A day after Maine lawmakers were urged to support funding for the Maine Resiliency Center in Lewiston, Sen. Susan Collins announced the approval of more than $8.5 million from the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a statement, Collins said the money will be used to continue the center's "critical work to provide support to those affected by the mass shootings in Lewiston."
Danielle Chabot of Winthrop told members of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday that she wasn't sure what she'd do without the Resiliency Center. She and her husband were bowling with friends when gunfire erupted and people around her were killed. She said she's lived with trauma ever since but the center's group therapy has helped.
"Just to know that that group of people is available to us there gives me a sense of security and support that's beyond measure," she said. "The relationships that we have formed throughout the different groups have allowed us to realize that we are not alone because I'll tell you, sometimes it feels like it."
Speaking through an interpreter, Elizabeth Seal, whose husband Josh was killed at Schemengees Bar and Grille, told lawmakers that the center has helped her and her four children, who are also deaf, find some peace.
"Through support groups, events and wellness activities, the center gives us an opportunity to connect with one another, to share our stories and most importantly, to realize that we are not alone," Seal said.
Four members of Maine's deaf community were among the 18 killed in the shootings and Seal said the center has made services accessible by providing interpretation services and prioritizing inclusive communication.
Jim Martin, CEO of Community Concepts, said in a statement that the Resiliency Center was launched "to create a space dedicated to providing support, resources, and hope to help the local community heal and thrive." He said the funding will allow that important work to continue for victims, their families, first responders, and the larger community.
Since it opened nearly 18 months ago, the center has helped more than 600 people from 60 Maine communities free of charge.
Maine lawmakers are also considering a bill that would provide $3.5 million in funding for the center and to expand services statewide.
