Alfond Youth & Community Center provides meals in three locations

The Alfond Youth & Community Center (AYCC) is participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program to make evening meals available at no separate charge to children ages birth through 18 years without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department.

Meals are being served at the following facilities:

Alfond Youth & Community Center, 126 North Street in Waterville. Mon. – Fri. Evening Meals starting at 3 p.m.;

North End Boys & Girls Club, 16 Hillside Ave in Waterville. Mon.– Fri. Evening Meals starting at 3 p.m.;

South End Teen Center, 5 Libby Court in Waterville. Mon.– Fri. Evening Meals starting at 3 p.m.;

Boys & Girls Club of Oakland at Ralph M. Atwood Primary School, 19 Heath St in Oakland. Mon. – Fri. Evening Meals starting at p.m.;

Common Street Arts, in the Hathaway Creative Building, 10 Water Street, Suite 106 in Waterville.

 FMI AYCC: Kitchen Manager Shawn Forkey, kitchen@alfondyouthcenter.org; Grants Manager Jared McCannell, jmccannell@alfondyouthcenter.org.

photo from Waterville Fire & Rescue Facebook page

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today $40.8 million in direct assistance grants to 202 fire departments nationwide through the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Additional phases will soon be announced.

The Waterville Fire Department will receive $229,334 from FEMA for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). The grant will be used to purchase 34 breathing apparatuses for Waterville’s firefighters.

In addition, the announcement includes Assistance to Firefighters Grants to Windham, Cascp, Standish, Gorham and Brunswick.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

This grant is funded through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Eligible applicants include local fire departments, fire districts, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, tribal fire departments and State Fire Training Academies. The grant applications are submitted from each agency directly to FEMA, where the applications are reviewed and scored by fire service personnel from throughout the nation.

FEMA obligates funding for this project directly to the recipient agencies. It is the recipient agency’s responsibility to manage their grant award within federal guidelines with technical assistance and monitoring provided by FEMA Fire Program Specialists.

Additional information about FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters grant program(s) may be found at https://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) is proud to announce the successful grantees of its Façade and Building Improvement Grant Program (FBIGP) in downtown Waterville.

FBIGP was established within the context of downtown Waterville’s ongoing revitalization, activated by over $100 million in recent investment by private and public sector supporters. The grant program encourages new and existing downtown property owners and businesses to invest in their commercial storefronts while restoring the original character of historic buildings and providing a catalyst for others to improve the visual appearance of their privately-owned buildings.

“The strength and quality of the applications we received was spectacular,” states Garvan D. Donegan, director of planning and economic development at Central Maine Growth Council and FBIGP advisory committee member. “Downtown businesses and property owners are extremely thoughtful in how their storefronts add to the character of downtown and contribute to a successful local economy, and their applications honor the architectural design roots and cultural significance of their buildings.”

The grant awards made through FBIGP will stimulate more than $325,000 in direct investment in downtown storefronts and facades during the 2019 calendar year. Twenty-three applicants submitted proposals to the program, and eleven applications were successful.

Successful grantees of the 2019 FBIGP award include:

• 46 Main Street – Framemakers
• 48 Main Street – Enchanted Herbs & Tea
• 52 Main Street – Children’s Book Cellar
• 54 Main Street / 33 Concourse E – SBS Carbon Copy
• 72 Main Street – Holy Cannoli
• 80-88 Main Street – Day’s Jewelers
• 129 Main Street – Tap, LLC
• 137 Main Street – Amici’s Cucina
• 139 Main Street – Opa
• 177-179 Main Street – Black Cape Comics and Selah Tea Cafe
• 177 Main Street – Selah Tea Cafe

The grant program, funded by Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation, provides a reimbursement of up to fifty (50) percent of the total estimated project budget. Funds may be used for the restoration and renovation of commercial buildings located within Waterville’s downtown district, and eligible projects range from new awnings and signage to brick repainting and the removal of inappropriate, non-historical alterations to building exteriors.

“It’s incredibly exciting that, in the span of approximately seven months, downtown Waterville will be transformed by the visual impact of the awarded grants, which complement the transformation of public spaces, new building construction, and influx of new businesses into the downtown,” says Chris Gaunce, member of the FBIGP advisory committee. “You’ll find yourself spending more time downtown because it’s inviting, attractive, and unique.”