Impact

Structures can erode, but relationships can last a lifetime. Our passion is people. Here is what we have been building.

Two Problems, One Solution

First Problem

Many men in America are struggling in silence as they isolate and disconnect from the struggles they face. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General wrote that we face an “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” in America. He went on to describe how lack of social connection can greatly increase a variety of major health problems. In short, he wrote, “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.”

In addition to isolation, men lead troubling stats like the following:

Men are 4 times more likely to commit suicide than women
Almost 93% of the federal inmates in America are male
1 out of 4 children live without a father (U.S. Census Bureau)
93.5% of convicted sexual crimes are committed by men (U.S. Sentencing Commission)
96% of mass shooters are male (theviolenceproject.org)
70% of drug overdoses are from men (CDC 2002-2022)

While not the full picture, the negative trends for men can not be ignored, as they affect everyone.

Second Problem

Maine is old. Ranked by state, Maine’s population has the oldest median age in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau). Ranked by state, Maine has the 8th oldest housing stock (Maine State Housing Authority). When you combine those two realities, it means you have a lot of aging people trying to live out their days in homes that are old and in need of critical repairs they cannot afford.

The Solution

We believe men need purpose and men need real community. We see those best exemplified in the life Christ calls us to live. We also believe that men generally are more tactile, kinesthetic learners, which means if we “want better men in our world,” we can not just throw books and lectures at men and expect results. Men need to “do”. Men need to “see it”. We have seen that rallying men together around the common cause of conducting large scale critical home repair builds a real community. Where there is real community, real struggles and pain can be brought into the light and shared. This breaks isolation and builds social connections, which in turn fosters healthier Husbands, Fathers, and men in the community. Along the way, we crank out a variety of critical home repairs that help keep real deserving Mainers in their homes!

Working on homes often has a greater effect than the physical work.

Homeowner in Windham

“I am still recovering from what was the most profound day of my life…As I sat by the lake, I would think about my attachment to my old angry, scared world view, and the joy of Saturday would wash over me, bringing the new feelings of hope and gratitude (for myself and the world). And I would cry, because the two were so very different and now I could see that I have a choice. I couldn’t see that before…

When I contrast the days I spent trying to do the work myself (often crying in pain and hopelessness and frustration) with the amazing day with Living To L.A.S.T., I feel like a different person…

They made my shame dissolve about the state of my home. And no one made fun of my rudimentary efforts at repair…”

Homeowner From Buxton

“…simple words of gratitude seem almost inappropriate, considering the intense labor, skill and never ending supply of friendly smiles bestowed upon us…We are certainly blessed beyond imagination with feelings of joy and immense gratitude…”

Homeowner From Waterboro

“Our family appreciates everything you are all doing for us. My husband is a veteran, and I’m disabled. We would have never been able to complete this without this program. Our family will be forever grateful.

Homeowner From Limington

“Because of the work these incredible men did in my home, I am able to bring my grandbabies home and keep them out of he foster system. The way these men transformed my home and made me feel safe, I will never forget. They prayed with me and did everything they could to check off my list. I am eternally grateful for them.

The Men

Isolation kills, serving together is the means, brotherhood is the end result

"Living to Last is more than a humanitarian non-profit, it’s a brotherhood. It’s an organization built on values and morals higher than on our own. Over the years I have shared stories, laughs, tears, and unforgettable memories with them. The relationships I have made are life long. Learn, Act, Serve, Train has been a lifestyle for me as much as a motto. If you have the opportunity to be a part of Living To L.A.S.T. or be blessed by their service to the community, I would highly recommend it."

Justin

30 Years Old

"I’ve been volunteering with Living to L.A.S.T. for almost five years. When I started I was in 8th grade and I wasn’t much help on a job site. I liked demolition and lunch and that covered it for me. But I kept coming and the more I came the more I learned and the more I learned the more I could do and the more I could do the more I grew. Not just physically or in practical skill but I matured and learned self control. The men of L2L taught me that a guy can lead a team without being aggressive, threatening, or violent. They taught me that encouraging someone is just as effective, if not more, than correcting and disheartening them. They taught me that love and joy is a more powerful motivator than fear and all its accomplices. Then, just this year, I got pulled off my project assignment and given a new one, I was given a team to lead, and I got to use everything I had learned from the men of Living to L.A.S.T. Working alongside them, helping them and teaching them. Looking back on these five years I see that Living to L.A.S.T. and its members helped shape me into who I am today, they taught me skills I use both everyday and others I only use when something breaks. Without them I would be a very different person and I am more than thankful for the impact this organization and the people in it have had on me and my life."

Noah

17 Years Old

Ways we serve

It takes many hands to make this all happen and there are multiple ways for you all to get involved. Please consider donating to us, serving with us at a service project, or contacting us about other ways you could help.

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