Families Forward is committed to helping people obtain long term economic well-being. Families Forward was designed and implemented to meet the existing and emerging needs of the people of Maine. The people who drive Families Forward live and work in the state of Maine including the Executive Director Serena Powell and every member of her leadership team.
93 Maine residents are employed in Families Forward, with wages that exceed most social service jobs in the state of Maine. Of those 33 were born in Maine. They have robust benefit packages and are provided numerous opportunities for professional training through our Brown Bag Lunches and Professional Development Collaborative and leadership development through our Leadership Academy. They are raising their families, including 133 children, in Maine and contributing to the Maine economy.
Nearly 60 percent of the staff of Families Forward have lived in Maine for over 20 years. They are “Mainers” to their core and implement the program with the strong work ethic and integrity the state of Maine is known for.
Families Forward leadership honors individuals who have serve our country demonstrated by the fact that 12 percent of the staff are veterans.
Just under 30 percent of the staff working in Families Forward have been with us from the very beginning—a very high retention rate in social services. Given that this period includes two years of a global pandemic, this retention rate is remarkable. Staff range in age from 18 to 70 with the majority between the ages of 35 and 50, reflecting the average age in Maine. Four percent of the staff are over the age of 70—demonstrating our commitment to hiring people who bring diverse views and experiences to the work.
Maine has a diverse population of immigrants and over the past five plus years, Families Forward has intentionally and successfully recruited diverse staff, 32 percent of whom speak more than one language.
Families Forward also “walks its talk,” with 30 percent of staff having been former participants; after education and training they found that they were the perfect fit for working in this field. Their “lived” experience is invaluable to other Families Forward staff and to every participant who walks through our door.