Seacoast Spotlight Series: Mainspring Collective

Piscataqua Savings Bank is the proud supporter of over 100 Seacoast area nonprofits. We’re highlighting a few of the nonprofits doing incredible, critical work in our Seacoast community with our Seacoast Spotlight Series. Next up in our spotlight is Mainspring Collective. 

Mainspring Collective in Kittery, Maine is more than just a new social service hub, it’s a beacon of hope, collaboration, and community empowerment. Combining the strengths of organizations like Fair Tide and Footprints Food Pantry, Mainspring represents a paradigm shift in how the Seacoast region addresses poverty and hardship by placing dignity and accessibility at the heart of its mission. 

A Bold New Vision in Kittery

Located at 22 Shapleigh Road in Kittery, Mainspring Collective is the result of a bold, collaborative vision between Fair Tide and Footprints Food Pantry, two organizations that have been cornerstones of the Seacoast community since the 1990s. In 2019, the two nonprofits came together with a shared goal: to create a centralized, dignified space where individuals and families could access multiple social services under one roof. 

That vision began to take tangible form with the purchase of the Shapleigh Road property in 2022, made possible in part by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds awarded by York County. Since then, Mainspring has been steadily moving forward thanks to a community-wide effort to raise nearly $6.3 million in capital support. 

Since opening their doors in early 2025, Mainspring has offered a wide range of integrated, client-centered services, including housing assistance, food security programs, recovery resources, case management, employment support, legal aid, clothing, healthcare referrals, and more, all under one roof.

Designed to reduce barriers and restore independence, the campus provides a welcoming, accessible environment where individuals and families no longer have to navigate multiple locations to get the help they need. This collaborative model is especially valuable for those juggling full-time work, child care, and transportation challenges, making it easier to focus on stability, healing, and long-term success.

Fair Tide: Building Housing, Stability, and Hope

At Mainspring, Fair Tide brings its core mission to life: providing deeply affordable, permanent housing as the foundation for long-term stability. Since its founding in the late 1990s, Fair Tide has embraced the belief that safe, supportive housing is not just a need, it’s a cornerstone of a healthy, thriving life. Their approach pairs housing with compassionate case management, ensuring that residents have the tools and support needed to succeed.

Fair Tide owns and operates several properties in the community, including:

• Founders’ House: Five units of permanent supportive housing, converted from transitional housing in 2018, where tenants pay 30% of their income toward rent.
• Rosamond Thaxter House: A newly constructed six-unit building on Shapleigh Road, opened in November 2024, just steps from the Mainspring campus. Designed for individuals and couples who have experienced homelessness, it offers both privacy and easy access to wrap-around services.
• Old Post Road: A 12-unit affordable housing development currently in pre-development, expected to break ground in 2025.
• Recovery House in Dover, NH: A proposed collaboration with SOS Recovery and the Dover Housing Authority to create supportive recovery housing for individuals in need.

In addition to building and managing its own housing, Fair Tide also partners with private landlords through its Landlord Engagement Initiative (LEI). This innovative program works to increase the availability of rental housing by incentivizing landlords to rent to tenants with housing vouchers, helping to open more doors, more quickly, for those facing housing instability.

At the Mainspring campus, Fair Tide is expanding its impact with:

• Centralized housing intake and support. 
• Short- and long-term case management services. 
• An emergency needs fund for individuals in crisis. 
• A refreshed Fair Tide thrift store, supporting both clients and the organization. 
• Continued pursuit of affordable housing opportunities across the Seacoast region. 

As Executive Director Emily Flinkstrom puts it, Mainspring is “system-changing” – a centralized, respectful, and collaborative approach that lifts people up across all dimensions of their lives, not just through housing.

Footprints Food Pantry: Nourishing the Community

Footprints Food Pantry has been a vital part of the Kittery community for more than 30 years, and now, as part of the Mainspring Collective, it’s expanding its impact. Rooted in a philosophy of abundance and dignity, Footprints provides free groceries, fresh produce, personal care items, pet food, and household essentials to anyone in need, no questions asked.

Rather than imposing strict limits, Footprints encourages people to take what they need and strives to accommodate dietary restrictions and cultural preferences whenever possible. For those unable to shop in person, delivery options are available, and refrigerated food lockers will soon offer added flexibility.

Powered by a dedicated team of over 75 volunteers each week, the pantry is sustained by the generosity of local individuals, businesses, schools, and faith communities. In addition to donated food and personal care items, financial support plays a critical role in helping Footprints purchase fresh produce, dairy, and other high-demand staples.

Footprints’ presence at Mainspring means more than just food, it’s about connection, respect, and ensuring every neighbor has what they need to thrive.

How You Can Help

Mainspring Collective is more than a building, it’s a community-powered effort to provide stability and opportunity to neighbors facing housing insecurity, food insecurity, and other challenges. Whether you’re local to the Seacoast or simply inspired by the mission, there are many ways to support this transformative work.

• Donate: Financial contributions help sustain and grow the essential programs offered by Fair Tide, Footprints Food Pantry, and their partners. Every dollar helps remove barriers and create new opportunities.
• Volunteer: From stocking pantry shelves to helping in the thrift store, volunteers are the heart of Mainspring. Your time and energy make a direct impact.
• Spread the Word: Share Mainspring’s story with friends, family, and colleagues. Raising awareness is a powerful way to grow community support.
• Contribute Goods: Consider donating shelf-stable food, household essentials, or gently used items to the Fair Tide thrift store or Footprints Food Pantry.

Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Seacoast community, one where everyone has a fair chance to thrive. To learn more or get involved, visit mainspringcollective.org.