Bayside more accessible for Opportunity Alliance’s busy teen and 'women, infants and children' programming

Two people talk at the Opportunity Alliance office.

Photo / Courtesy The Opportunity Alliance A pregnant woman meets with a WIC counselor at the Opportunity Alliance office.

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By Laurie Schreiber

The Opportunity Alliance moved two of its busiest programs from 190 Lancaster St. just down the road to 175 Lancaster St. in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.

“We liked the other space. It just wasn’t as accessible,” said Anna Bullett, director of the nonprofit's Women, Infants and Children program.

Jennifer Small of Malone Commercial Brokers and Peter Gwilym of Porta & Co. brokered the lease transaction.

Dozens of programs

The Opportunity Alliance is a Cumberland County community action agency founded in 1965 and headquartered at 50 Lydia Lane in South Portland. Today numbering dozens of programs and 430 staff, the nonprofit supports people with programs and resources designed to improve their health, safety and stability.

It operates mainly in Cumberland and York counties, while certain programs are statewide.

Community well-being programs include those working with youth, families, neighbors, and partner organizations to build strong networks and healthy neighborhoods

There are poverty and economic support programs and services designed to increase income, and basic needs by ensuring access to food, safe and stable shelter, utilities, as well as volunteer opportunities.

Additional programs center on child care, early childhood education, and behavioral health and wellness.

The nonprofit serves 24,000 people a year and an additional 200,000 through several crisis telephone response services.

WIC lifeline

The Opportunity Alliance moved the Portland operation of its Women, Infants and Children program and its Maine Youth Action Network into 3,584 square feet of office space at 175 Lancaster St.

The space at 175 Lancaster St. is a little smaller than at 190 Lancaster. But it allows the nonprofit to optimize the layout, said Bullett. Fit-up included moving in toys and office furniture.

An aerial view shows a long low brick building.

Photo / Courtesy Porta & Co.

The Opportunity Alliance moved two of its busiest programs from 190 Lancaster St. just down the road to 175 Lancaster St. in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.

WIC is a supplemental program that provides money on a card to purchase specific nutritious foods and infant formula at WIC approved grocery stores and farm stands, and nutrition education to pregnant and breastfeeding people and children up to age 5.

TOA’s WIC program serves all of Cumberland County, reaching about 5,000 people per year countywide. Of that number, about 3,000 are in Portland.

“Portland is by far the busiest and most urgent,” said Bullett.

In Cumberland County, The Opportunity Alliance is responsible for WIC and operates offices in Portland and Windham, along with satellite clinics in South Portland, Westbrook, Bridgton and Brunswick.

The WIC team is trained in nutrition, public health and breastfeeding and includes registered dietitians, licensed dietetic technicians, international board-certified lactation consultants, certified lactation counselors and breastfeeding peer counselors.

WIC serves residents who are pregnant, breastfeeding infants under age 1 year, postpartum up to six months if not breastfeeding, infants and children up to age 5.

Eligibility is based on income. Those receiving MaineCare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits automatically qualify.

WIC appointments are almost all in-person, so it was important for the program to be within walking distance of a bus stop.

“It can be a lifeline for people in the throes of early parenthood,” said Bullett. “In any given month, we have 100 appointments per day and we move over $200,000 of food money into the community. Last month, $210,000 was spent at local WIC vendors in Cumberland County.”

Youth catalyst

The Maine Youth Action Network has been operating for two decades as a support system for youth programming and as a catalyst for youth leadership development. It partners with young people, adult advisers and local organizations to offer a broad spectrum of support to youth. Programs include leadership development, an annual youth leadership conference, partners hips with students, especially underrepresented youth, to advocate for more equitable schools and to foster more supportive school communities, and access to employment, internships, training and adult learning opportunism.

The office is also busy with related activities through community partnerships, such as volunteers dropping off and families picking up Locker Project bags filled with donated and rescued food staples; and dental hygiene students coming in once a week for WIC age children.

Increasing need

The Opportunity Alliance retains several other programs at 190 Lancaster St., including its mobile crisis unit.

If anything, overall need for its programs is increasing. Participation in Women, Infants and Children programs saw a huge increase since the pandemic. The homeless-prevention program normally has a wait list.

“What we’ve seen, in the decades of the Opportunity Alliance’s existence, is that we’ve had to be nimble to meet changing needs,” said Lily Lynch, vice president of development and communications. “We’re still evolving, either by growing our programs or changing what we offer. There’s a lot of need in the community.”