Friends of the River Valley

11/06/2026

This year we are doing something a little different for Thanksgiving. Instead of the whole frozen turkey and fixings, we are going to offer an All-In-One Thanksgiving meal for smaller families. This casserole is delicious and taste just like Thanksgiving, but without all the work.
Please sign up during pantry hours or by calling
207-364-7408

11/03/2026

Here's what $89,350 in grants looked like in 2025:

• 117 camp scholarships
• 38 ski scholarships
• 6,000 books to kids
• 1,044 neighbors fed
• 107 children in art therapy
• 446 acres of trails opened

Every dollar of that came from our donors. We hope to meet our goal of $100,000 for 2026 to ensure that these vital programs can continue to serve unmet needs in the River Valley communities.

https://friendsofrivervalley.org/get-involved/

10/30/2026

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Friends of the River Valley (FRV) is proud to announce a new partnership with Sweetser to place a licensed clinician inside Mountain Valley Community School, serving both elementary and middle school students directly on site.

Sweetser has been serving Maine children and families for nearly 200 years, and supporting youth in their most natural setting at school is something inherent to our mission. We have been committed to expanding access to high-quality, compassionate care and ensuring that children and families can receive support where they live, learn, and grow.

RSU 10 has been without an on-site mental health clinician for over 15 years. This collaboration fills a vital gap in care by delivering high-quality, compassionate behavioral health support to local children where they learn and grow every day.
Early mental health intervention transforms lives and strengthens our entire community. Your continued support makes programs like this possible and helps build a stronger, healthier future for the children of the River Valley.

Thank you for investing in the children and families of the River Valley community.

10/30/2026

We love supporting ArtVan at the Rumford Public Library!!! 😀

10/28/2026

We are proud to announce that Friends of the River Valley has officially approved a $500 grant for the RSU 56 Dirigo High School Alternative Education Program!

This grant will fund a new punch-card student incentive program developed by Alternative Education Teacher Kelly Porter. The program focuses on three key pillars: *attendance, attitude, and effort, offering positive, attainable rewards to help students stay engaged and succeed in school.

In addition to working hard in the classroom, these students actively give back to our community by operating the school's clothing and food pantry. We are thrilled to support their dedication and help empower their success\!

Thank you to Kelly Porter and the RSU 56 community for your hard work and commitment to student growth! 💙👏

10/23/2026

Without donor support, programs like this would not be possible for children in the River Valley. Thank you to Hillary Harper at Team Long Run for this lovely message and to all of our donors for your support!

To donate: https://friendsofrivervalley.org/get-involved/

10/21/2026

Our partnership with MVHS Extended Learning Opportunities is opening up the world to River Valley High School students! Read their update below to hear how they are helping these young people see the possibilites for their future!

Our Falcons put 237 miles on buses on Monday and Tuesday of this week. 53 different students took part in four trips. On Monday we were able to take a group to the Explore Colby experience at Colby College. Students were able to tour campus, sit in on a Colby Class, and hear from students, parents, and staff. On Tuesday we held our annual senior exploratory trip with groups going to Central Maine Community College, the Bath Iron Works training center, and Saint Joseph's College of Maine! These were great trips for students to expand their horizons and see what opportunities exist throughout our state. This is just the start of our trips for the 26-27 school year. We want to thank our partners who have given us grants to allow this to happen: Friends of the River Valley, Maine Community Foundation, and Maine Community Coordinators Collaborative.

Mountain Valley High School

10/19/2026

Thanks to generous donors, we are able to support important programming like the Mountain Valley High School Outing Club!

10/13/2026

Friends of the River Valley is thrilled to announce that we have awarded a $4,000 grant to St. Barnabas Essentials Pantry .

This funding will directly support families and households across the greater Rumford area by providing essential non-food products—including personal hygiene items, household cleaning supplies, paper towels, and toilet paper—that are not available at local food banks and cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits.

Because St. Barnabas Essentials Pantry is run entirely by volunteers with zero overhead, 100% of these grant funds will go directly toward purchasing essential items for the 35+ local households, seniors, and children currently relying on our services.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude for our partnership, our shared investment in the River Valley communities and for keeping the doors open to serve our neighbors in need!

10/06/2026

Exciting News for Mountain Valley Community School!

We are thrilled to announce that the Alternative Education Department at MVCS has officially been awarded a grant from FRV to establish a brand-new middle school Outing Club!

This program will serve as an awesome feeder program for our high school outdoor adventures, helping students build lifelong skills and a passion for the great outdoors!

This grant covers:
- Training & Certifications: Funding for a Wilderness First Aid course and Trip Leader Certification through Teens to Trails!
- Essential new equipment including sleeping bags, tents, and cooking gear!

This club is all about getting outdoors to boost student mental and physical health, build lasting friendships, and instill strong community pride!

Thanks to generous support, we’ve already gathered hiking bags and winter clothing, plus an amazing group of staff ready to chaperone!