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Faithworks

Entrepreneur: Patrick Will

Address:
41 Canal Street
Lewiston, ME 04240

Telephone: (207) 777-5701
FAX: (207) 777-5710

Email: pwill@worksweb.net
Web Site: http://www.faithworksmaine.com

Grant Amount: $350,000

Mission Statement

To provide employment and job skill development for disadvantaged employees.

Purpose of Grant

Faithworks used the Great Bay grant to purchase shrink wrapping equipment, materials, hire and train new employees, and fund working capital needs for its growth.

Additional Information

FAITHWORKS Inc. started in 1997 as an initiative of the Trinity Episcopal Church to provide employment for the areas poor, as part of their Urban Ministry. The startup was pioneered by Father William Baxter, under the name of "Project Workshop". The vision for FAITHWORKS was to develop an opportunity for the economically disadvantaged peoples of the area to come and work on an as available basis, with little or no real restrictions on their time. The "Project Workshop" soon outgrew the facilities available at Trinity and was moved to it's current facility at the Hill Mill building on 41 Canal St. in Lewiston in July of 1997. At this time, it was also incorporated under it's current name "FAITHWORKS." 

FAITHWORKS' programs and services have changed markedly since its inception. It quickly outgrew the Trinity Church basement and now occupies two floors of an old mill. From one production service (heat sealing), and one client, Faithworks' production arm has grown to become Outsourceworks. Outsourceworks has over 60 clients, and numerous services including shrink wrapping, small assembly, packaging, warehousing, fulfillment, distribution, and others.

On any given day, Faithworks has from 25 to 200 workers sealing envelopes, attaching books marker ribbons to pocket calendars, assembling jewel cases for compact disks, or any other piece work that Paul Rubin and his staff bring in to keep Lewiston's otherwise unemployed workers making money.

Faithworks also sponsors continuing education, money management and nutrition programs for its employees.