rather than outright grants to Maine's nonprofit organizations, the Genesis Fund can use the same pool of funds over and over again.

An investment loan allows you to put your money to work for a set term in communities across Maine. While investment loans in the Genesis Fund are not guaranteed, we are proud of our 17-year history of 100% repayment to our investors.

We offer flexible terms, chosen by the investor:

• You chose the amount to invest - minimum of $1,000 and up.
• You chose the length of the term - minimum of one year.
• You chose the rate of interest - up to 2.5% for terms of 1 -3 years and up to 3.5% for terms over 4 years

Recently Genesis purchased the 3 Chapman St. location in Damariscotta from Sweetser. "This gives us the opportunity to remain in the community that we have called home for so long," said executive director Bill Floyd. "The building gives us the room and stability to continue our growth; and, it has already been converted into office space."

Plans are underway to formalize a right of way behind the building for the walking path to the Rising Tide Market and other Route One businesses. Already it is well used by townspeople. We are happy to be part of this important community link.

We expect to be in our new home May 3, 2009. Please note only our street address will change; all other contact information remains the same.

Please stop in and see us!