Mainebiz New Ventures Postponed until August 21st

Due to unforeseen circumstances we are postponing (not canceling) the Mainebiz New Ventures/Startup day. We will be moving the event to Tuesday, August 21, 2018.

We hope you can join us on the new date, as your schedule allows.   We will be communicating with you over the next few weeks as we plan for the new date.

Already A Registered Attendee?
We hope you will be able to attend, given this new date, Tuesday, August 21, if your schedule allows.  However, if the new date doesn’t work with your schedule, we understand. To request a refund of your ticket click “HERE”. Then go to “Contact Mainebiz” to request refund.

We appreciate your understanding.

School is almost out for the Summer! Read more here for tips on getting your children ready for the fall….by starting now!

Care & Comfort, a Waterville based Behavioral Health and Home Health agency that provides care across thirteen Maine counties, has announced the appointment of Michael Stair to President along with his current role as COO.

In this position, Stair will be responsible for directing all aspects of the agency. Susan D. Giguere, Chair and CEO made the announcement saying “I am pleased to announce Mike’s promotion. He is a proven, innovative leader with a wealth of expertise in our field. Since 2015, his leadership has been instrumental to our successfully navigating the ever-present changes and challenges in today’s healthcare environment. I have been very impressed with not only his business acumen but also his collaborative leadership approach. He shares my belief that our staff is Care & Comfort and that every employee is to be valued, inspired, and provided with opportunities for growth. His leadership experience and passion for excellence in care have strengthened our agency; I am thrilled Mike will be guiding C & C with his forward-thinking vision while shaping our future.”

A native of Texas, Stair earned his MBA and BBA from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has lived in Maine since 1994 and has over 30 years of financial, IT, operational, and executive management experience, much of which is in healthcare. In 2001, he joined Seniors Plus/Elder Independence of Maine in Lewiston, where he served for nine years. Following his tenure at EIM, Mike became COO of a company that provides direct home healthcare services. He also provided executive management consulting and contract C-level services for firms in various industries for over 15 years. He joined Care & Comfort as Chief Operating Officer in 2015.

How often does one think about where their next meal is coming from? Was there ever a time when you hit the grocery store and you feared not having the money to pay for the contents of your cart? Did you know that children experience developmental impairments, such as language and motor skill deficiencies, when they are without the nourishment they require?

Feeding our communities is not an endeavor that can be taken care of entirely by one person, one company or organization or even one city or town. It is the collective effort of entire communities throughout the state that can make the necessary impact food insecure families so desperately need. The painful truth is that the statistics are so overwhelming that it’s hard to imagine that everyone will be fed and well-nourished this year! In fact, according to Feedingamerica.org, Maine reports that 1 in 7 people struggles with hunger, 1 in 5 children struggles with hunger, and it would take $108,086,000 more per year to meet their food needs. This is based on a $3.45 per meal estimate taken in 2016 (two years ago)!! Think about the last time you visited Hannaford or Shaws and walked out thinking about how much money you spent for the very little you brought home. Seriously, 3 bags can equate to $70 depending on what you get or how healthy you eat. That is why, at New Dimensions FCU, we work tirelessly to raise money to help alleviate the stress that adults and children endure when there is a shortage of food.

Each year we hold numerous bake sales, harvest fests, holiday pie sales, book sales, bottle drives, raffles, and many other events in our attempt to raise as much money as we can toward Maine’s Ending Hunger Campaign. And we certainly do not do this alone; we have a tremendous number of members who happily donate to our cause and some even donate without buying anything—they do it because they want to help!

In 2017, NDFCU raised nearly $5,000 to help end hunger and are pleased to announce that we have distributed all the money raised right here in our own local communities. This year’s recipients were those organizations that have food programs in place. Among the awarded are The Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, Spectrum Generations, The Waterville Food Bank, The Augusta Food Bank, and Bread of Life in Augusta.  This money will ensure the continuance of these very necessary food programs in our local area.

We are at it again this year and with the merger of Taconnet, we have even more staff and members to contribute to our mission. To help raise money in 2018 for our 2019 awardees, follow us on Facebook or visit our website for updates on our fundraisers or if you’d like to suggest a new fundraiser you’d like to see, contact us at info@newdimensionsfcu.com.

Be a part of the solution by making tomorrow’s community well-fed, healthier, and a time when the words “food insecure” no longer have meaning in the lives of our children.

Free milkshakes! Like to win. Starting on May 14th our “Summer Shake Up” milkshake promo gets underway. Make sure to like our Facebook posts for your chance to win free milkshakes. Redeemable at the Snack Shack in Skowhegan. If the temps reach 75 degrees people will start winning. Winners will be chosen at random on the following day from post likes on the post from that day. Be sure to check in and like the posts daily. With the help of Meteorologist Todd Simcox, we will be using the official tempertaures posted by the National Weather Service, Bangor site. Check or Facebook page daily and just click like and hope for warm temps for your chance to win.

Because Buying a New Car Should Be Fun!!

Springtime is a very popular season for people to buy new automobiles and motorcycles. If you are in the market for a new car, truck, SUV or motorcycle, reading these tips can save you money and prevent buyer’s remorse!

1. Before heading to the dealership, KNOW YOUR CREDIT SCORE! If you haven’t reviewed your credit report in a while, you should! Viewing your credit report can be done by visiting annualcreditreport.com (one free report per year) or by visiting one of our four convenient locations. Your credit score determines the rate you will pay for a loan or lease.
2. Get PRE-QUALIFIED for a vehicle loan at New Dimensions Federal Credit Union! Before you begin shopping for a vehicle, we can help you determine a payment that fits into your monthly budget. Plus, you will know how much you can afford to spend for the vehicle including tax, title, etc. This will help you determine which vehicle to buy and what you can realistically afford. You can even apply for a loan on our website.

Read More Here! 

Tree Spirits’ Limoncello and Absinthe Verte were both winners at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition in April. Limoncello was awarded a bronze and Absinthe a silver. We’re happy to report that all of our spirits — Applejack, Pear Brandy, Knotted Maple, Limoncello, Absinthe Verte — have now won awards in either/both San Francisco and New York international spirits competitions. 

• May 9, 2018

Learning to be financially literate is often left to a series of trial and error lessons as we journey through life. In some instances, making ill-informed decisions can cost thousands of dollars not to mention years of stress and uncertainty.

At New Dimensions FCU, it is our goal to increase our communities’ financial knowledge so that people are equipped with the tools needed to make sound financial decisions throughout their lifetime. Whether it’s drafting a monthly budget, reviewing a credit report and discussing ways to improve a score, buying a vehicle, or understanding the mortgage process, our staff is committed to teaching best practices and being a long-term education resource to our members and the communities we serve.

Over the past year, our staff has educated members in various financial classes and seminars; as well as at Financial Fitness Fairs held at local high schools in Augusta, Waterville, Winslow, and Oakland. Similarly, NDFCU has visited local businesses such as Mid-Maine Regional Adult Community Education, Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, and other organizations to educate their employees with relevant topics from our new “Eat, Learn & Prosper” Series. Additionally, we have added free evening seminars offered at our Waterville branch where both members and non-members can receive education on important topics such as Identity Theft Protection and Understanding and Improving Your Credit Score. Our 2018 educational seminars will focus on creating effective household budgets, understanding credit and avoiding pitfalls, car buying, home buying and more. All seminars will be announced through our newsletter, social media, and other marketing efforts.

To request an individual, confidential financial counseling appointment or to inquire about

upcoming group seminars, please contact Tanya Verzoni, Director of Financial Education, at (207) 313-5924 or by email at tverzoni@newdimensionsfcu.com.

Together, we can help you reach your financial goals and dreams!