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Catholic Charities Maine’s Child Development Centers Receive Grant to Help Financially Struggling Families with Early Care Access

June 27, 2023

Portland, Maine—Catholic Charities Maine (CCM) has received a $10,000 grant from the Francis Hollis Brain Foundation of the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) to provide financially struggling parents access to early care and education services, including special education, to support their children’s successful kindergarten readiness.

As studies show that a child care shortage is costing the United States $122 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue each year, according to ReadyNation/Council for a Strong America, CCM is proud to provide nurturing, holistic, child-centered, professional, and affordable childcare, and has been a reliable provider for families in Southern Maine for more than 50 years. CCM’s two childcare centers, St. Louis in Biddeford and St. Elizabeth’s in Portland, are nationally accredited and consistently earn Maine's Rising Stars for ME highest quality rating.

“We see child care as family care, and our team of teachers develops programs that address more of what today’s families need. This funding will help us help more families.” Bill Hager, program director of CCM’s Child Development Centers said. “Our centers are open to all, including low-income families, because Maine has children in need. We embrace them without judgment and set them up with an early learning foundation that can help them succeed through their school years and beyond.”

CCM fundraises to provide scholarship for times when Child Development Center families are facing illness, emergencies, or changes in income so that their children can have reliable, caring, uninterrupted care no matter what else is happening in their lives.

About Catholic Charities Maine

For more than 50 years, Catholic Charities Maine has provided high-quality, community-based social services to people of all faiths, beliefs, and economic backgrounds. As one of the largest and most varied human service agencies in the state, we are committed to helping children and adults overcome adversity and achieve self-sufficiency. To learn more, please visit www.ccmaine.org or call 1-800-781-8550.

About The Maine Community Foundation

The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise, and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.

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