Participant Stories
Sally Lehtinen: Dreams Do Come True
When I had taken several classes with New Ventures Maine, I wanted to run my own business. I also wanted to get out of debt and straighten out my...
Craig Reimer: A Path to Success
I was in active addiction for my whole adult life until about four years ago. The support I’ve received has helped me to continue on a path to...
Shari Hamilton: Hello Good Pie
One of the main things I got out of Venturing Forth was learning that the stuff I didn’t like to do is the stuff I need to do. I started my first...
Micah Smith: Trust the Process
In January of 2020 I decided to start my own plumbing business. I had worked as a plumber in South Carolina and got a similar job when I moved my...
Circe MacDonald: Diligence Pays Off
I moved to Portland in 2016 to attend The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. My aim was to earn a local accreditation where my ceremonial arts training...
Diane Madruga: Taking a Leap
Because of chronic pain, the childcare job I had would not work for me as I aged, so I took NVME’s career planning course to help me identify...
Jenny Valentino: Managing Limited Finances
When I reached out to NVME in 2020, I was a newly single mom caring for three children while working two jobs in healthcare. There were limited...
Sally Thorn: A Post-Retirement Career Change
When I enrolled in NVME’s My Next Career Move class in March of 2022, I had been retired for two years and wanted to pursue a part-time position. I...
Melaina Maloney: Top of Turtle Island Gifts
I am physically disabled due to chronic genetic diseases. When I had to end my career in social services to receive medical treatment, I needed to...