Our Crew

In the mid 70’s, Christine discovered Waldorf Education and pursued a teaching career, first with Waldorf high school students and later in a residential community for troubled youth in California. In 1979, with her husband, David, she moved to NY to raise their family of four in a Waldorf Community at Threefold Foundation. It was here that she first began volunteering at a co-op buying club. Before long, she was part of a small group that transitioned the garage buying club into a full service retail market, specializing in organic and local fresh food. As General Manager, Christine’s interest in the politics of food became a passion, and supporting small, local farms a mission for the Hungry Hollow Co-op. In 2007, Christine and David moved to Maine, because of the developing Maine Coast Waldorf High School initiative. From 2008 until her retirement the summer of 2018, Christine served as MCWS’s Administrator. She is thrilled to be focused again on her passion for building community through the love of family, food, farms, and service.

As one of the Co-Founders and Board Members at Growing to Give, Patty is usually the “lead” regarding events on the farm, grant-writing, and much more. Patty started her career as a pediatric physical therapist, and early on she combined her love of horses with her skills as a therapist, starting a nonprofit in 1993 for people with disabilities called Riding to The Top (RTT) Therapeutic Riding Center, which is now located in Windham, Maine. Since then, she has worked at RTT as the executive director, volunteer coordinator, program director, board member, and riding instructor. Patty has also worked a massage therapist. In addition, she has served as a coordinator for numerous nonprofit fundraising and community-building events, and most recently, she began a new career tutoring dyslexic children in reading skills, while continuing to host farm-stay guests at Scatter Good Farm. For fun and relaxation, Patty enjoys cross country skiing, kayaking, singing, campfires, board games, and spending time with family and friends.

Barbara has lived in Maine for over 35 years. From childhood days when she would go for walks with her uncle finding acorns to grind into flour, identifying different types of plants, and making ink from berries, Barbara has enjoyed nature and all it has to offer. After living two hours from New York City for many years, she and her husband moved to Maine for a different pace of life for their growing family. She has volunteered and worked at Maine Coast Waldorf School, most recently, as the Finance Director. Now she volunteers at the St. Vincent Soup Kitchen in Portland as well as the food pantry at Freeport Community Services. She has a passion for gardening, hiking, bicycling, playing piano and spending time with friends and friends. She is excited to be part of this wonderful organization and looks forward to participating in more events at the farm.

In the 1980’s, Kathy was lucky enough to discover Maine after graduate school. Originally from Connecticut, she moved to Maine, with her husband Brian, to be close to the ocean, lakes and mountains. Along life’s journey, Kathy spent time in Michigan and Massachusetts for her education and career. In 2017, Kathy retired (aka “Reliving”) from a diverse career in Health Care that inspired her to commit to a healthy lifestyle. “Love the food that will love you back” has always been her mantra. Kathy’s love for healthy food/cooking and Farmer’s Markets sparked her belief that “Food is Medicine”. Kathy’s other passions include travel, being in nature, camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing and dancing. She is a former Puppy Raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and a former volunteer for Maine Medical Center’s Therapy Dog Program, Reader Dog Program at Freeport Community Library and a Volunteer Dog Walker for Seniors. Kathy feels honored to serve on this Board and support the continued growth of Growing to Give.

Cathy moved to Maine in November 2017 and had the good fortune to find herself living across the street from Scatter Good Farm, where she spent much of her first summer in Brunswick volunteering with Growing to Give and learning every day about growing vegetables organically in Maine. Cathy feels she has, in a way, returned to her roots, crediting her parents, who both grew up on family farms in North Carolina, with instilling in her a love of nature and a passion for plants and gardening. Her father was an avid reader of the original Organic Gardening magazine way back in the 60s. After living primarily in urban areas, raising her twin daughters, and working in higher education, Cathy now finds herself looking to the land for rejuvenation. Joining the Growing to Give community has helped to define the new life she is creating here in Maine, and she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute in a concrete way to addressing food insecurity in our community.

Jamie works for the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and the Merrymeeting Food Council in agriculture-focused roles. She and her husband co-founded and own Flight Deck Brewing in Brunswick. Jamie previously worked for MOFGA on the Common Ground Fair team, worked in local agriculture, and spent years working in the veterinary and hospitality industries. She volunteers with the SNAPMatch Program at the Bath Farmers’ Market, serves on city committees in Bath, and volunteers with a handful of other non-profits in the area. She and her husband live in North Bath.

Rachel is a native Mainer who grew up in Lewiston. Her childhood was spent at her family’s summer camp on Tacoma Lake. There were always plenty of carrots to thin and weeds to pull in the family garden. Both water and snow skiing were a big part of growing up and she continues these activities along with swimming, hiking, and biking. She recently retired from LLBean after 30 years of service where she worked in various positions including Customer Service, Quality Assurance and Creative. Upon retirement she started a bake stand in front of her house where her neighbors enjoy Fresh Baked bread, scones and Whoopie pies, as well as jam. Her volunteer work includes Maine Adaptive Ski Volunteer/Advisor, American Lung Association Trek Across Maine Lead, Southern Maine Biathlon Club, and, Growing to Give Farmhand. Her Board affiliations include Freeport High School Ski Boosters, Freeport Community Education Advisory Board Member and Maine Lung Association Advisory Board Member. Always up for an adventure, she and her husband plan on traveling during retirement, visiting friends and family across the country.

Moving to Maine in 2021, after living most of her life in various urban and suburban Midwest locales, has been a dream come true for Arlene. Her long standing affinity for New England and enjoyment of outdoor activities have her enjoying a lifestyle she always wanted! Largely through her involvement with Growing to Give, Arlene is grateful to be engaged with many dynamic and conscientious people in our local community. As a former family physician and current high school math educator, Arlene’s motivation to teach has always been present, as has her enthusiasm for volunteerism and her focus on a variety of social justice and environmental issues. When she’s not out birdwatching, hiking/walking, biking or kayaking, she’s generally reading, on zoom with friends and family, or enjoying homemade bagels and a delicious dinner prepared by her husband Andy.

Matt moved to Maine in September 2016 to attend Bates College, where he graduated in May 2020 with degrees in economics and psychology. He currently lives in Portland, where he works as a Resident Service Coordinator for Avesta Housing. As a RSC, he helps over 200 low income households establish and maintain stable tenancies with Avesta. As part of that work, Matt has helped distribute rescued groceries and produce from Wayside Food Programs, Cultivating Community, and the Locker Project to his residents in Portland’s Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Matt has also helped the City of Portland’s SNAP-ED team organize Cooking Matters classes for residents of three Avesta communities.

Sophie grew up in Portland and discovered her passion for climate action and conservation while exploring the mountains, rivers, and seaside of Maine. This inspired her to study Environmental Science at the University of Vermont, where she also minored in Green Building and Community Design. She is now an independent financial advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Back Cove Financial in Falmouth. Her business is focused on sustainable, responsible, impact investing (SRI) to help clients better align their wealth with their values, while promoting better business practices on a large scale. She mentors young people in our community through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Sophie can often be found hiking, skiing, and biking. She also loves field hockey, weightlifting, and live music. She lives in Brunswick with her husband Alex and their two cats in a retro house they love renovating.

Laddy grew up on a small farm in Aurora Maine and lived there until she moved to Worcester Massachusetts to attend Clark University. She graduated in 2020 and got involved with the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester where she worked on their YouthGROW program, an agricultural focused, youth development and employment program. She then returned to Maine and began working at Mid Coast Hunger Prevention in Brunswick, where she currently works, to coordinate the door-to-door food delivery program. She is excited to be a part of the Growing to Give community and support the organization in continuing to achieve its mission.

Thacher currently works on the policy & research team at Maine Farmland Trust. In the fall, he will be attending the University of Maine School of Law, where he plans to focus on land use and environmental law. Thacher has a great appreciation for Maine’s farms and farmers and is excited to help advance the mission of Growing to Give. His previous experience includes working as a daily newspaper reporter and as a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s backcountry Hut Crew in the N.H. White Mountain National Forest. Thacher grew up in southern Maine and now resides in Portland. He enjoys cycling, hiking, and spending time in the great outdoors.

Michelle is a lifelong Mainer with deep ties to the land. As a proud Mi’kmaq and member of Eskasoni First Nation Canada, she is passionate about preserving Indigenous traditions and supporting the community. Her connection to the land and her Mi’kmaq heritage inspires her to work with organizations like Growing to Give, where she is dedicated to addressing food insecurity and promoting sustainable agriculture. She and her husband own and operate Doherty’s North Freeport Store for over 30 years, serving as a cornerstone of the local community. With a background in paralegal and customer support, Michelle brings a wealth of experience in the legal research, client relations, team management and operational efficiency. She is actively involved in her community, volunteering with (MCHPP) Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, serving on a Wabanaki steering committee, and supporting other local nonprofits. When not working, volunteering or spending time with family, Michelle enjoys time outdoors gardening, trail walking, mountain hiking, and immersing herself in her Wabanaki culture through traditional arts and crafts such as creating medicine bags, beadwork, and recently completing a medallion.

Liv works on the finance team at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University in Portland. Originally from New Hampshire, she moved to Maine in 2017 after a decade in New York City working in various nonprofit development and operations roles. Most recently, Liv served as the Interim Executive Director for Maine GearShare, a nonprofit outdoor gear lending library, where she steered the organization’s incorporation, launch, and transition to long-term leadership. Her background also includes a year working as an English teacher in rural China and travelling across Asia. Liv passionately believes in the power of the nonprofit sector, especially its impact on local communities, economies, and environments. She is honored to support the continued growth of Growing to Give to help address food insecurity in our community. She is a proud graduate of Skidmore College, where she studied government, and University of Southern Maine, where she studied accounting. Liv lives in North Yarmouth with her husband, two kids, and a sleepy dog named Rufus.

David has worked in local agriculture for the last ten years, including as the Co-owner of East of Eden Flower Farm. With his wife, Julia, he operated the farm full time for four years, selling flowers at the Downtown Brunswick and Crystal Spring Farmers Market, as well as Morning Glory Natural Foods. They downsized the business slightly in 2020 after their daughter was born and David eventually transitioned to working at Mid Coast Hunger Prevention in Brunswick in 2023, where he manages the Food Bank and the Merrymeeting Gleaners. David and Julia live in Bowdoinham where they are kept busy and more than a little bit overwhelmed by a farmstand, a dog and two kids under five.

Lisa has been a neighbor to the Scatter Good Farm property for over 30 years where she has lived with her husband, Burnham, and raised her two children. She has watched it transform from a lovely open field to a vibrant and abundant farm, to what is now the home of Growing to Give, bustling with volunteers, staff and interns. Lisa became involved with Growing to Give as a Merrymeeting Gleaner during its first season and has continued to volunteer by planting, watering, weeding, washing or harvesting anything vegetable related. When not at Growing to Give, Lisa can be found in her own garden or walking on trails. Lisa is the Garden Coordinator and Educational Liaison for the Tom Settlemire Community Garden where she organizes workshops and field trips for first graders in the Brunswick school system.
Aside from loving to have her hands in the soil, Lisa has been a public elementary school educator for over 30 years in Maine and New Hampshire. Trained as a Reading Specialist, Lisa spends most of her school hours helping students engage in literacy and math learning. Whenever possible, she shares her passion for growing things with her students hoping that they will grow green thumbs too.