[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 127 (Friday, August 2, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ISLAND INSTITUTE FELLOWS 
                                PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JARED F. GOLDEN

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 2024

  Mr. GOLDEN of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th 
Anniversary of the Maine Island Institute's Fellows Program. Through 
their dedication and commitment, these Fellows have helped our 
communities thrive by supporting local priorities such as expanding 
broadband access and affordable housing, facilitating clean energy 
transitions and education initiatives, strengthening community 
resilience efforts, and enhancing our quality of life by providing 
technical assistance and support to critical projects. This highly 
valued program has successfully engaged volunteers, connected 
communities to resources, and supported the development of Maine's 
future leaders.
  Since the program's creation, 148 Island Institute Fellows have 
provided over 492,500 hours of much-needed added capacity to 
municipalities, school systems, and community organizations. Their 
contributions are felt more acutely given that 75 percent of Maine's 
coastal communities have fewer than 3,500 people, and 25 percent have 
fewer than 800 people. We know that every leader to these communities 
wears multiple hats, which makes Island Institute Fellows an essential 
asset by providing the ability to write a grant, facilitate community 
planning, preserve historical documents, or train volunteers.
  Maine's small island and coastal communities understand the 
challenges and opportunities they must navigate and often need human 
capacity and technical resources to address their priorities. With more 
than forty years of community development experience, the Island 
Institute works with these communities to recruit Fellows, facilitate 
the community-to-Fellow match, and provide the management framework for 
this highly regarded program. By providing housing, pay, and benefits, 
the program decreases barriers to access and supports a strong and 
diverse pool of talent to tackle community challenges and 
opportunities.
  The benefits of the Island Institute Fellows program extend into the 
fabric of the larger community and into Maine. The two-year program 
means that Fellows also become integral members of the communities they 
serve--from helping to plan potlucks or coaching sports teams to being 
members of the town's Emergency Medical Services. As a state with an 
aging population, it is notable that half of Island Institute Fellows 
choose to stay in Maine, filling a critical need for talent and 
commitment to the community well after the fellowship ends.
  I want to congratulate the Island Institute for their dedication and 
service to the people of Maine and wish them continued success with the 
Fellows program into the future.

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