Thanks to the support of the Maine Community Foundation’s Waldo County Fund ($9010) and the Emily and William Muir Community Fund ($990), The Restorative Justice Project Maine brings the Open Table model to Maine in an effort support individuals in Knox and Waldo counties with reentry after incarceration. 

The Open Table started with one church’s encounter with a homeless man in 2005 in Phoenix, Arizona. Today it is a national model for transforming communities through the power of long-term relationships. A "Table" convenes 6-8 volunteers monthly alongside a “Friend” for their year of reentry, using the volunteers’ social and relational capital to support the Friend with implementing their Life Plan.

“We all come into this world with gifts to share,” says RJP Maine’s Erica Buswell, in a news release.  “When we can’t do that because of systemic or personal reasons, the world has been denied what we have to offer. We all have a responsibility to create conditions where people can show up and offer what we have to share. We’re all enriched by that. Our communities need us to show up that way.”

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your social network and community relationships to transform the lives of those in the community who have been incarcerated, please reach out to Sarah Mattox at 207-323-9295.

You can learn more at theopentable.org.

Restorative Justice Project - Maine (RJP) was founded to offer responses to crime and wrongdoing that are grounded in restorative principles. Our mission is to promote a justice that is community-based, repairs harm, and creates safety and well-being for all. Located in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, and Hancock, with volunteering opportunities in all five counties. More at rjpmidcoast.org.

Headquartered in Ellsworth, with additional personnel in Portland, Dover-Foxcroft, Rockport, and Mars Hill, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to provide strong investments, personalized service, local expertise, and strategic giving to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.