The Ecology School Announces Major Gift from L.L.Bean
Announcement of a $500,000 gift represents L.L.Bean’s largest charitable contribution to a Maine nonprofit thus far in 2021 and allows The Ecology School to claim success on its $14.1 million regenerative green campus at River Bend Farm
Saco, Maine (May 13 2021) — The Ecology School announced today that it will receive a $500,000 charitable gift from L.L.Bean, which will be used to support three major components of its $14.1 million regenerative River Bend Farm campus in Saco, Maine. The gift represents one of the largest charitable contributions received by The Ecology School and will be employed in the construction of a new arrival plaza, a new waterfront area for recreation and environmental education on the Saco River, and a three-year sponsorship of the new River Bend Farm Family Camp.
The L.L. Bean gift marks the outdoor retailer’s largest charitable contribution to a Maine nonprofit thus far in 2021 and the third largest charitable gift that the outdoor brand has bestowed to date in 2021.
“We are so grateful for this generous gift from L.L.Bean and energized by the fact that they wanted to invest in our work to invite people of all ages away from their screens and into the outdoors,” said The Ecology School President/CEO and co-founder Drew Dumsch. “All of these important gifts have allowed us to fulfill our hope of creating a campus of national significance.”
Dumsch noted that L.L.Bean’s support of the campus arrival plaza, the new waterfront area, and the annual Family Camp is perfectly in keeping with the outdoor brand’s commitment to the wellbeing of others through time spent outside. The River Bend Farm expansion is the result of dozens of generous donors and brought together the state’s top green design, construction, and renewable energy leaders.
“We know that time outside can have a tremendous impact on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing,” said Shawn Gorman, Executive Chairman of L.L.Bean. “We’re proud to partner with The Ecology School as they focus on helping kids of all ages learn about the world around them through an outdoor-first education approach.”
News of the L.L.Bean gift comes shortly after River Bend Farm’s grand unveiling over Earth Week, which included a host of dignitaries, the opening of a 9,000 square-foot dormitory, the 7,000 square-foot Poland Spring Education and Dining Commons, and flipping the switch on a 712 panel solar array that generates 105 percent net positive energy.
“We are deeply grateful to L.L.Bean and to our many supporters across the country and here in Maine,” said Dumsch. “We believe The Ecology School at River Bend Farm offers an extraordinary example of how institutions can transform historic rural landscapes by honoring the past, while integrating green design, green construction, sustainable living, and agroecology.”
Major Gifts in Support of the Project
The Ecology School has received generous support from several organizations and individuals. While the fundraising is nearly 100 percent accomplished, the organization continues to seek additional support for handicapped accessibility features, permaculture landscaping, staff housing, and a new kitchen root cellar for storing produce grown on the farm. Generous donations to date include:
$750,000 from Poland Spring, in support of the Poland Spring Education and Dining Commons.
$350,000 from Daniel E. Offutt III Charitable Trust in support of Daniel E. Offutt III Dining Hall & Kitchen
$125,000 from Jane’s Trust
$75,000 from Quimby Family Foundation
$75,000 multi-year grant from the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation, in support of the school’s Eastern Pathway, which will be landscaped with educationally significant trees and shrubs and will connect the dormitory to 3.5 miles of on-site conservation trails.
$57,500 from Saco & Biddeford Savings ($50,000) and Paquin & Carroll Insurance ($7,500) in support of the Dining Commons Entry Way
$25,000 from Bernstein Shur, in support of the School Nurse Station & Office, which oversees the health and wellness needs of over 4,000 residential students a year.
$25,000 from Central Maine Power, in support of a Learning Meeting Space Yurt
$25,000 from Hancock Lumber
$20,000 from Efficiency Maine
$10,000 from Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings Charitable Foundation
$5,000 from ReVision Energy
And over $1,000,000 from Individual Supporters and other Foundations
In 2019, The Ecology School was awarded an $8.66 MM loan from the USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Direct Loan and Guaranteed Loans program, the largest community facilities loan granted to an educational facility in Maine within the past decade.
CEI provided $1.85 MM in long-term financing.
River Bend Farm Family Camp Opens This Summer
The L.L.Bean gift will largely support River Bend Farm Family Camp, which is an opportunity for families to unplug and adventure in the outdoors together. Located at River Bend Farm, just miles away from the Maine coast and located on a scenic bend in the Saco River, River Bend Farm is a model of sustainable, comfortable living. The property features 105-acres of diverse ecosystems for families to explore, including farm fields, hardwood forests, streams, and rivers. Guided by expert educators, River Bend Farm Family Camp is a blend of curated programming and free time for families to reconnect with nature and with each other. River Bend Farm Family Camp will run over two sessions each summer and can accommodate 50 participants (or 15-25 families) per session. For more information and to register, please visit www.theecologyschool.org/family-camps.
About The Ecology School
The Ecology School is a nonprofit education center that transforms how people think about nature and the environment. Through joyful, hands-on, experiential programming students of all ages learn to become stewards of the environment as they explore local forests, coastal ecosystems, and food systems. Since 1998, The Ecology School has hosted more than 187,000 students and teachers from across the country, educating about the environment and our collective impact on the planet. In 2019, The Ecology School broke ground on its new campus at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine. Upon completion, The Ecology School will model some of the most sustainable building in the Northeast. Learn more at TheEcologySchool.org and follow The Ecology School on Facebook @EcologySchool, Instagram @TheEcologySchool and Twitter @ecologyschoolME.