Freeport Community Services celebrates its 40th year of “Connecting Neighbors, Enriching Lives,” in 2014. As the organization leads up to its signature White Nights celebration on Jan. 25, 2014, FCS will offer stories each week about what makes the organization so special and all of the people who have helped to make it one of the largest success stories in the state of Maine.

When Nick and Dixie Hill first turned to Freeport Community Services for help, they didn’t know what to expect.

What they found was a welcoming staff, there to offer support. The Hills were greeted warmly and after hearing their story, the FCS team swung into action, providing food, furniture, clothing and fuel assistance as needed.

Nick says that before asking for help, he had acted as the sole provider for his wife and their eight children for nearly 14 years. He says it was always hard to find an affordable place for his large family to live, but in recent years, with the rising cost of housing, it had gotten even harder.

After exhausting all of his rental options, Nick moved his family into a motel, where they shared two rooms and lived for nearly two years until it became too expensive. He then moved his family into a camper and relocated to a campground in Freeport. When it got cold, the Hills were forced to find yet another place to live, one where they could shelter their children, ages 11?2 to 12, year round. They found a house to lease near the campground, but were left with little else after paying their rent.

“There were a lot of weeks we went with very little,” says Nick. “The kids were sleeping in blankets on the floor. We had no furniture. And we couldn’t afford groceries.”

Since connecting with Freeport Community Services, however, Nick and his wife no longer feel alone in their struggle.

“FCS has helped us so much. There’s no turnaround time. Their help is same day,” he says.

Even though Nick has held a steady job for 18 years, working for a printing company, he is glad he didn’t let his pride get in the way of asking for help during those times when money was tight. “I just hope that other people who need help aren’t too proud to ask for it,” he said.

When asked to describe Freeport Community Services, Nick pauses, looking for the right words. But his 12-year-old son, Nicky, doesn’t hesitate. He says it all in just three words: “Awesome. Kind. Helpful.”

“And loving,” says his dad. “They really go out of their way to help you. They ask what you need and they do all they can to help you out. I’ve never had a disappointing moment here.”

Nick and his wife say the Thrift Shop has been really helpful, too. Along with other necessities, they’ve been able to get backpacks and school supplies for their kids.

To those individuals and businesses that support FCS and make all of this possible, Nick’s message is simple: “If you stopped contributing, there’d be a lot of people who would go without. So, thank you. It’s appreciated.”

Many thanks to The White Nights sponsors for underwriting these stories: Bath Savings Bank, Curtis Thaxter, Brown Goldsmiths, Powers and French, Tri-Town Weekly, FreeportUSA and Peter Warren. Visit fcsmaine.org to buy tickets to the Jan. 25, 2014, event.

Dixie Hill and Nick Hill with their children Nicholas Hill III, 12, and Jacob Hill, 18 months. Courtesy photo.