Mainely Empowering
Foundation
Mainely Empowering Foundation is a Maine-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing eviction and foreclosure while promoting long-term financial stability for individuals and families.
Mainely Empowering Foundation is a Maine-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing eviction and foreclosure while promoting long-term financial stability for individuals and families. The Foundation bridges the critical gap between immediate housing crises and sustainable financial empowerment through early intervention, education, and community-centered support.
Housing instability remains one of the most pressing challenges facing Maine families. Rising housing costs, limited rental availability, medical crises, job loss, and system barriers frequently push households into eviction or foreclosure—often unnecessarily. Once displacement occurs, the path back is costly, traumatic, and long.
Our Mission
To empower individuals and families in Maine by providing proactive housing stability services, financial education, and community resources—so every Mainer can maintain a safe, stable home and build a foundation for long-term well-being.
Our Vision
A Maine where no family loses their home due to lack of resources, information, or support—where every household has the tools and connections to thrive.
Our Core Values
Empower
We believe every family deserves the knowledge and resources to secure and maintain stable housing.
Protect
We advocate for vulnerable households, shielding them from the devastating effects of displacement.
Thrive
Beyond crisis intervention, we build pathways to long-term financial stability and community resilience.
Who We Serve
We serve households with limited income who are facing housing instability — particularly those with fewer existing resources or support systems to draw on, or who face added barriers navigating housing, financial, or legal systems. Income is one of several things we look at when we screen — reach out and we’ll go through it with you.
Not sure whether you qualify? Contact us and we’ll review your situation individually.
Leadership
Mainely Empowering Foundation is led by its founder and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Katiuska “Kat” Cabral, PhD, LSW, CSWM
President & Executive Director1Career
Kat founded Mainely Empowering Foundation after thirty years in social services, beginning as a licensed practical nurse at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital. She went on to work as an employment case manager in Portland’s refugee program and as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in York County’s shelter system, served over seven years as Program Manager for Access to Care programs at MaineHealth, and spent thirteen years as a special education teacher in Scarborough’s public schools.
2Education
She holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities with a specialization in counseling, a master’s in psychology with a specialization in drug and alcohol counseling, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration with a specialization in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
3Credentials
She also holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate from InterCoast Career Institute. In 2025, she presented at the NASW Maine chapter conference and served as an invited panelist for the Collectively Brave Mental Health Summit.
4Languages
In addition to English and Spanish, Dr. Cabral understands Italian and Portuguese and has studied French.
MEF is that career’s conclusion: families don’t need another system that responds after the crisis — they need one that steps in before an eviction or foreclosure becomes a loss.
Doctoral Research
Kat Cabral, PhD, LSW, CSWM, holds a PhD, Business Administration, Specialization in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (National University, 2024). Her doctoral dissertation, Influence of Leadership Style on Employee Retention and Turnover: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, was independent academic research, unrelated to Mainely Empowering Foundation’s housing work.
Board of Directors
MEF is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with backgrounds in social work, education, finance, and community service.
Katiuska “Kat” Cabral, PhD, LSW, CSWM
President & Executive DirectorAllan Phinney
Vice PresidentLucas Ferreira Rodrigues, CFP
TreasurerTsveta Kalaydzhieva
Board Secretary & Governance OfficerJessica Alas
DirectorJeremy Alas
DirectorLegal & Financial
Transparency
Frequently Asked
Questions
Why is Mainely Empowering Foundation registered in Las Vegas, Nevada?
Mainely Empowering Foundation lives, works, and serves households right here in Maine — specifically in Cumberland and York Counties. For legal and administrative purposes, MEF’s official registered address is 3225 McLeod Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89121, which is also where we receive mail. If you need to reach us by mail, that’s the correct address to use.