Community Spotlight: John DeVeau With The Dahlgren Skidgel Farm Of Hope In Caribou

If you, your family, church, business, or organization are looking for ways to help local veterans in the County, then look no farther than the Dahlgren Skidgel Farm of Hope.

Our local spotlight takes us to Caribou, Maine with Executive Director of the Dahlgren Skidgel Farm of Hope in Caribou, John DeVeau.

The Farm of Hope had their grand opening in November of 2017 with the goal of helping veterans who live with or suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress, substance abuse, or those who are worried about finding a place to live and work.

We caught up with John and just in time to spotlight this great haven for local veterans in our community, in order to get an update on the great things they are doing in Caribou.

With the help of communities, people, organizations, and businesses in the County, four rooms in two of the four duplexes are complete, with one of the duplexes being converted into a family unit.

One of the goals of the Farm of Hope is to help struggling veterans reconnect and to be a productive member of society.

The Farm of Hope is doing just that.

According to DeVeau,

"We've had four people contact us and they've gone through the complete program. They worked with Preble Street with one of them where they are now employed and housed and doing very well."

They are required to keep a count of how many nights and how many people stay in the beds each night for accountability purposes.

According to DeVeau, last year they recorded 288 bed nights. As of today, they have recorded 435 with many individuals currently at the farm, DeVeau suspects that those numbers will continue to climb.

The Farm of Hope is beginning a new program.

Recently, DeVeau and his team were approached by the District Attorney's Office to work with incarcerated veterans and their families in order to help them transition back into society.  The new program is called the Deferred Disposition Program.

There is still a big need for volunteers.

Whether you can swing a hammer, or if you have a green thumb, or are an able body looking for something to do in order to help our local veterans, DeVeau says that there is a big need for volunteers.

Many have already volunteered at the Dahlgren Skidgel Farm of Hope to include students from Caribou High School, Job Corps, veteran and civilian volunteers, groups, businesses, and organizations and all are appreciated.

If you or your group and business would like to donate some time to the farm, you may contact John DeVeau at 207-492-2190.

The Dahlgren Skidgel Farm of Hope is in connection with C.A.R.L. (Centers for the Advancement of Rural Living) which is a 501(c)(3).