“Next normal” is a phrase I am seeing, and now beginning to use, to describe how we’re redefining our everyday lives: our communities, our workplaces, and the ways we interact with each other. While the past ten weeks have tested all of us in novel and different ways, I am working on a path forward and I thank you for joining us on the journey. Chewonki depends on you.
One example of the move to the next normal is that we are picking up communications that were put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak. With this email (and abundant thanks), I am sharing our 2019 annual report, which highlights the generosity of the Chewonki community and the ways we nurtured young leaders in the last fiscal year.
It was a tremendous year for Chewonki. We are fortunate for that because the results highlighted here have given us additional strength and stability to withstand the current shock of our campus closure, a shift to remote learning this spring for all students, and the cancellation of in-person Camp Chewonki this summer.
Thanks to the generosity in our community, we raised the most dollars ever in a single year – over $4.7 million – including the funds to build the first phase of our eastside campus, a transformative project for Chewonki. Our endowment exceeded $10 million for the first time and several foundation partners invested in our programs serving Maine youth, including Aldermere Foundation, Baldwin Foundation, Bath Savings Institution, Emmanuel & Pauline Lerner Foundation, and Elmina B. Sewall Foundation.
Together, we provided over $1.2 million in financial aid across all Chewonki programs, a gift that will pay dividends across the lifetimes of thousands of individuals. The Abele Family Foundation and Nord Family Foundation supported financial aid for Maine Coast Semester. We are doing good work to be proud of, and it is more important than ever.
I hope you enjoy this dynamic visual report and that you will be in touch. With your partnership, we will emerge stronger than ever in the “next normal.”
With deep gratitude,
Willard Morgan
President
