The Restorative Justice Project Maine would like to extend our sincerest thank you to the community for selecting us as a recipient of the recent generous funding opportunity from Rockland Rebound.

We feel honored that our fellow community members voted in support of our mission to promote a justice that is community-based, repairs harm, and creates safety and well-being for all. Our Knox County Community Justice Hub will use these funds to implement strategies for improving safety and belonging in our beloved community while reducing substance-use-related crimes. This funding will primarily help with gathering resources, distributing information, and connecting people. 

Our Hub was launched in 2021 with the hope that we could foster community-based alternatives to criminal legal-system involvement. The top two reasons our friends and neighbors are becoming entangled in the criminal legal system are violations of the  conditions of their bail or probation, and substance-use related arrests. Over a third of these people (about 350) are between the ages of 25-34.

We believe that both proactive community building practice and harm repair in the form of restorative justice in our community can make Rockland, and all of Knox County, safer and provide a better sense of belonging for all members. 

Since a major aspect of our practices are around community involvement, we feel especially appreciative that this funding came to us as a result of the community’s participation.  Thank you again. 

Humbly and Respectfully,

Elizabeth Hyde, of Rockland is a Knox County Community Justice Hub Steering Team Member of the Restorative Justice Project Maine