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The speaker challenges Maine Community Foundation’s distribution of funds intended for victims of a mass shooting in Lewiston, arguing that many survivors still have unpaid hospital bills and that some money went directly to Africa to fund weapons of war. They claim that the portion remaining in the Lewiston community did not benefit those present the night of the shooting, and that they do not know how most of the money was used. They state they first wrote to Council President Chitum in March about how Gateway Community Services used money not intended for them, an issue they say was reported by Main Wire at that time.
The speaker notes that Council President Chitum has publicly aligned with a local consultant who played a large role in distributing the funds, describing this as an allegiance to someone other than constituents. They also reference Lewiston Auburn Youth Network as another nonprofit receiving mass shooting funds, and claim that until recently it claimed to be located at 210 Blake Street, inside a condemned building. According to the speaker, Chitam responded to concerns with an assurance that the organization “does very good work,” but the speaker cannot find video or photographic evidence of that work. They say Chidam declined to respond to a recent email requesting specifics about the organization’s work or details of what Chitam did when investigating it, noting that visiting the location listed on paper apparently did not occur.
Gunfire data is presented: 36 confirmed instances in 2023, 36 confirmed in 2024, and 37 so far this year, with the speaker noting that these figures do not include unconfirmed sounds reported by residents. They list several agencies that apparently received portions of the mass shooting donations by writing to the committee about how their clientele had fled war and violence and were traumatized: Lewiston Auburn Youth Network, Generational newer Lewiston Auburn Youth Network mirrors, Gateway Community Services, AK Collaborative Empowered Immigrant Women Unite New Mainers Public Health Initiative, and the Somali Bantu Community Association. The speaker contends that some of these same agencies stood with the police at community forums to curb gun violence over the years, and asserts that gunfire in the streets has literally increased since they received the money.
Citing the growing issue of nonprofit fraud in Maine, the speaker urges the Lewiston City Council to take action to rectify the re-victimization they say has occurred when donations were distributed to unrelated agencies that used the tragedy as a funding opportunity for personal benefit.