Partners for Peace office hours change will help increase presence in the community

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Those affected by abuse and domestic violence throughout Piscataquis and Penobscot counties are able to receive a wide variety of information, support, and services from Partners for Peace. Starting next month a change in office hours for the 8 Mechanic Street location will help Partners for Peace advocates to get out and reach more people and increase the agency’s presence in the community.

“Starting Feb. 1 we are going to start closing the office on Friday, we will remain open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday,” Catherine Reed, team outreach leader of Partners for Peace, said. “So the effort to do that is to build more capacity in the community. We have found we are more tied to the office rather than being out in the community where people need us. It is kind of a tough decision but we are excited about it because it gives us more flexibility to go where people are rather than them respond to us.”

Partners for Peace Facilitative Director Amanda Cost said the adjustment in office hours will enable advocates “to be more present at community meetings, whether it is Friday or other days of the week.” She added, “We can meet with you where you are at rather than you coming to us.”

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
INCREASING COMMUNITY PRESENCE — Starting next month Partners for Peace in Dover-Foxcroft will change office hours to 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The adjustment will help advocates increase their presence in the community as they work with those affected by abuse and domestic violence throughout Piscataquis and Penobscot counties.

Reed said Partners for Peace offers outreach hours in Dexter, Greenville, Milo, and Millinocket as well as assistance at court in Lincoln and Newport. “With the Friday closings we have more flexibility,” she said.

“We still have the 24-hour hotline and people who can respond in a variety of ways,” Reed said. “You never know when crises happens so we have advocates who can respond when those crises arise.”

The 24-hour helpline is available at 1-800-863-9909. Other information can be found at https://www.partnersforpeaceme.org or by calling 564-8166.

Cost said Partners for Peace will continue to offer “the after hours support group that meets Wednesday from 5:30-7 p.m., it is at that time to accomodate people who are working.” Childcare is offered during this time.

“The goal is to create more flexibility in our office and for that to translate into more flexibility for the community,” Cost said.

“I think it will be a benefit because we will be able to meet with people more,” Reed said. “We have found in our outreach spaces that people are appreciative of us meeting them there.”

“We are also aware transportation is a huge barrier for people and this will help with that,” Cost added.

Reed and Cost said they both want Partners for Peace to speak with more residents of the area impacted by abuse and domestic violence and “we encourage people to reach out to us,” Cost said.