Healthy Lincoln County has an extra hand in serving our local community this summer; Kathleen Sheehan is an Americorps member serving as a VISTA summer associate.

Sheehan studied at University of Maine at Farmington with a concentration in psychology and received credentials for her mental health rehabilitation technician-community certification.

The ad in the local newspaper for an Americorps summer position seemed like fate, as she thought it would be a great opportunity to start her career from a volunteer position just as she entered college after her gap year serving her first term of service with Americorps as a City Year corps member in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sheehan has always taken a keen interest in volunteering especially with those projects that focus on benefiting the lives of children and families. Sheehan grew up in Westwood, Massachusetts, and there she started volunteering in eighth grade up until the year she graduated in 2004, with a school vacation program associated with a community center for children and adults diagnosed with autism. Sheehan knew that she would have a career in the social, behavioral health services someday, and that is the exact direction in which she is heading today.

This is Sheehan's second service project with Americorps, and she is excited to be working side by side in our community on projects affiliated with Healthy Lincoln County and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP provides a free, healthy breakfast and lunch for any child under the age of 18 during designated times at sponsored sites throughout Lincoln County Monday through Friday for 10 weeks this summer.

Check out www.healthylincolncounty.org to view Summer Food Program Sites with times of service and or call 207-563-1330 for more information.