Our Sullivan Community Garden and Hoop House located behind the Town Office began in 2019 with the goal to provide fresh organic produce, increase food security and create healthy outdoor activities.  Our garden now includes 20 raised beds, 8 are available for rental by local residents with the remainder generating produce for the community.  In the Town Office, a “Take it or Leave it” table provides residents the opportunity to help themselves as needed/desired.  Prolific gardens in Sullivan often bring in excess produce to share as well.   Fresh produce is included with our monthly home delivery of senior commodity food boxes.  Excess produce is donated to the Food Pantry at the Sorrento-Sullivan Recreation Center.   In 2022, RSU24 donated their used hoop house and tools, as their garden site was incorporated into the construction of the new middle-high school facility.  FMI:  Contact the Town Office.           2026 AFS Garden Rental Agreement        2026 Community Garden Guidelines

“Welcome to Sullivan Tote Bags” were created to introduce new residents to the Town of Sullivan, our government, our municipal committees, our non-profit agencies, our schools, and our businesses.  You will find Resource Guides, brochures and business cards in a canvas tote designed by the Sullivan- Sorrento Historical Society to benefit the playground.

Our Resource Guide provides local information on Community Support and Health Services, Transportation, Housing, Social Participation & Education, Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, Civic Participation and Employment, Respect & Social Inclusion, Communication and Information.  Printed copies are available at the Town Office and Frenchman’s Bay Library.  You may download a copy here: https://sullivanmaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sullivan-Age-Friendly-Guide-FINAL.pdf

Bone Builders meets at 10:15am Tuesdays & Thursdays at the Town Office.  Designed to prevent osteoporosis and enhance strength and balance, participants are strengthening their bodies through balance exercises and weight training, progressing at their own pace.  Residents report improvements to balance and health, as well as a joyful social experience.  They carpool and check on each other when someone misses a session.  Medical release and applications are available for new participants.  FMI:  Contact the Town Office.

In partnership with Sullivan Fire & Rescue, and funded by AARP Challenge Grant, we now have a new AED (automated electronic defibrillator) in the Town Office building, accessible by the RSU24 Adult & Community Education Center, as well as staff and visitors to the Town Office.

Annual Flu Clinic and/or Health Fair — in October 2023 and October 2024, we partnered with Eastern Area Agency on Aging and Northern Light Health to offer new Flu and Covid vaccinations to nearly 200 adult residents and visitors.

Each month, volunteers pick up Commodity Senior Food Program boxes in partnership with Eastern Area Agency on Aging and deliver to homebound residents in Sullivan, Sorrento, Hancock & Franklin.  Fresh produce from our Community Garden is added to these deliveries during harvest months.  FMI:  https://www.eaaa.org/commodities-supplemental-food-program/

Our Walking Trail is a wonderful collaboration between Age-Friendly Sullivan, our Town and the Sorrento-Sullivan Recreation Center, designed for all ages, all mobilities, and conveniently located next to the playground.  If you would like company while getting some fresh air and exercise, the walking group meets Tuesdays & Thursdays at 1pm.  Currently, we are partnering with the Frenchman’s Bay Library to provide a new story each month along the path April – November.

Our Sand Bucket Brigade delivers sand to residents who are challenged to sand their walkways and steps.  At the start of the season, 3–5-gallon pails are refilled/delivered to older residents and those with physical challenges and refilled throughout the winter.  These volunteers often shovel steps, decks and/or walkways to help keep our neighbors safe during slippery conditions.  Contact the Town Office FMI.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detector distribution:  In 2018, the Sullivan Volunteer Fire Department donated 35 Kidde 10-year lithium battery combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to Age-Friendly Sullivan for distribution to those in need. Subsequently, AFS purchased 30 additional combination detectors for distribution to Sullivan residents.  Batteries are good for 10 years, which reduces the need for replacement.  Contact the Town Office FMI.

Home Share:  In 2024, Maine State Housing awarded Nesterly a contract to develop a Home Share program throughout the State of Maine.  Nesterly is an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to building intergenerational connections and increasing access to affordable housing through homesharing. It leverages technology to make it safe and convenient for households to rent a spare room to a student, social worker, volunteer, and other renters interested in lower cost, longer term living options. The homesharing platform helps housemates connect over common interests and facilitates the ability to exchange a portion of rental payments for help with grocery shopping, dog walking, yard work, tech support, and more. Nesterly works with local municipalities and organizations to realize its vision of creating a more affordable and interconnected world, one home at a time.  If you wish to review the May 15th PowerPoint presentation, view slides here:  May 15 Home Share Webinar Handout.  To learn more about becoming a host, or renting through this model, visit:  www.nesterly.com.

Comfortably Home: In 2021, MDI/Ellsworth Housing Authority reached out to expand their Comfortably Home services to eligible Sullivan & Sorrento residents.  After a community presentation, Age-Friendly distributed informational flyers to residents, and advocated through our communication outlets for eligible homeowners to seek assistance in small renovations.   Contact the Town Office FMI.

Window Dressers:  In 2019, Age-Friendly Sullivan held a program on participating with the WindowDresser program.   WindowDressers is a volunteer-driving non-profit dedicated to helping northern New England residents reduce heating costs, fossil fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions by lowering the amount of heat loss through windows.  Rather than create a separate build project in Sullivan, we opted to participate with the Ellsworth project at St. Joseph’s Church.    Age-Friendly continues to advocate for all Sullivan residents to participate as volunteers and order window inserts for their homes.  FMI:  https://windowdressers.org/

Transportation — Age-Friendly Sullivan volunteers provide free transportation services to Sullivan residents, in order to attend medical appointments, food shopping, social activities, etc.  FMI:  Contact our Community Connector, Misty Gleason, 207-422-4699.

Friendly Caller Program:  This project was identified as our initial 100-day Challenge Project in 2018.  Designed to check in on neighbor safety, inform residents of upcoming events and opportunities.  Our volunteers continue to advocate for other organizations to reach out to isolated populations, including older adults, veterans, newly bereaved neighbors and new residents.

Sullivan Circle of Friends:   In January 2020, many participants in our Bone Builders program decided to form the “Sullivan Circle of Friends”, to generate good-will and reach out to engage more adults in activities.  Their idea was to send a birthday card to every adult in Sullivan.  Because of the pandemic, the birthday card was the perfect response to engage and recognize everyone in isolation.  Tremendous 2022 news coverage by the Ellsworth American and NewsCenter Maine & NBC, continue to generate nationwide donations of cards, stamps and money.  FMI:  Contact the Town Office.

Every year, Sullivan observes Memorial Day at the gazebo, and celebrates the Holiday Tree lighting at the gazebo, with music, refreshments, and Santa on the first Sunday of December.  Age-Friendly provides refreshments and coordinates these events in partnership with all of our community.

Our latest project, Demential Inclusion Downeast, is a partnership with Frenchman’s Bay Library, to provide resource materials on healthy brain activities, along with resources for individuals and their caregivers experiencing various forms of dementia.  We have set up a separate webpage (see tab in the menu above) and daily FaceBook page of the same name, providing books, activity ideas, research and information from collaborative partners around Maine and nationwide.