$50,000 Matching Challenge Launches to Support Maine’s First Asian American Community Center; Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month with Limited-Edition Coffee Blend
$50,000 Matching Challenge Launches to Support Maine’s First Asian American Community Center; Khmer Maine and Coffee By Design Partner to Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month with Limited-Edition Coffee Blend
Portland, Maine — Khmer Maine is proud to announce the launch of a $50,000 Donor Matching Challenge in support of Maine’s first Asian American Community Center, alongside the debut of a special AANHPI coffee blend in partnership with Coffee By Design. These initiatives mark the beginning of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of AANHPI communities in Maine and across the country.
The matching challenge is made possible by a generous lead gift from Tess Gerritsen, internationally bestselling author and Maine resident. Every dollar donated to the campaign during the month of May through October 31st, 2025, will be matched—doubling the impact of community contributions up to $50,000.
“What a wonderful idea for Maine: a place where everyone can learn about Asian cultures, join in their festivities, hear their languages, and sample their wide variety of foods,” said Gerritsen. “It promises to be an enriching place for all.”
Gerritsen, a retired physician turned author, is best known for her Rizzoli & Isles thriller series, which inspired the long-running TNT television show. Her work has been translated into 40 languages, with more than 40 million books sold worldwide. Her 32novels include The Summer Guests, The Spy Coast, Gravity, and The Surgeon.
To coincide with the challenge, Coffee By Design has released a limited-edition AANHPI Blend in support of the capital campaign. This expertly crafted medium roast incorporates beans from Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, and India KaadKaapi, with tasting notes of grapefruit and molasses. For every 16oz bag sold, $2.00 will be donated to the campaign.
“At Coffee By Design, we believe everyone deserves a seat at the table—and that means taking the time to understand and respect the diverse values, beliefs, and traditions that make up the fabric of our communities,” said Mary Allen Lindemann, Co-Founder of Coffee By Design. “In these challenging times, the Asian American Community Center offers a powerful vision of hope and belonging. It’s a space that brings people together and deepens appreciation for the Asian American communities that have long helped shape Maine. We’re proud to support this project and help raise both awareness and funds to make it a reality.”
Funds raised through these efforts will go toward the AANHPI community’s ambitious $10 million capital campaign to build Maine’s first-ever Asian American Community Center. Envisioned as a welcoming hub for education, cultural celebration, and intergenerational gathering, the center will house programming for youth and elders, language and arts classes, wellness initiatives, advocacy efforts, and resource navigation.
“This center is about belonging,” said Marpheen Chann, Executive Director of Khmer Maine and project lead for the development of the center. “It’s about creating a space where Asian Americans in Maine can see themselves reflected and celebrated—not just during AANHPI Heritage Month, but all year round. This campaign is a community-driven effort to honor our stories, invest in our future, and ensure Maine communities benefit for generations to come.”
The capital campaign is supported by Khmer Maine in partnership with Watt Samaki Temple, the Filipino American Samahan of Maine, the Chinese American Friendship Association of Maine, and a growing coalition of AANHPI community members throughout the state. Once built, the center will be a first-of-its-kind cultural and community facility in Maine and a major step forward in recognizing and resourcing the state’s growing AANHPI population.
The matching campaign runs through October 31, 2025. Donations can be made online at www.aaccmaine.org. The AANHPI Blend will be available at Coffee By Design locations and online at www.coffeebydesign.com.
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