Thursday, October 29
6:30 – 7:30 pm
via Zoom
via Zoom
In times of crisis, our instinct is often to look out for our neighbors. But where do we start? How can we help? Join Sari Greene as she shares the story of how she founded the South Portland Community of Kindness, a community group intended as a resource to connect those who need assistance with those who can offer assistance as the community navigates the impact of COVID-19 together. Sari and a panel of representatives from local organizations will discuss the Community of Kindness’s trials and successes and will offer tips and inspiration for how to adapt this model to any community—from an entire town or neighborhood, all the way down to a single street.
Sari will be joined in conversation by:
- Dwayne Hopkins, Executive Director, South Portland Food Cupboard
- Gretchen McCoy, Director of Community Partnerships, South Portland School District
- Sue Woodman, Activity Coordinator, South Portland Housing Authority
- Betsy Wakefield, Administrator, South Portland Community of Kindness
About Sari Greene
Sari and her husband Eric live in SoPo and raised their two sons Benjamin and Max (SPHS classes of 2000 and 2008) there. She currently serves on the Bangor Savings Bank Board of Directors, the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation, the South Portland Middle School Building Committee and the City of South Portland Economic Development Committee. She is active in the South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Rotary club. She can often be found on Monday and Thursday mornings volunteering at the South Portland Food Cupboard. Professionally, Sari is a recognized cybersecurity entrepreneur, author and educator. In 2017, Sari and Eric had the opportunity to set off on a sailing sabbatical – sailing 24,000 nautical miles crossing the Equator, the Topic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn and the Prime Meridian.
South Portland Community of Kindness was launched on March 16, 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now has 1,863 members! In the past 6.5 months, members have enthusiastically answered the call for volunteers to help out schools, give blood and distribute food. Neighbors have shared homeschooling resources, made sure pets were walked and fed, offered gardening advice, run errands, supplied diapers, made birthdays special with gifts, cakes and parades, wrote notes of encouragement, provided links to vital resource, supported local businesses, found housing, checked in on each other, mowed lawns, and so much more.
Please join us by registering below!