Unity Barn Raisers History Unity Barn Raisers (UBR) is a unique community organization that has proven highly successful on many levels. Thirteen years of grass roots organizing and creative thinking has resulted in many notable accomplishments (ranging from a revitalized downtown to re-energized farms to new programs for underserved residents). But perhaps UBR’s greatest accomplishment is that it has transformed the way local people think about their community. We now realize that we can (and must) shape our community’s future. Through UBR, hundreds of us have become actively engaged in doing exactly that. UBR now boasts 400 members, and relies on them for ideas, labor, and funds. UBR was formed in January 1996, in response to some of the great needs and opportunities facing this community. At the time, western Waldo County—where Unity is located—was the poorest region of Maine (with a lower per-capita income than even Washington County). Unity’s small downtown—which is the region’s traditional market center—was clearly dying. From the beginning, UBR took an innovative approach to community development. The major initial focus was to help revitalize Unity’s small downtown. UBR tackled this challenge with several creative projects. These included: transforming a vacant downtown building into a vibrant new community center; renovating several other downtown properties for new commercial and residential purposes; recruiting appropriate new businesses to downtown Unity (including a new insurance agency, credit union, health center, veterinarian office, and an expanded grocery store); planting trees, adding benches, and building sidewalks and walkways to enhance downtown livability; and creating an active farmers market in a downtown setting. Since that time, UBR has pursued a broad array of other projects, including far-reaching efforts aimed at increasing farm vitality and preserving the precious and significant wetland habitat that exists in our region. More recently, UBR has also focused attention on local health and wellness. Unity Barn Raisers has received numerous awards for its work and for its leadership: In 2003, UBR was singled out by the Maine Community Foundation with receipt of the Noyce Award for Non-Profit Excellence. In 2007, UBR was selected as a recipient of the World Hunger Year Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Award as a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty. In 2008, UBR was honored as the Non-profit of the Year by the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, UBR received a Civic Engagement Citation from Unity College.

Unity Barn Raisers P. O. Box 381, 32 School Street Unity ME 04988 207-948-9005 ubr@unitymaine.org