Community Support

Pine Tree Society offers a full spectrum of community support programs that are designed around a common goal: to help participants live healthy, more socially connected lives while gaining independence.

We believe in participant-driven programming. This means our program and activities are flexible and based on participant interests and goals.

Our small group environment enables participants to not only learn from service professionals, but to rely on each other for instruction, teamwork and friendship. We discover abilities together.

We are able to draw from the wide expertise of Pine Tree Society staff to support our participants’ unique needs including speech language pathologists to support the development and increased communication skills of our participants and Career Exploration Workshops to support those who are interested in taking steps toward future employment.

Our range of programming allows individuals to choose a setting designed to meet their specific needs – from center-based to community-based, as well as a mix of environments.

The Hub, Lewiston/Auburn Region

The Hub is 100% community-based and 100% designed by participants. Participants do not meet at a center. The community is their center. The community is their hub. Participants experience a full immersion in their own community, developing connections and natural supports to support independence.

The Hub offers immersion in the community and dynamic activities without the confines of traditional program hours. Programming is based on the individual’s goals and interests. They take the lead. They will work together to design activities and in the process will learn how to be part of a team. They will build connections with each other – and connections in the community. And in the process, participants will develop natural supports within the community leading to increased self-esteem and self-confidence while maximizing independence.

We realize the so much goes on in our community outside of the hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Traditional community support programs are not able to support participants in experiencing things that take place outside of “program hours” – activities like catching an evening movie, taking a sunrise hike or going to the local coffee shop to socialize and listen to live music. So much goes on in our communities after the close of the traditional day program day. The Hub offers flexibility in programming in terms of time so that participants are able to experience aspects of the community that before have been unavailable.

Community Support Program, Scarborough and Auburn

Pine Tree Society’s Community Support programs in Auburn and Scarborough offer a mix of center-based and community-based programming. Designed to help participants develop the skills necessary to live healthy, socially connected lives, our programming is offered in small groups based on participant interest and goals.

Our program is focused on engaging and accessing the community. This means that we are often outside of our center participating in a wide variety of activities like working out at a local gym, grocery shopping or training for Special Olympics.

Volunteerism is an important part of our programs. Our participants make a difference in their communities in a variety of ways including helping at the local animal shelter, the Good Shepherd Food Bank, the Maine Wildlife Park and Meals on Wheels.

Our goal is to not only have fun, but teach valuable life-skills designed to transform the lives of our participants.

Independent Living, Lewiston/Auburn Region

This Community Support program is completely community-based and delivered one-to-one as well as in a group setting based on participant interests and connections. The goal is to help individuals build skills to access and engage in their community as independently as possible. The program is designed for individuals who have a higher level of independence and require a lower level of support.

W.T. Twarog Center, Auburn

The W.T. Twarog Center offers a center-based program specifically for adults with intellectual disabilities who have a higher level of need. This is a great option for seniors as well as those who require a higher level of medical and personal support.

We offer a stimulating environment with a focus on opportunities that promote independence and personal enjoyment. The Twarog Center’s programming is designed to sustain and expand acquired skills and sustain and improve health and physical well-being.

With special training in supporting adults with intellectual disabilities who have Alzheimer’s and dementia, our team of Direct Support Professionals provide support to address sensory losses associated with the aging process.