Lewiston Housing Authority
The Lewiston Housing Authority has a long time relationship with Bates College that encompasses community-based learning, thesis work, independent research, First Year Seminar courses, community work-study, and summer fellowship endeavors.  Students actively engage with varied populations at the different Housing Authority sites.  Currently, students work on developing and implementing numerous activities through academically-based work and volunteering that create socialization opportunities for elderly and handicapped residents of Blake Street Towers and Meadowview. In addition, Bates and Lewiston Housing Authority have created an innovative, integrated group of programs at Hillview Housing Family Development.  These programs include afterschool academic and enrichment activities, a middle school aspirations program, research focused on family self-sufficiency, and programming to nurture and support the immigrant youth and adult population in residence.

Sisters of Charity Health Systems: St. Mary's Hospital
St. Mary's Hospital and its affiliated programs provide a rich environment for Bates students to do substantive community engagement work.  Projects have included working with the local Franco-American elderly population, youth in residential psychiatric care, a community health center, and a community gardening and nutrition program.  Bates psychology thesis students are mentors to young people at the Genesis House residential facility, students in French classes collect oral histories from residents of Maison Marcotte, and biology students have created innovative public health programs for the B Street Health Center.  Lots to Gardens, a program started by a Bates student over five years ago, has become a much-beloved year-round community gardening, nutrition and youth leadership program.  Currently, the Downtown Education Collaborative (a collaboration of Bates College, USM Lewiston/Auburn College, Central Maine Community College, Andover College, Empower Lewiston, Lewiston Adult Education and the Lewiston Public Library) has launched its collaborative academic initiative supporting a community food assessment pilot program that is directed by the Nutrition Center staff.

Longley School
Collaboration with local public schools and other educational institutions in Lewiston and Auburn represents a core, ongoing commitment of the Harward Center.  One of our most active partnerships is with the Longley Elementary School.  Located in downtown Lewiston, Longley’s students are among the poorest in the system; approximately 40% of them are English Language Learners.  Bates students are engaged at Longley school in a number of ways, including community-based learning, mentoring and other volunteer activities, and paid tutoring.  Currently, several education students are doing their classroom placements at Longley School, where they are observing, teaching lessons, and working one-on-one or with small groups of students to enhance their reading and writing skills.  Through the Longley Mentoring Program, Bates students mentor 5th and 6th graders, visiting them for an hour each week as well as supervising two field trips to Bates College each year.  Through the Bates Buddies program, a Bates student spends a lunch and recess period each week with a Longley student, playing games and helping to develop social skills.  Several Bates students are also placed at Longley as paid reading tutors through the America Reads program.