BATH — After less than a year in the City of Ships, Amistad is looking for a new home for its Peer Learning Community at Bath.

Since it officially opened in July of last year, the peer support and recovery center, has operated out of the basement of the First Baptist Church on Washington Street in Bath. But according to Patrick Metro, the only full-time staff member in Bath, the church is looking to reclaim its space for their own programming, and Amistad needs to find a new home.

Amistad has been operating out of Portland since 1982. Last year, with grant funding from the state, Amistad expanded its operation up the coast by opening a location in Bath.

The space within First Baptist Church where Amistad is operating features a large room with a few folding tables and chairs, and a kitchen where Amistad can host cooking classes or simply make snacks or a meal. To the left is a smaller room where groups can meet.

It’s not glamorous, but it provides a space for the small but growing community Amistad has built there.

“When we started here, we had a bunch of groups that … the people who worked here started, but as time has progressed we’ve had more and more community members show up and want to lead groups,” said Metro.

To start, Amistad staff offered the same time-tested programs it has offered in Portland. But over time, the nonprofit has introduced more community member run groups. One person has started a poetry and creative writing class, while another has begun a yoga group.

“It’s all community members coming in and deciding they want to do something,” said Metro. “We always wanted it to be peer-run community groups.”

Amistad offers a number of classes and groups in Bath now, from a resume writing group to an LGBTQ plus support group to a mental wellness group to a recovery alternatives group.

Beyond the groups, Amistad also offers a space where people can gather during the day in Bath, share experiences with others going through similar mental health struggles and build a community together.

“I think a big part of what we’ve seen here is the community aspect and having a place where people can come in…and meet other people who are having life struggles. We’ve seen a lot of people come in and now they come hang out here. A lot of people who were isolating before…or are in early recovery, it gives them a place to hang out but also some social supports around that kind of stuff after,” said Metro.

About 15 to 30 people visit Bath location daily, said Metro, depending on what groups are meeting.

One of the big requirements for a new space is that it be centrally located, meaning that people can walk to it in Bath. Many of the participants don’t have vehicles. The group needs one decent sized room as well as a smaller room for groups. While Metro said they’d like to have another kitchen in their next location, it’s not vital. He added that Amistad has a little bit of money to help make a place ADA compliance, but not a huge budget to lease a space.

Anyone in Bath that knows of a space in the city that would work well for Amistad’s Peer Learning Community in Bath and is available can reach out to Metro at 207-389-4936.

nstrout@timesrecord.com