Harold Alfond Foundation awards $1M grant to expansion of Augusta special needs center
Rendering / Courtesy, WBRC Architects-Engineers
The Children's Center, an early childhood intervention and family support services organization for children with special needs, received another donation towards the planned expansion of its Augusta facility, shown here in a rendering.
The Harold Alfond Foundation has given a $1 million matching grant to the Children’s Center, an early childhood intervention and family services organization in Augusta for children with special needs.
The $1 million challenge grant brings the total amount raised for the Children's Center's fundraising effort to $4.1 million. The center has set a campaign goal of $5 million in order to expand its facility.
The foundation will match up to $1 million in donations supporting the center’s expansion. Donations qualifying for match will include new donations and the accelerated payment of existing, long-term pledges.
The latest donation follows other recent large gifts. In June, the center received $250,000 from Peter and Sandra Prescott, owners of EJP Solutions of Gardiner, and in May it received $1 million from Charlie and Nancy Shuman of Charlie’s Motor Mall and Charlie’s Family of Dealerships in Augusta.
The Harold Alfond Foundation grant was made in tribute to the Children’s Center’s long-time legacy supporters, David and Kaye Flanagan. David Flanagan, former CEO of Central Maine Power Co., is a foundation trustee currently battling pancreatic cancer, and his wife, Kaye, is a former Children’s Center board member and advocate for children with special needs.
“We at the Harold Alfond Foundation have watched, with deep admiration, David and Kaye’s commitment to the Children’s Center for decades,” said Greg Powell, chairman of the board of trustees for the Harold Alfond Foundation. “Through this grant, we honor their dedication to improving the lives of young children in their community. We hope that others will join us.”
The Children’s Center announced its plans earlier in the year to expand its primary location in Augusta to meet demand. It will expand the current Augusta facility by 14,000 square feet, while renovating 5,000 square feet of existing space. The expansion will more than double the space and provide additional classrooms, specialized service areas and administrative space.
The expansion will also create additional gross motor space, a stimulation-sensitive entrance and lobby and solar installation for improved energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint.
The organization provides center-based services for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years old and outpatient services, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, outpatient mental health for children and families, and case management support to kids up to age 21.
The center serves more than 250 children between its four sites: Augusta, Farmington, Skowhegan and Waterville. All sites have waiting lists with Augusta’s being the largest at more than 100 children in need of center-based or outpatient services at any given time.
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