Join us on Tuesday, November 10, at Flatbread Company in Portland for another delicious Serving Hope for Sweetser fundraiser!
From 5–9 p.m., a portion of proceeds for all pizzas sold will help support Sweetser’s mission of providing hope and healing to Maine people. Grab your friends, bring your appetite, and enjoy some pizza for a great cause! Every slice makes a difference.
Definitive Brewing, 35 Industrial Way, Portland, ME
🍻 Raise a glass to hope and healing!
We’re teaming up with Definitive Brewing Company in Portland for Serving Hope: Sip, Savor, Support on Wednesday, November 4!
From 6–8 p.m., 20% of all draft sales will be donated to Sweetser, helping us continue providing critical behavioral health services to communities across Maine. Come out, enjoy a local brew, and support a great cause. Cheers to making a difference together!
Experiencing psychosis doesn’t automatically mean someone has schizophrenia. Understanding the difference is an important step toward reducing stigma and connecting people with the right care.
In this WMTW Mental Health Moment, Sweetser’s Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) Medical Director, Dr. Abhilasha Khurana, explains the differences between psychosis and schizophrenia, common warning signs, and how early intervention and individualized treatment can help people manage symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.
Dr. Khurana also highlights her upcoming Sweetser Training Institute workshop, Demystifying Psychosis, designed to help clinicians better understand, assess, and respond to symptoms of psychosis with greater confidence. Learn more and register at Sweetser.org/Training.
Join us for Ghoulish Golf, a Halloween-themed mini golf event hosted by Aquaboggan in support of Sweetser’s mental health services!
Enjoy an evening of spooky fun for all ages, with fried dough, warm apple cider, popcorn, and more. Bring your family, friends, and co-workers for a spooky night of fun, and wear a costume to receive $2 off admission! All while supporting mental health services in our community.
All ticket sales support Sweetser’s mental health services. We hope to see you there!
Sweetser is proud to continue our ongoing media partnership with NEWS CENTER Maine through its Let’s Talk About It campaign—an initiative dedicated to normalizing conversations about mental health, sharing trusted information, and reducing stigma across our state. We are the exclusive and only behavioral health provider working with the station on this initiative.
Through this partnership, Sweetser leaders and team members have helped Mainers better understand mental health challenges, recognize when someone may need support, and learn about the resources available to them. Our collaboration has included news stories, expert interviews, community events, and public service announcements that bring messages of hope and healing directly into homes across Maine.
Our President & CEO, Jayne Van Bramer, has been featured in a brand-new TV PSA filmed at our Brunswick Hope & Healing Center. The spot reminds viewers that hope is more than a feeling—it takes action. Every day, Sweetser employees put that message into practice by helping children, adults, and families take meaningful steps toward greater well-being.
This statewide visibility is an important opportunity to reach people who may be struggling, encourage them to seek support, and reinforce that no one has to navigate a mental health or recovery challenge alone.
When viewers see our new PSA, they are seeing a reflection of the life-changing work happening throughout our organization every day.
A big THANK YOU to Pizza By Alex for serving up some hope for Sweetser!
We’re so grateful to Pizza by Alex in Biddeford for hosting this special fundraiser in support of Sweetser and our mission to provide hope and healing to children, adults, and families across Maine.
And thank you to everyone who stopped by, grabbed a pizza, and supported Sweetser! Your participation helps make a meaningful difference in our communities.
Maine is seeing encouraging progress in reducing fatal overdoses, but the work to support people impacted by substance use disorder continues.
In this WMTW Mental Health Moment, Sweetser Chief Growth Officer Joanne Grant discusses what Maine’s latest overdose data can tell us, the importance of compassionate and stigma-free support, and why continuing education is critical for professionals across behavioral health, healthcare, schools, and community services. Joanne also highlights Sweetser Training Institute’s Substance Use Disorder Professional Development Certificate, designed to give professionals practical skills and a stronger foundation for supporting people throughout their recovery journey.
Four comedians. One stage. Endless laughter. Don’t miss the ‘Smiles for Sweetser Comedy Show, Oct. 23rd at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland. Support Sweetser‘s vital mental health programs while enjoying a night you’ll never forget!
On Thursday, October 15, Moe’s Original BBQ in Scarborough is Serving Hope for Sweetser! Stop by, enjoy some delicious BBQ, and 10% of all eligible sales* will be donated to Sweetser to support our mission of providing hope and healing to Maine people.
*Excludes third-party orders through Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub, and previous catering orders.
Good food. Great cause. A simple way to make a difference. Come hungry and help us Serve Hope!
Ruel Ricker Day at our Saco Campus is an annual day that celebrates Ruel Ricker – Sweetser’s farm manager from 1941 through the 1970s.
Shout to our amazing staff at our school, led by our Director of Education, Kimberly Holmes, as well as Julia Birtolo, the Farm Manager, who was a huge part of putting this event on, along with Betty Hood, Administrative Coordinator at the school. We’d also like to extend thanks to the following volunteers who came to help run the variety of activities and games:
Board Members:
Jess Demers
Todd Valentine
Margaret Shepp
Corporators:
Gregg Ritter
Sweetser Staff:
Jayne Van Bramer
John McAnuff
Becca Task
Liz Smith
Jodie Hansen
Thank you to UNUM for volunteering and making the day possible, and for Saco & Biddeford Savings for volunteering! It was a wonderful day for our students and their families!
We also would like to thank Sweetser’s Gail Howlett-Brown for making this amazing quilt with Ruel Ricker shirts from past years. Pictured below is Barbara Foster, Gail Howlett-Brown, and Peggy Ricker. Peggy Ricker and Barbara Foster are descendants of Ruel Ricker.
Thank you for reaching out to our Sweetser Access Team. Your message is important to us. We will respond to you as soon as possible during our regular business hours. You can also call our PromiseLine directly at 1-800-434-3000 to access services. If you are in crisis, please text or call 988.
