Frances Perkins Center

05/26/2026

On Sunday, May 24, Mount Holyoke College held its 189th Commencement ✨🎓 ✨ Congratulations to the on this outstanding accomplishment! As the next generation of MHC alums, may you follow the words of MHC founder Mary Lyon: "Go forward, attempt great things, accomplish great things."

Mount Holyoke College empowers students to learn beyond boundaries and make change for all. Frances Perkins exemplifies the impact Mount Holyoke Alums can make.

To learn more about Perkins and her life, see the 🔗 in comments.

05/18/2026

➡️ Our Spring Appeal is happening now. ⭐️ Help us raise $20K by opening day on June 17th! 🎁 As a special thank you, donations of $100+ receive a free gift (see comment for details)

To give: https://francesperkinscenter.org/donate/

Donations directly support the expanded summer hours, adult and youth programs, events, and exhibits.

In partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), we are almost doubling the Welcome Center summer hours, making it easier for more visitors to enjoy Maine's newest NPS site and learn about Frances Perkins' life and legacy. 🎉

Thank you for making the Frances Perkins Center part of your charitable giving. Your support makes our work possible!

05/13/2026

In 1905, at the age of 25, Perkins changed her given name of Fannie to Frances and left the Congregational Church of her forebears to join the The Episcopal Church 💒

Throughout her life, Frances Perkins relied on her religious faith and the guidance of her church for the support she needed to face the challenges of public service and her personal hardships.

Her faith profoundly shaped her moral vision and policymaking and sustained her lifelong commitment to advancing a social order grounded in safety, dignity, and decency for all 🤍

In 2009, the Episcopal Church formally recognized Frances Perkins as a saint and designated May 13th as her feast day, honoring her as a Public Servant and Prophetic Witness. To learn more and find resources about her faith, visit our website (🔗 in comments)

St Andrew's Episcopal Church in Newcastle, Maine was Frances Perkins’ summer parish and is the home of her icon by Suzanne Schleck, Iconographer (reproduced below)

05/12/2026

Thank you Friends of Acadia for spending the day at the Frances Perkins National Monument learning more about Perkins and our work! As National Park Service park partners, we have a shared passion for supporting Maine's extraordinary public lands and places 💙

05/08/2026

➡️ Help us reach our Spring Appeal goal of $20k by Opening Day - June 17! 🎉

In partnership with the National Park Service, we’re doubling the hours and extending the season at the Frances Perkins National Monument this year—but we can’t do it without you 💟

Your donations support:
✅ Expanded Welcome Center hours (admission is free!)
✅ Adult & youth programs
✅ Community events and exhibits

Join us in celebrating the "Woman Behind the New Deal."
Donate: https://francesperkinscenter.org/donate/

⭐️ BONUS: Give $100+ and receive a free gift! ("A Promise to All Generations: Stories & Essays about Social Security and Frances Perkins" and two stickers ⭐️

05/06/2026

📰 Read this Op-Ed by Amanda Hatch, Executive Director, in the Portland Press Herald to learn more about Frances Perkins, her faith, and the significance of May 13th as the day to honor her as a saint in the The Episcopal Church. (full article available to subscribers)

"From Mother’s Day to Memorial Day, not to mention the unofficial kickoff of graduation and wedding season, May is full of holidays and celebratory events. But one special day routinely flies under the radar: May 13th.

One of America’s most important leaders, Frances Perkins, is recognized as a “Holy Woman” by the Episcopal Church on that day. The country’s first female and longest serving Secretary of Labor, Perkins was the chief architect of Social Security and other "New Deal" programs during her time in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration. Since 2009, she has been honored in the Episcopal liturgical calendar with a Feast Day on May 13th, recognizing her lifetime of good deeds and steady faith."

Frances Perkins' faith in God inspired her longtime public service and was a source of strength throughout her life.

05/01/2026

👉The Frances Perkins National Monument summer volunteer program is here! Come be part of welcoming visitors to the newest National Park Service site in . 🙌

The Frances Perkins National Monument and its philanthropic partner, the Frances Perkins Center, need volunteers from ✨June 17 through October 11, Wednesdays-Sundays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.✨ to welcome visitors, answer questions about the site, and help monitor indoor and outdoor areas.

Volunteers are part of the National Park Service “Volunteers in Parks” (VIP) program.

Shifts are available throughout the season and can be flexible, with options for partial or full-day commitments. 🗓️

More info and to apply, see link in comments ⬇️

Share if you know somone who might be interested ↪️

05/01/2026

04/30/2026

Amanda Hatch, Executive Director of the Frances Perkins Center, was in Washington DC this week for the National Park Foundation's 2026 Hill Day along with 200+ participants and 89 partner organizations from across the U.S. who gathered on Capitol Hill to educate elected leaders about our national parks and how they can help.

It was a day of meaningful conversations about the responsibility we all share to keep these treasured places thriving now and for future generations to enjoy.

We are proud to be the philanthropic partner to the Frances Perkins National Monument - Maine's newest National Park Service site - and we are

04/30/2026

👉Grab the latest edition of Down East Magazine or head to downeast.com to plan your adventures to 28 places in their summer scavenger hunt across , from waterfalls to historic sites, including the 🙌 Frances Perkins National Monument 🙌, to restaurants, events, and outdoor adventures!

28 excursions across the state, from waterfalls to historic sites to strawberry festivals, all for one unbeatable Maine summer.