Melanie Sachs announced late Thursday afternoon that she has resigned as executive director of Freeport Community Services, effective Sept. 6.

Sachs, a Freeport resident who served as the head administrator for Freeport and Pownal’s umbrella social service agency for three years, will become interim executive director of Sexual Assault Response of Southern Maine, based in Portland, on Sept. 7.

“It has been such a joy to serve my community as the executive director of Freeport Community Services,” said Sachs, who is chairwoman of the Freeport Town Council, in a prepared statement. “FCS has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, thanks to a strong team and wonderful community support, and I am deeply honored to have been part of that work. However, my new position with Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine reflects a return to my clinical social work roots in victim advocacy and crisis services, at a time of exciting and critical growth for the organization. I am truly looking forward to this new chapter.”

Catherine Richards, president of the Freeport Community Services board, said that FCS is grateful for Sachs’ “many and significant accomplishments” during her tenure there.

“While the Board is sad to see Melanie go,” Richards said, “we are very grateful for her many and significant accomplishments at FCS during her three-year tenure.

“Melanie’s boundless energy, her organizational and administrative skills and her absolute passion for the mission of FCS have been hallmark traits of her time at FCS,” Richards sadi. “She has strengthened nearly every aspect of the organization and set it on a course for a strong future.”

Sachs instituted a wide range of policies and procedures to increase the organization’s effectiveness, Richards said. She stabilized and strengthened its financial reporting and management, restructured and revitalized the agency’s community- based programs and initiated new approaches to manage and optimize FCS’ most valuable resources – its staff and volunteers, Richards said.