Mano en Mano Founder Candace Austin Receives Maryann Hartman Award
Candace Austin received the Maryann Harman award on October 27, 2010 at a ceremony at the Buchanan Alumni House at the University of Maine. This award recognizes her countless contributions towards “improving the quality of life in Maine.” Candace founded Mano en Mano long before its official incorporation in 2005 and today works with Old Town Adult Education and Literacy Volunteers of Bangor.
Click here to read the full article from the Bangor Daily News: “5 women to be lauded with award: Maryann Hartman honors recognize contributions to social justice.”
Excerpt:
“ORONO, Maine — Five Maine women will be honored at 5 p.m. today at the 25th presentation of the Maryann Hartman Awards at the Buchanan Alumni House at University of Maine.
Candace Austin, 61, of Old Town, Shenna Bellows, 35, of Portland and Francine Garland Stark, 51, of Bucksport and Presque Isle will be honored for their contributions toward improving the quality of life in Maine, according to Mazie Hough, chairwoman of the awards committee.
Daniella Runyambo, a first-year student at the University of Maine where she is in the Honors College, and Heather Sawyer, a graduate of Mount Ararat High School in Topsham, will share the 10th Young Women’s Social Justice Award.
Named for the late Maryann Hartman, who was a teacher and scholar in speech communication at the University of Maine, the award recognizes distinguished Maine women and their accomplishments in the arts, politics, business, education and community service.
Both awards are sponsored by UM’s Women in the Curriculum and women’s studies program. The awards are determined by committee after the public submits nominations.
“Receiving the Maryann Hartman Award allows me to highlight the work we are doing through Old Town Adult Education and Literacy Volunteers of Bangor to support adult learners as they help themselves break cycles of generational poverty and low literacy,” Austin said Tuesday in an e-mail. “The relationships that we are building with adult learners, their families and with each other form the foundation upon which success is built, lives are improved and communities are changed.”