Friends of Acadia launches fundraising campaign for workforce housing

MAINE PUBLIC • July 11, 2024

Friends of Acadia has announced a $10 million fundraising campaign, aimed at addressing the shortage of housing for seasonal staff. The organization began fundraising about a year ago, and has raised more than $7 million, which will be used to leverage additional federal money. Housing has become a serious barrier for hiring staff, said park superintendent Kevin Schneider, but it's especially difficult for seasonal workers who only need it for only a few months. "Housing is critical for us at Acadia National Park, if we don't have a house, we won't be able to have a seasonal employee, that's really what it amounts to," he said. "It is impossible for somebody to find a place to live for the six months summer season if we can't provide housing for them." In recent years, about 30% of the park's seasonal positions were unfilled, in part because housing is so difficult for workers to find.