About Us

Connecting Community. Preserving Heritage. Supporting Island Life.

Since 1913

The Islesford Neighborhood House Association exists to support the heart of community life on Little Cranberry Island. For more than a century, the Neighborhood House has offered a welcoming place for gathering, learning, celebrating, and carrying forward the shared traditions that make Islesford such a special place to call home.

A House With a Purpose

A wooden neighborhood house with a green roof and shutters, a porch with steps, a sign reading 'NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE,' and a surrounding yard with grass, a blooming shrub, a picnic table, and trees under a blue sky.

A Community Anchor

The Neighborhood House stands at the center of Islesford life, offering a place for connection, celebration, and shared experiences. It helps strengthen the bonds that hold the island community together.

Preserving Island Heritage

As home to the Islesford Historical Society and a hub for cultural programs, the Neighborhood House safeguards the stories, traditions, and identity that define our island’s past and shape its future.

Supporting Education & Youth

We proudly support the Ashley Bryan School and island families by providing space for learning, creativity, movement, and events that enrich the lives of children and young people.

A Space for Civic Life

From town meetings to community forums, the Neighborhood House offers a trusted setting for discussions and decisions that guide the future of Islesford.

Building Resilience

Through year-round programming and thoughtful care for the building and grounds, the Neighborhood House remains a dependable resource that supports the needs of a remote island community through every season.

A Vital Island Institution

Led by dedicated volunteers, the Islesford Neighborhood House Association continues its long-standing commitment to serve the community in meaningful ways—maintaining a place where everyone can gather, learn, celebrate, and belong.

The Neighborhood Library

The Islesford Neighborhood House Library offers a quiet, welcoming space for reading, learning, and connection. With a thoughtfully curated collection for all ages, the library serves residents and visitors alike as a place to slow down, explore new ideas, and enjoy shared community resources.

A house surrounded by tall trees and a well-maintained lawn with a pink flowering shrub and a small stone bench in the yard

Get Involved

The Neighborhood House thrives thanks to the generosity and energy of our community. Volunteer, share your skills, or support programs with a donation—every contribution helps keep this gathering place vibrant, preserve island traditions, and enrich life on Islesford.

A rustic house with dark wood siding and a metal roof, surrounded by trees, with a small tree, rocks, flower bushes, a picnic table, and a gravel road in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

Meet the Board

The Islesford Neighborhood House Association is guided by a dedicated Board of Directors who volunteer their time, expertise, and care to support the mission of the organization. Their leadership ensures the Neighborhood House remains strong, welcoming, and responsive to the needs of the island community.

Our board members serve with care and commitment for terms of two to three years, helping guide the Neighborhood House through each season of growth and change. We are deeply grateful to those who have served over the years —their time, insight, and steady leadership have helped shape who we are today. Because of their dedication, we are well positioned to continue building a strong, welcoming future for our community.

Amy Philbrook, President

David Brooks, Vice President

Eleanor Bright, Treasurer

Jessica Tolliver-Shaw, Secretary

Ron Axelrod, Trustee

Sophia Caldwell, Trustee

Emma Fernald, Trustee

Shippen Savidge, Trustee

Cathleen Sinnott, Trustee

Our board members oversee stewardship of the building, support community programming, and work together to preserve the spirit and purpose of the Neighborhood House for generations to come.

Our Mission Statement

The primary purpose of the INHA is to serve the community of Islesford, Maine in educational, municipal, religious and cultural ways as are deemed beneficial by its board of trustees. The INHA makes its building available for meetings of local organizations, for town, local or state business meetings, for voting, for school programs, and the like.