Maine Association for New Americans (MANA)

Maine Association for New Americans (MANA) MANA is a mutual-support organization of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants!

08/17/2026

Sometimes healing looks like therapy. Sometimes it looks like saltwater, muddy shoes and laughter on a trail.

Outdoor access is mental health work. One study found that children who grew up with the greatest exposure to green space had up to a 55% lower risk of developing certain psychiatric disorders later in life.

Access to the outdoors is not equal. Transportation, equipment, cost, cultural isolation and simply not feeling welcome can keep people away. That is why programs like matter. We are not just taking people hiking, swimming or surfing. We are creating space for connection, confidence, rest, movement and belonging.This is not just recreation.

This is prevention.
This is community care.
This is mental health work.
This is healing.

Thank you to our friends at Wolfe’s Neck Center for welcoming us and giving our youth such a special day on the farm. 🐐🐓...
08/12/2026

Thank you to our friends at Wolfe’s Neck Center for welcoming us and giving our youth such a special day on the farm. 🐐🐓💚

We rode through the farm, visited the goats and chickens, explored the land, shared snacks, laughed, and simply enjoyed being outside together. Love watching our young people experience new places, connect with animals and nature, and make memories with one another!

Yesterday our crew spent the day at Songo Lock with our wonderful friends at Maine Wildlife & Fisheries. 🎣🌲We learned ...
08/05/2026

Yesterday our crew spent the day at Songo Lock with our wonderful friends at Maine Wildlife & Fisheries. 🎣🌲

We learned how to fish, met a friendly snake, explored one of Maine’s historic waterways, and spent the day asking questions, trying new things, and enjoying being outside together. There is something so special about watching young people build confidence simply by being given the chance to explore.

We wrapped up the day the best way we know how—with a swim in beautiful Sebago Lake. ☀️💦

A huge thank you to the incredible staff and volunteers at Maine Wildlife & Fisheries for welcoming our youth with so much patience, knowledge, and kindness. Experiences like these create memories that last far beyond the summer.

Last week our Elders spent the day wandering the beautiful gardens at Pineland Farms. We admired the flowers, shared s...
08/05/2026

Last week our Elders spent the day wandering the beautiful gardens at Pineland Farms. We admired the flowers, shared stories, laughed, rested on benches, and reminded ourselves that joy doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it looks like fresh air, colorful blooms, good conversation, and being surrounded by people who feel like family.

Growing older should never mean growing isolated. Our elders deserve beauty, adventure, and spaces where they feel seen, celebrated, and connected.

Thank you to everyone who helps make these moments possible. Days like today remind me that community is built one shared experience at a time. 🌿🌸❤️

Mother Nature had other plans. 🌊🤍For everyone’s safety, we’ve decided to reschedule our Things She Carries surf gatherin...
07/30/2026

Mother Nature had other plans. 🌊🤍

For everyone’s safety, we’ve decided to reschedule our Things She Carries surf gathering due to high winds and rough surf conditions.

🗓 Thursday, August 6
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM

If you’re already registered, you’re all set. Your spot has been saved!

We also have a few spaces still available and would love to welcome a few more women into our circle.

This evening isn’t about learning to surf perfectly. It’s about saying yes to yourself. Moving your body. Sharing a picnic. Laughing with other women. Feeling the saltwater on your skin and remembering that joy, rest, and community are things we deserve.

Whether it’s your first time touching a surfboard or your hundredth, there’s a place for you here.

We can’t wait to spend this beautiful evening with you.

Registration is required. Link in bio. 🌊🩷

💙 Elder Swim is back! 💙We are so excited to be back in the water every Thursday morning from 10:00–11:00 a.m. at Douglas...
07/23/2026

💙 Elder Swim is back! 💙

We are so excited to be back in the water every Thursday morning from 10:00–11:00 a.m. at Douglas Pool with our wonderful friends at Maine Community Swimming

These mornings are about so much more than swimming. They are about confidence, movement, laughter, friendship, and creating spaces where our elders feel seen, supported, and joyful.

Transportation and swim gear are provided, so all you need to bring is yourself.

We can’t wait to make more memories together in the water. 🏊🏿‍♀️💙

Thank you to Maine Community Swim for continuing to make this program possible and for believing that everyone deserves access to the healing power of water.



Email [email protected] to find out how you can get involved!

This week we closed out our amazing summer collaboration with Our Place alongside our incredible partners at the Maine A...
07/21/2026

This week we closed out our amazing summer collaboration with Our Place alongside our incredible partners at the Maine A.T. Land Trust 🌲

Throughout the summer our youth had the opportunity to explore Maine’s trails, build confidence outdoors, and discover that these beautiful spaces belong to them too.

On our final adventure we hiked together, learned about different tree species, talked about hiking gear and trail safety, and ended the day exactly how summer should end… with pizza by the beach and laughter at the playground.

A special thank you to Samaa Abdurraqib for spending the day with our youth, sharing so much of herself, and passing on her passion and knowledge of the outdoors. Representation matters, and it was beautiful to watch our young people learn from someone who showed them that they belong in these spaces.

Thank you to everyone who made this summer possible. Here’s to many more adventures together. 💚🌿

This month, Things She Carries is partnering Palmar Collective More Women Surf for an evening of connection, courage, an...
07/18/2026

This month, Things She Carries is partnering Palmar Collective More Women Surf for an evening of connection, courage, and joy. Whether you’ve surfed before or have always wanted to try, this space is for you.

No pressure. No expectations. Just women showing up for one another, breathing a little deeper, laughing a little louder, and remembering that we don’t have to carry everything alone.

🌊 Thursday, July 30
🕕 6:00–7:30 PM

This is a private event and registration is required. Space is limited, so be sure to register through the link in our bio.

Come catch some waves with us. You might leave the beach carrying a little less than when you arrived. 💙🏄🏾‍♀️

There is something powerful about learning together across generations. Today our elders, youth, and families had the op...
07/08/2026

There is something powerful about learning together across generations.

Today our elders, youth, and families had the opportunity to get out on Casco Bay through an incredible collaboration with Maine Sea Grant, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Our Place, MAIN and MANA’s program.

Together we explored Maine’s working waterfront, learned about aquaculture, marine life, and the ecosystem that surrounds us, and shared plenty of laughter, curiosity, and connection along the way. For many of our participants, this was their first time experiencing Maine from the water.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our partners, educators, staff, and volunteers who made today possible. We are so grateful.

We outside. We learning. We building community. 🌊🦞💙

CascoBay MaineSeaGrant CascoBayEstuaryPartnership OutdoorEquity Belonging Maine

06/26/2026

Wellness isn’t only about appointments or exercise it’s about belonging, joy, fresh air, new experiences, and creating space to unwind. Watching our elders relax, connect, and make new memories reminds us why these moments matter.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this beautiful day possible. Here’s to more adventures, more laughter, and continuing to honor the wisdom of our elders by creating spaces where they can thrive. ❤️

Address

1311 Washington Avenue
Portland, ME
04103

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+12073870749

Website

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