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PHOTO: From left, Jessica Wilbur, Bread of Life board vice president; Victoria Abbott, executive director; Carolyn Neighoff, founding member; Scott Burill, board president. (Pliable Marketing photo)
AUGUSTA – Bread of Life Ministries has named Victoria Abbott as its new executive director.
The announcement was made Sept. 14 at a ceremony to Carolyn Neighoff, founding member of Bread of Life and outgoing executive director. Neighoff provided leadership for the organization for more than 37 years.
Bread of Life Ministries provides a holistic approach to addressing food security, safe shelter, case management and a transition to permanent housing
Neighoff was the visionary for the organization, along with the seven families who purchased the organization’s current soup kitchen in Augusta, Bread of Life officials said. In 1984, the soup kitchen at 157 Water St. served meals for 37 individuals. Today, it serves more than 100 people a day, a number that continues to increase, officials said.
“The short-term goal was let’s have some fellowship and food and that took care of one need,” Neighoff said. “Then the longer-term goal was people need a place to stay, because you can feed them but if people don’t have a roof over their heads, you’re not going to be able to change their lives.”
Bread of Life employs 15 people, who operate the soup kitchen and provide housing in Augusta with 83 apartment units in nine buildings. Bread of Life offers transitional housing units that provide a subsidized rent for a maximum of two years and well as permanent housing. The organization also provides case management services.
Abbott, the new executive director, is an Augusta native and is involved in several community organizations in the region. She is the president of the Augusta Downtown Alliance, president of the Augusta Rotary Club, and is an Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute advisor.
“It all started back when she was Coach Neighoff to me back in high school,” Abbott said. “She was my field hockey coach and an educator in the Augusta school system; so, I have known her for a long time. Then when I became involved with the Bread of Life, we joined the board at the same time, so I looked at her as a mentor. Now as executive director, I want to help carry on her legacy.”
During her career, Abbott has demonstrated history of working in a wide range of industries, including hospital and health care. She holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from University of Southern Maine. Her additional skills include sales, management, policy analysis, marketing strategy, and organizational development.
For more information on Bread of Life Ministries, visit mainebreadoflife.org.
