Maine nonprofits team up with Airbnb to help veterans earn income as hosts
Courtesy / Kim and Bo Balcavage
U.S. Army veterans Kim and Bo Balcavage became Airbnb hosts in the lobster fishing village of Cape Porpoise in Kennebunkport.
A Portland-based nonprofit that helps former U.S. military members find employment in Maine is now also helping them become Airbnb hosts.
In a three-way partnership announced Monday, Boots2Roots is teaming up with Airbnb Inc. (Nasdaq: ABNB) and Live + Work in Maine to help recently transitioned former active military members pursue home-sharing in Maine as a source of income.
For wannabe hosts, Airbnb and Boots2Roots will provide educational materials and training, while Airbnb will provide gift cards for guest stays to "try before they buy" as part of the company's larger efforts with Live + Work in Maine.
“When Airbnb approached us to offer vouchers we could use to help people give Maine a try as they consider relocating here, we thought immediately of our partners at Boots2Roots,” said Nate Wildes, executive director of Live + Work in Maine.
“Live + Work in Maine has been working with Boots2Roots, whose efforts to attract transitioning military members, their families, as well as veterans to Maine aligns perfectly with our work to bring more professionals to the state, and we knew the vouchers from Airbnb would greatly benefit them and their constituents."
Already, one out of 10 Airbnb hosts are veterans or actively serving in the military, according to the San Francisco-based online homestay marketplace. This year through September, hosts who say they are veterans or actively serving earned some $40 million.
New Airbnb hosts in Maine include U.S. Army veterans and Boots2Roots members Bo and Kim Balcavage, who began sharing their home in Kennebunkport's Cape Porpoise lobster fishing village this summer.
“Besides creating an additional income stream, we really enjoy meeting new people and sharing what we know about Cape Porpoise with others," the couple said in a joint statement.
"We love everything about the area we live — from the history and the lobster fishing culture to the eateries and the nature trails. We hope to instill a desire in our guests to return to our area year after year.”
Bill Benson, executive director of Boots2Roots, said, “Our goal is to attract veterans to Maine, and this program will make us more competitive, as it removes a barrier for out-of-state workers to come to Maine and look for a home, explore communities where they might want to settle and make important connections for themselves and their families."
More information
Military members who are interested in becoming Airbnb hosts and participating in the program can find out more here.
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