Mary Ellen Barnes, executive director of the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission, was elected to the board of directors of United Way of Mid Coast Maine at its annual meeting. She joins Heidi Shott of Newcastle and the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, and Jim Donovan, CEO of Lincoln County Healthcare, among other members of the board.

“United Way supports many programs that are important to the education, financial stability, and health of Lincoln County residents,” said Barnes, who lives on Westport Island. “I’m looking forward to serving with this organization.”

Connie Jones of Boothbay Region Senior Services was elected as first vice chairman of United Way’s board. Jones also serves as chairman of the Governance Committee, and has served on the Campaign Cabinet and Basic Needs/Safety Net Solution Council. Mike Field, Bath Police Department chief, elected as board chairman, said: “It’s going to be a great year.”

Barnes also serves on the boards of Coastal Counties Workforce Investment, Rising Tide, and Coastal Trans, a United Way partner agency. She is an active member of the Lincoln County Community Resource Group. Years ago, she helped to start a United Way in northern New Hampshire, and served as its treasurer.

At the annual meeting, Lois Skillings, president and CEO of Mid Coast Health Services, gave a keynote address on the measure of a healthy community.

“A health care system is so much more than a hospital system,” she said.

Skillings talked about the needed shift from a “system of sick care” to a “culture of health.” She said prevention is key to building a healthy community and United Way plays a critical role. “Social determinants of health are as much or more important than health care services.” Among a list of what constitutes a healthy community Skillings cited “support for our most vulnerable, including babies ... Our United Way is ahead of our country with this.”

United Way 2014 results highlighted at the meeting included a successful campaign which met its goal of $1,915,000, helping approximately 20,000 Mid Coast residents improve their education, financial stability, and health through 36 partner agencies, helping to leverage over $3.4 million of volunteer power, and assisting 5,000 Midcoast Maine residents who called 2-1-1 Maine as their first step for help.

Lincoln County residents are helped by United Way-funded programs including Central Lincoln County YMCA, Coastal Kids Preschool, Healthy Kids, Midcoast Maine Community Action, Teen and Young Parent Program, Tri-County Literacy, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Girl Scouts, Mobius, the Food Security Coalition, Spectrum Generations — Meals on Wheels, Eldercare Network of Lincoln County, Lincoln Academy Health Center and New Hope for Women.

Community Builder Awards were presented to the Morse Family, FHC, Inc., and the Diaper Project, an initiative to raise community awareness that young families may struggle to afford enough diapers, and to support diaper drives. Diapers can cost up to $1,000 per child per year, and an inadequate supply of diapers can lead to health problems and stress for the whole family. Outgoing Board Chairman George Reichert said of the Diaper Project: “It’s tangible, it’s real, and people get a great sense of contributing — and they are!” More information about the Diaper Project is available at uwmcm.org.

United Way’s annual meeting was sponsored by Oxford Networks.

United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. In partnership with thousands of donors, United Way works to improve education, financial stability, and health for people in Brunswick and Harpswell, Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties.