By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Look for Empower Lewiston to get more involved in long-term projects, according to Executive Director Alyson Stone.

“The big focus hasn’t changed, but the organization has always been about these varied projects,” Stone said. “We’ve had these discrete little projects we promote. But now, I think we’re trying to move beyond that and become more mission-driven.”

Stone, who took over as executive director in November, said the mission hasn’t changed. “Our goal is to continue working on issues for people living in poverty,” she said.

Empower Lewiston was created in 1999 to administer U.S. Department of Agriculture money earmarked for the poorest sections of Lewiston’s downtown, Census tracts 201 and 204.

The group has directed nearly $500,000 to poverty relief programs since it began. Members of the group’s 18-member board began reevaluating its goals in April 2003 when founding director Carol Ansheles resigned.

“Since last year, the board has been hard at work refocusing on ways to better match our resources to our mission,” Stone said. The group settled on three goals: working to eliminate poverty, encouraging economic development and boosting overall literacy for downtown residents.

“It’s not just increasing the quality of life, but finding ways to help people lift themselves out of poverty,” Stone said.

Stone came to the city of Lewiston three years ago, working a grant writer for city’s community development department. She wrote grant requests that led to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency giving Lewiston money to help set up a Brownfields training program. Before that, she helped administer grants for Portland’s Shalom House.