Sunrise County Economic Council, on behalf of Family Futures Downeast, is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious FamilyU Seal, awarded by Generation Hope. This national, three-year certification, honors higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations making significant strides in serving student parents and their families.
Family Futures Downeast joins an esteemed group of six recipients of this highly competitive award, including California Polytechnic State University, College Unbound in Rhode Island and New Legacy Charter School in Colorado, among others.
In receiving the FamilyU Seal, Family Futures Downeast is being recognized for its commitment to empowering Washington County parents and families to achieve lasting economic stability and educational success. Through personalized coaching and support, FFD helps families secure stable employment, pursue higher education, manage finances, and create brighter futures for their children. What makes FFD unique is its innovative two-generation approach: While parents work toward their educational and career goals, their children participate in high-quality early learning programs and home visiting with an education specialist while youth are engaged in career and college exploration, setting goals with their parents and the FFD family coaches.
“In order for higher education to spark real stability and prosperity for more families, this movement must continue to grow. We are thrilled to honor these campuses and nonprofits with this prestigious national recognition through the FamilyU Seal program—champions that are elevating student parents and opening true pathways for them to succeed in college and beyond,” said Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO of Generation Hope.
FFD is a collaborative partnership between six Washington County (Maine) academic, economic and social service agencies, and was designed with substantial input from parents. The partners–Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock counties, the Community Caring Collaborative, Sunrise County Economic Council, the University of Maine at Machias, Washington County Adult & Community Education, and Washington County Community College–work together to improve education and economic outcomes for families using 2Gen approaches. FFD has been sustained through relationships with the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Family Independence, and other private funders.
For more information, visit https://www.generationhope.org/2025-familyu-seal-awardees and familyfuturesdowneast.org.