Renewal by Andersen of Southern Maine Installs 30 Windows at Shalom House in Portland

Renewal by Andersen of Southern Maine replaced 30 windows at a Shalom House residential property in Portland on October 17 as part of its Renewal Cares campaign, bringing better insulation and lower energy costs to the people who live there.

Renewal by Andersen of Southern Maine installed 30 windows at Shalom House’s property on Congress Street in Portland, Maine, on Saturday, October 17. Shalom House is a Portland-based nonprofit that has served adults living with severe and persistent mental illness since 1972. The one-day install was a community giving event that is part of our Renewal Cares program. It brought together Renewal by Andersen, Shalom House, and Portland Hearts of Pine, the region’s professional soccer club.

Replacing 30 Windows on Congress Street

The Renewal by Andersen team replaced 30 windows across the Staff Office and Apartments 2, 3, and 4, plus a window in the second-floor hallway in one day.

The Congress Street property is one of Shalom House’s residential locations. It provides affordable housing to individuals and families who rely on the organization’s mission every day.

What Better Windows Mean for Residents

Updating 30 windows at the property has a direct, practical impact. The new windows provide better insulation, lower energy costs, and improved comfort and safety for residents who are already managing significant life challenges.

The project is a tangible improvement to housing quality for people who are working toward stability and independence after significant hardship.

We rely on very tight funding so a project like this just makes the world of difference for us. This is something that if we had to do on our own it would hurt financially. It really is such a cool thing for you guys to do this. It makes a huge difference for us. - Abby Spadone, Executive Director, Shalom House

Supporting Shalom House’s Mission

Shalom House provides a combination of community-based mental health services and a range of quality, affordable housing, from transitional and group home settings to independent apartments. People can stabilize their basic needs and then build toward personal goals, recovery, and independence.

The organization houses roughly 1,380 clients daily across the state. It operates a network of group homes, supported apartment buildings, and independent living properties across Cumberland and York Counties.

Shalom House treats people with dignity and respect, offering only the level of support each person needs so they can achieve the most independence possible. That support includes community integration, peer support, and an art program. The organization has also worked to reduce stigma around mental illness through community education and outreach.

A Partnership Built on Community

The install was part of Renewal Cares 2026, a Renewal by Andersen Esler Companies community initiative and our partnership with Portland Hearts of Pine. It showed how our local business, a local nonprofit, and the region’s professional soccer club can support one another. It also gave Shalom House an opportunity to gain greater visibility in the community, supporting its broader fundraising and awareness efforts.

Moxie the Moose, the Portland Hearts of Pine mascot, was also on site during the day. He joined the installers and took part in community photo moments with Shalom House staff and residents.

It is such a gift to be able to give new windows to our clients. The folks we serve live with severe mental illness so the space where they spend the most of their time, it’s really important that it be a safe and warm and cozy place for them to focus on their recovery and that’s exactly what those windows will do for them. - Emily Mitchell, Development and Communications Manager, Shalom House

About Esler Companies

Esler Companies is the holding company for Renewal by Andersen locations in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, North Texas, Central Texas, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New England, and Portland, Maine, with sales and marketing operations in Northborough, Massachusetts, and Austin, Texas.

Renewal by Andersen is the full-service window replacement division of Andersen Corporation with several locations and affiliates across the United States and Canada.

About Shalom House

Shalom House is a Portland-based nonprofit that offers adults living with mental illness a range of community-based mental health services and a choice of quality housing, helping people lead stable and fulfilling lives in the community. Its housing includes 13 group home and supported apartment buildings, 8 independent living apartment buildings, and 5 supported housing properties, with roughly 1,380 clients housed daily statewide.