Big News: MaineWorks is Expanding!

We’ve been working on something big — and we’re finally ready to share it.

Over the past year, the MaineWorks team has been laying the foundation for an exciting new chapter. Thanks to a successful grant application submitted to the Maine Recovery Council, we’re thrilled to announce that MaineWorks is expanding to Lewiston/Auburn, with Bangor coming later this year.

This expansion isn’t just about reaching new zip codes. It’s about deepening our mission, creating more second chances, and stepping up in communities that need us most.

Why We’re Expanding – and Why Now

Since MaineWorks was founded, we’ve operated on a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves the chance to rebuild their life through meaningful work. For over a decade, we’ve provided employment opportunities for people in recovery, individuals recently released from incarceration, and anyone working to get back on their feet.

We’ve seen firsthand how work can be transformative. When someone finds purpose and structure, when they feel like a valued contributor again – everything starts to shift.

But over the years, we’ve also seen the same need pop up far beyond our home base in Portland. In cities like Lewiston, Auburn, Augusta, and Bangor, we’ve met individuals ready to work, but lacking opportunities. We’ve heard from business owners looking for help but struggling to find reliable workers. We’ve watched as the opioid crisis and housing instability continued to hit these areas hard.

So, we did something about it.

What It Took to Get Here

Expansion doesn’t happen overnight. It takes vision, planning, and a lot of coordination. Here’s what we’ve been up to behind the scenes:

• Strategic Partnerships: We’ve been working closely with workforce boards, recovery housing providers, and local employers in Central and Northern Maine to understand the landscape and get aligned on needs.
• Grant Funding: With help from the Maine Recovery Council, we applied for and received funding to support this growth. The grant supports everything from staffing and infrastructure to community outreach – allowing us to scale responsibly while staying true to our mission.
• Hiring Local Teams: We’ve started building out regional teams to lead our work in these new locations. These are boots-on-the-ground roles – people who understand their communities and can walk alongside our workers and our partners with real insight.
• Infrastructure & Outreach: We’ve secured office space in Lewiston/Auburn, updated our technology and workflows to support remote placements, and invested in tools to help us track our impact and streamline hiring across the state.

What This Means for Our Community

For job seekers, this means more opportunities to connect with reliable, good-paying work – in their hometowns, and with a support system behind them.

For employers, this means access to a growing workforce that’s eager to work and fully supported by MaineWorks’ wraparound services. From initial onboarding to payroll and jobsite check-ins, we make hiring easy – and meaningful.

For our partners, this means a chance to collaborate on a broader scale. Whether you’re in housing, recovery, criminal justice, or workforce development, we’re always looking for aligned organizations who want to change lives with us.

And for our team, it’s a reminder of what’s possible when we stay mission-driven. We started as a small, scrappy company built on a big idea. Now, we’re growing into a statewide force for good.

What’s Next

• Our Lewiston/Auburn branch is actively placing workers and hiring new staff now.
• Our Bangor branch is slated to open in the coming months – we’re already building partnerships there.
• We’re continuing to grow in Portland and Augusta as well – and we’re always looking for great employers to work with.

If you’re interested in working with us, working for us, or just cheering us on, we’d love to hear from you.

Closing Thoughts

Growth is exciting – but it’s never just about numbers or new cities. For us, growth means more people getting a second chance. More employers building inclusive workplaces. More families getting back on their feet.

We’re proud of how far MaineWorks has come. But we’re even more excited about where we’re headed.

Come join us – the work is just beginning.