Behind the Community-Building Mission of the Orton Family Foundation

A feature by David Karas focuses on the work and ideals of the Orton Family Foundation.

The example of Biddeford, Maine, where the community partnered with the Orton Family Foundation to buy out a riverfront waste incinerator and "move forward with other plans that ultimately created a wave of development and revitalization" showcase the "Community Heart & Soul" model employed by the foundation.  

The Community Heart & Soul model is guided by three principles, explains Karas: "involving everyone, focusing on what matters, and playing the long game."

David Leckey, executive director of the foundation, is featured throughout the article, to help explain how the foundation works with communities all over the country. According to Leckey, 66 towns in 14 states have completed or are currently engaged in implementation of the model.