Skip to main content

Yelp Helps in Maine



Maine_YelpHelps2015_Twitter

#YelpHelps is a monthly outing where we connect users of Yelp with local non-profits to learn more about what they do before spending a few hours volunteering with them. We’ve been introduced to a whole host of wonderful charities and programs throughout the great state of Maine since we started back in January of 2015.

It feels good to do good, and our latest season was filled with hope, grit, and lots of emotions.

CollageMSWalk2Our #YelpHelps series in April was with the Greater New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society during their Walk MS event in Portland. Yelpers were stationed at two cheer tents along the 6-mile route using cow bells, big voices, and happy hearts to encourage the walkers. Check out the reviews and photos here.
MS Volunteers
Linda Y: “Hurray to all the walkers who faced the cold, windy weather to come out and support the MS Walk. The crew of volunteer folks were happy to cheer you on and hand out water, granola bars, and Yelp swag.”

CollageFayGarman2
In May we took a ferry to Peak’s Island off the coast of Portland to help in the garden at the Fay Garman House – an independent living community with 11 one bedroom apartments for persons 62 years or older. We tore raised beds down, built-up new ones, trimmed trees, weeded, mulched, and got the property ready for plants and herbs. Want to know more? Check out the reviews and photos here!
o
Shane L: “I loved the fact (as you can see in the photos) that we saw the fruits of our labor and it felt especially great when one of the leads and tenants of the house got very emotional of all of the work and it ended with a whole bunch of tears and hugs all around.”

CollageFOCB2
The end of our spring season was with the Friends of Casco Bay – a marine stewardship organization founded to improve and protect the environmental health of the coast of Portland. Mosts tourist, and many locals, don’t realize that everything drains right into our ocean. Littering is never okay! So, we spent a glorious Saturday morning spray painting “Do Not Dump” near drains throughout the city. Reviews and photos can be found here!
Friends of Casco Bay
Cookie T: “Ever see those ‘Don’t Dump’ stencils with lobsters or fish by the drains all over the city streets of Portland?  Until this experience, I thought that mystical fairies with spray cans just peppered the city with them. Turns out, I am mystical – and you can be too.”

Mainers, are you looking for opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community? We know just the place to do so! #YelpHelps is open to ANYBODY with a Yelp account – all you have to do is RSVP!

Thanks to this year’s sponsors:
Cabot • Simply 7 Snacks

For more information on our amazing non-profits:
National Multiple Sclerosis Society • Volunteers of America • Friends of Casco Bay

Connect with us:
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

[gravityform id="4" title="false" ajax="true"]
<script type="text/javascript">var gform;gform||(document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?o():!gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",o):document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",o)},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("action",o,n,r,t)},addFilter:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("filter",o,n,r,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook("action",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook("filter",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,n){gform.removeHook("action",o,n)},removeFilter:function(o,n,r){gform.removeHook("filter",o,n,r)},addHook:function(o,n,r,t,i){null==gform.hooks[o][n]&&(gform.hooks[o][n]=[]);var e=gform.hooks[o][n];null==i&&(i=n+"_"+e.length),gform.hooks[o][n].push({tag:i,callable:r,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(n,o,r){var t;if(r=Array.prototype.slice.call(r,1),null!=gform.hooks[n][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[n][o]).sort(function(o,n){return o.priority-n.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){"function"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),"action"==n?t.apply(null,r):r[0]=t.apply(null,r)})),"filter"==n)return r[0]},removeHook:function(o,n,t,i){var r;null!=gform.hooks[o][n]&&(r=(r=gform.hooks[o][n]).filter(function(o,n,r){return!!(null!=i&&i!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][n]=r)}});</script> <div class='gf_browser_unknown gform_wrapper gform_legacy_markup_wrapper' id='gform_wrapper_4' ><div id='gf_4' class='gform_anchor' tabindex='-1'></div> <div class='gform_heading'> <span class='gform_description'></span> </div><form data-form-name='Newsletter Signup Popup' method='post' enctype='multipart/form-data' target='gform_ajax_frame_4' id='gform_4' action='/community/yelp-helps-in-maine-spring-2016/#gf_4' novalidate> <div class='gform_body gform-body'><ul id='gform_fields_4' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below'><li id="field_4_1" class="gfield field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible gf-email" data-field-class="gf-email" data-js-reload="field_4_1"><label class='gfield_label screen-reader-text' for='input_4_1' >youremail@address.com</label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'> <input name='input_1' id='input_4_1' type='email' value='' class='large' placeholder='youremail@address.com' aria-invalid="false" /> </div></li><li id="field_4_2" class="gfield gform_validation_container field_sublabel_below field_description_below gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_2"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_2' >Name</label><div class='ginput_container'><input name='input_2' id='input_4_2' type='text' value='' autocomplete='new-password'/></div><div class='gfield_description' id='gfield_description_4_2'>This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.</div></li></ul></div> <div class='gform_footer top_label'> <input type='submit' id='gform_submit_button_4' class='gform_button button' value='Submit' onclick='if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_4"]=true;} ' onkeypress='if( event.keyCode == 13 ){ if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_4"]=true;} jQuery("#gform_4").trigger("submit",[true]); }' /> <input type='hidden' name='gform_ajax' value='form_id=4&amp;title=&amp;description=1&amp;tabindex=0' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_4' value='1' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='4' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_4' value='WyJbXSIsImE0YjFiMmUxY2IxMWVhYTljM2FhNzdkODk4NDUzZmY0Il0=' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_4' id='gform_target_page_number_4' value='0' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_4' id='gform_source_page_number_4' value='1' /> <input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' /> </div> </form> </div> <iframe style='display:none;width:0px;height:0px;' src='about:blank' name='gform_ajax_frame_4' id='gform_ajax_frame_4' title='This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.'></iframe> <script> gform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://blog.yelp.com/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_4').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_4');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_4').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_4').val();gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://blog.yelp.com/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [4, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_4').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [4]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_4').text());}, 50);}else{jQuery('#gform_4').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [4, current_page]);} );} ); </script>
[gravityform id="4" title="false" ajax="true"]
<div class='gf_browser_unknown gform_wrapper gform_legacy_markup_wrapper' id='gform_wrapper_4' ><div id='gf_4' class='gform_anchor' tabindex='-1'></div> <div class='gform_heading'> <span class='gform_description'></span> </div><form data-form-name='Newsletter Signup Popup' method='post' enctype='multipart/form-data' target='gform_ajax_frame_4' id='gform_4' action='/community/yelp-helps-in-maine-spring-2016/#gf_4' novalidate> <div class='gform_body gform-body'><ul id='gform_fields_4' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below'><li id="field_4_1" class="gfield field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible gf-email" data-field-class="gf-email" data-js-reload="field_4_1"><label class='gfield_label screen-reader-text' for='input_4_1' >youremail@address.com</label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'> <input name='input_1' id='input_4_1' type='email' value='' class='large' placeholder='youremail@address.com' aria-invalid="false" /> </div></li><li id="field_4_2" class="gfield gform_validation_container field_sublabel_below field_description_below gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_4_2"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_4_2' >Name</label><div class='ginput_container'><input name='input_2' id='input_4_2' type='text' value='' autocomplete='new-password'/></div><div class='gfield_description' id='gfield_description_4_2'>This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.</div></li></ul></div> <div class='gform_footer top_label'> <input type='submit' id='gform_submit_button_4' class='gform_button button' value='Submit' onclick='if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_4"]=true;} ' onkeypress='if( event.keyCode == 13 ){ if(window["gf_submitting_4"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_4")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_4"]=true;} jQuery("#gform_4").trigger("submit",[true]); }' /> <input type='hidden' name='gform_ajax' value='form_id=4&amp;title=&amp;description=1&amp;tabindex=0' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_4' value='1' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='4' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_4' value='WyJbXSIsImE0YjFiMmUxY2IxMWVhYTljM2FhNzdkODk4NDUzZmY0Il0=' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_4' id='gform_target_page_number_4' value='0' /> <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_4' id='gform_source_page_number_4' value='1' /> <input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' /> </div> </form> </div> <iframe style='display:none;width:0px;height:0px;' src='about:blank' name='gform_ajax_frame_4' id='gform_ajax_frame_4' title='This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.'></iframe> <script> gform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://blog.yelp.com/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_4').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_4');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_4').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_4').val();gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://blog.yelp.com/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [4, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_4').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [4]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_4').text());}, 50);}else{jQuery('#gform_4').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [4, current_page]);} );} ); </script>