The new facility marks the first time in the history of the organization that all of its programs and services in southern Aroostook, including early education, workforce development, energy/heating assistance and WIC (Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants and Children), are housed under one roof.
The child care center provides Early Head Start, Head Start and Child Care services to up to 85 children ages 0-5 each day. Nearly 40 percent of the children served are identified with mild to moderate special needs. In addition, 85-90 percent of the children live in poverty.
“Our community service and and workforce development staff have been working in a construction zone for the past several months,” Parent said. “Certainly our family services employees, who were up on North Street, have been long-waiting for this facility. Their enthusiasm for being in this building is palpable.”
Previously ACAP’s services were spread out over a couple of locations with child-care services provided on the busy North Street, while the remaining offices were in a much smaller building at the site of the new facility.
“ACAP’s commitment in southern Aroostook is a solid one,” said Jason Parent, ACAP’s executive director. “Here in Houlton alone, last year, our agency invested over $1.4 million in this community through services we were able to provide.”
Parent acknowledged the efforts of Connie Sandstrom, the former executive director for ACAP, for her vision in bringing the Houlton project to life. He also recognized the Brown family of Houlton for their part in constructing the new building.
ACAP provides services to approximately 14,000 clients per year in southern, central and northern Aroostook. Services consist of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); Energy Crisis Intervention; Low-Income Assistance; Case Management; Affordable Care Act Navigator Program; Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act; National Emergency Grant to Assist Dislocated Workers; Homeownership Program; Homeownership Support Counseling; Energy, Moisture, and Infiltration Audit Inspections; Lead Paint Inspections; Housing Rehabilitation Services; Head Start; Early Head Start; Child Care; Child Care Food Program; Head Start Health Services; Supplemental Food for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); Breastfeeding Support; Oral Health; and Kids Integrated Dental Services.
“Our Houlton center employs approximately 30 staff members and serves thousands of residents throughout the entire southern Aroostook region,” Parent explained. “Access to services is key to our ability to help our low-income neighbors move toward economic independence. We are delighted to now provide our programs in one convenient location.”
In 2015, ACAP provided 6,358 units of service to Houlton residents (unit refers to each type of service a client may have received), totaling an investment of $1,463,782.13. In addition, the Houlton center serves thousands of residents throughout the entire southern Aroostook region.
“Access to services is key to ACAP’s ability to help our low-income neighbors move toward economic independence,” Parent said.
Attendees were able to tour the new facility. Brief remarks were also provided Steve Richard, chairman of the ACAP board of directors; Kim Rohn, regional representative to Representative Bruce Poliquin; and Jane Torres, executive director for the Greater Houlton Region Chamber of Commerce.
For those preschool children with significant behavioral or developmental needs, ACAP Early Care and Education Centers offers special purpose educational programming, and also partners with Child Development Services (CDS), which specializes in case management and specialized developmental instruction for preschool children, explained Deb Jacques, ACAP Resource Developer.
As a result, children with special needs are either fully integrated (or gradually integrated as needed) into classrooms with their typically developing peers. Because the programs are in the same locations, special needs children now have the opportunity to develop at their own pace and be introduced into a regular education classroom as their skills and abilities allow.
“ACAP’s Early Head Start and Head Start programs are recognized as model programs in the state,” she said. “That success is due not only to the high standards that are placed on curriculum but also on the physical, social, and emotional development of each child. Critical to this holistic environment is a playground that fosters individual and group play areas where each child has the opportunity to feel included in a variety of activities. ACAP playgrounds are often the only play areas accessible to the low-income children who are served each day.”
The Houlton Center is currently seeking donations to help fund a new playground for its students.
“Due to the requirements of our funding sources and a limited budget, ACAP can only fund this project through the generosity of community partners,” explained Jacques. “Playgrounds are fun and engaging for our children, but for ACAP teachers free play and outside activities on the playground are critical to assessing the physical, social, and emotional development of their students.”
Those who may have an interest in assisting with this project can contact Jacques at 764-3721.
