BANGOR — A new nonprofit hub is now open in Bangor.

The building, known as The COMMUNITY: Maine’s Nonprofit Hub, will be a meeting space for non-profits to collaborate and share resources.

“I think now more than ever, nonprofits are really being stretched thin, and really being asked to do more with less,” said Shirar Patterson, the president and CEO of Heart of Maine United Way, the nonprofit group behind the effort. “And we really need to create a space that allows nonprofits to do more with more, and in a collaborative nature.”

The building on Mount Hope Avenue in Bangor opened on Wednesday. It will also serve as Heart of Maine United Way’s new headquarters. 

Heart of Maine leaders say the building is the first of its kind in Maine, and nonprofits present at the ribbon-cutting said the hub will make a difference.

“It’s not necessarily the building itself,” said Matt Dexter, the executive director of the Christine B. Foundation. “But it’s really what United Way stands for and what they’re trying to do in the Heart of Maine.” 

“Every single individual, every single organization, every single donor that comes through this building is going to be met with incredibly bold, incredibly innovative and forward-thinking ideas,” he added.=

Heart of Maine serves those in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock, Waldo, Somerset, and Washington Counties.

And they say nearly half of the families they support across that six-county region are struggling to pay their bills. 

“So, at 46%, we’re talking about households that are really struggling with the basics and things like utilities, heat, food, are really concerning,” said Matt Donahue, vice president & chief impact officer for Heart of Maine United Way. “As a result, we need nonprofits to be strong, we need to have a sector that can respond to that.”

The group hopes the new building will be a step in helping to strengthen Maine’s non-profit sector to better support those families.

“Having an opportunity to build this right now is a really great opportunity to be public and present and support the community,” Donahue added. “And to help them realize that we’re going to help move the needle in the support of nonprofits to help families.”

Nonprofits interested in collaboration can visit homeunitedway.org to learn more or get involved.

“I think the beauty of this spot is it can really be a space for everyone, all the nonprofits out there tackling all sorts of different issues,” said Christopher Hill, the communications and development director for the Eastern Area Agency on Aging.