TV Segment: Can a Lack of Quality Sleep Impact Mental Health?

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

About one in three adults doesn’t get the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep each night, and an estimated 50–70 million Americans live with a sleep disorder. But lack of quality rest doesn’t just leave us groggy—it can have a significant impact on our mental health.

Sweetser’s Chief Communications Officer Justin Chenette explained to WMTW’s Meghan Torjussen that sleep and mental health are closely intertwined. Poor sleep can worsen mental health challenges, and mental health conditions can, in turn, disrupt sleep.

Watch the full segment below:

Out of Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

Sweetser was honored to recently take part in the recent Out of Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention in Portland, joining community members, advocates, and families to raise awareness and support those affected by suicide.

Sweetser’s team hosted a table at the event to help break the stigma around mental health and to share hope, resources, and support. Sweetser was proud to stand with others in the fight for prevention and healing.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, dial 988 at any time. You can also call Sweetser’s Peer Support Line at 866-771-9276.

TV Segment: Adult ADHD Rates Rising

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

ADHD isn’t just a childhood condition—recent data shows that over 15 million American adults are currently living with ADHD and adult diagnosis rates doubled between 2020-2022, especially among women. Sweetser’s Medical Director, Dr. Marc Kaplan spoke to WMTW Channel 8 on their Mental Health Moment segment to discuss.

Watch the segment below:

Ruel Ricker Country Fair 2025

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

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, for organizing the event, and to our fellow team members and board members who came to help run the variety of activities and games.
We also had strong support from our corporate partners Unum and Saco and Biddeford Savings. It was a wonderful day for our students and their families!

NEW DATE: Ghoulish Golf postponed to Nov. 1st

Posted by Justin Chenette

Thanks for joining us for Ghoulish Golf! We hope you enjoyed our spooky community event. For more events in support of mental health, check out our upcoming community fundraisers.

Due to poor weather, Aquaboggan’s Ghoulish Golf has been postponed to this Saturday, November 1st, from 6:00–9:30 PM.


Join us for some spooky, family-friendly fun at this Halloween-themed mini golf event – all in support of Sweetser’s mental health services.

Enjoy fried dough, warm apple cider, popcorn, and more! Dress up in costume for $2 off admission. 🎃

Bring your family, friends, and co-workers for a night of fun for all ages in support of our mental health mission. Located at 980 Portland Road in Saco.

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Smiles for Sweetser Comedy Show

Posted by Justin Chenette

Thank you to everyone who made our first Smiles for Sweetser Comedy Show a huge success! We hope we made you smile. 🙂 Check-out our upcoming community events here. 

Every laugh helped support hope and healing for those in need. Stay tuned for our 2026 date!

 

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Definitive Brewing Company Bingo Night – Oct 15th

Posted by Justin Chenette

Thank you for joining us! Click here for more upcoming events. 

Enjoy a fun night of Bingo, draft brews, and delicious bites for a great cause!

On October 15th, Definitive Brewing is teaming up with Sweetser to host a fun-filled Bingo Night for mental health. During the evening, 20% of all draft sales will go to supporting Sweetser’s vital mental health services. Stop by Sweetser’s resource table for swag giveaways and information about how you can support mental wellness in your community.

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Maine Beer Company Community Pizza Night for Sweetser – Oct 8th

Posted by Justin Chenette

Thank you for supporting mental health in our communities. 🙂 For more community events, click here. 
Join us Wednesday, October 8th for our Community Pizza Night hosted by Maine Beer Company in Freeport. From 4:00-8:00 PM, 20% of all food sales go to supporting Sweetser’s critical mission. Stop in for a slice for mental health. Located at 525 US Route 1, Freeport, ME.

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33rd Auction & Gala Brings in Record $380,000 for Mental Health

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

Thank you so much for the support from our over 600 attendees, corporate partners, item donors, and supporters, who made this our biggest auction and gala in the 33-year history of our event.

Together, over $400,000 was raised to fuel hope for youth and their families most in need of mental health services! Shout out to our energetic hosts Lee Goldberg and Lori Voornas, the always fun DJ Brandon Aull, amazing band Plush with Julia Gagnon, longtime auctioneer Bill Zafirson, delicious food by Blue Elephant Catering, decadent desserts by both European Bakery and Nothing Bundt Cakes, tech by Headlight Audio Visual, setup by One Stop Event Rentals, all at an amazing venue at Brick South.

We appreciate our hardworking Auction Committee, led by Chair Erin Collins, Board of Directors, led by Chair Jessica Demers, and our Development Committee, led by Chair Greg Prince, who all help our team with organizing this event and our fundraising efforts. Our Sweetser PR & Advancement team includes Justin Chenette, Jodie Hansen, Sara Towle, Bryan Roche, and Liz Smith. It’s truly a team effort to pull this off!

Thank you to our presenting sponsors Maine Community Bank and CMP for their ongoing support of our mission. Hope to see you all next year!

A huge shout-out to our incredible sponsors: 

Maine Community Bank
Central Maine Power
UNUM
CGI Business Solutions
Dr. Army Yasko/Holistic Health International
NEWS CENTER Maine
SMRT Architects & Engineers
Paquin & Carroll Insurance
R.M. Davis, Inc.
Systems Engineering
Sanford ME Elks Lodge #1470
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre
Tapley Insurance
The Viewpoint Hotel
Anchor Real Estate
Casco Bay Insurance Agency
Clark Insurance
Genoa HealthCare
Haven’s Candies
HM Payson
Kennebunk Savings Bank
Lebel & Harriman
Little Snoring Cottage
Northeast Delta Dental
Oxford Casino Hotel
PM Construction Company
Preble Lodge #143 (Masons, Sanford)
Saco & Biddeford Savings
Shoreline Construction
Sysco Northern New England
Tyler Technologies
Aroma Joe’s
Bangor Savings Bank
Binnie Media
The Breakwater Group at Morgan Stanley
Coldwell Banker Realty
Freeport Oyster Bar
GoodNylund Wealth Management
InterMed
Jim Godbout Plumbing & Heating
LCI Flooring Inc
MaineBiz
Martin’s Point Health Care
McGarry Law Offices
Northern Shore Enterprises Inc. – Geico
Novel Iron Works
One Stop Event Rentals
PC Construction
Stephen Carr Property Services
Street Dining
Throttle Car Club
TruChoice Federal Credit Union

In The News: WGME Segment on Brunswick’s New Intensive Outpatient Program

Posted by Jessica Tornatore

 

Sweetser was featured on WGME’s Spotlight on ME:

Sweetser’s Chief Communications Officer, Justin Chenette, spoke to WGME’s Adrienne Stein for a segment about Sweetser’s new Substance Use Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at the Brunswick Hope & Healing Center as we close out National Recovery Month.