STRIVE offers help to some folks who can use a hand, and an opportunity for book-lovers to get some great bargains in the process.

STRIVE assists teens and young adults with intellectual and emotional disabilities. The organization serves about 400 clients all over Maine with programs designed to teach these teens and young adults how to live independently, hold a job and be a responsible member of society. STRIVE stands for Socialization, Transition, Reflection, Innovation, Vocation, Education.

Brenna Barwick, Volunteer Coordinator, says every Friday night fifty to a hundred of those clients from all over Maine get together in a big room in their facility at 28 Foden Road in South Portland, next to National Semiconductor, for a social event including music and games. It’s essentially a teen center especially for them, where they can play pool or video games or just meet other people in a safe place.

Fun Friday Nights at STRIVE

STRIVE also operates a number of other educational programs on an ongoing basis. On Wednesday nights, small groups enjoy courses in topics like money management, computer & writing skills, healthy relationships, and community & civic involvement. These courses run 8 to 11 weeks.

StriveU is a program for young adults who have graduated from High School. They take classes at the University of Southern Maine hold down a job while they live in dorms, manage money and develop the skills to live independently.

Barwick says there are a lot of programs for younger children and programs for adults with these kinds of disabilities, but STRIVE fills a gap for young adults and teens, some of the most complicated and important years in anyone’s life.

BookWorks - 28 Foden Road, South Portland

The BookWorks! Bookstore at STRIVE may be one of the best-kept secrets in the area. Their stock of recent and classic literature is quite impressive. Clients work at the bookstore, gaining work skills and experience. Barwick says, “We want people to feel important.” Bookworks provides both funds for the programs and employment opportunities for their clients. It also provides a great deal for book lovers. Hardcovers are $3 and paperbacks cost a buck. The books come from donations, churches, and Brawick says often they’ll get the leftovers from library book sales. Periodically they’ll have a tent sale where they bring out boxes of books they’ve stored and let them go at super bargain prices.

Ryan Barnes - working at STRIVE BookWorks

Ryan Barnes sat behind the counter on a recent day. He’s been working at Bookworks for about a year and says he likes it, “It’s fun.” Proceeds fund STRIVE's programs.

STRIVE also relies on donations and volunteers, and you can find more information about their activities at their website pslstrive.org.

by Chad Gilley
aroundmaine.com
June 18, 2007