FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Governor LePage to Personally Deliver Check for $50K to My Place Teen Center
(Westbrook, Maine) – Gov. Paul R. LePage will present a check for $50,000 to My Place Teen Center at 755 Main Street in Westbrook on Thursday, July 30 at 8:30 a.m.
The funds are from a discretionary account called State Contingent Account, set up by the Maine Legislature with money to be allocated at the Governor’s direction and not to exceed $300,000 in any given year, according to Maine statute. This year, Gov. LePage has directed those funds to several nonprofit organizations throughout the state serving thousands of Mainers, including MPTC.
“Every year, I first prioritize any state emergency needs that arise during the beginning of the fiscal year,” said Gov. LePage in a press release. “Toward the end of the year, I designate remaining funds to community programs.” The state’s fiscal year ends on June 30 and begins anew on July 1.
“There are so many wonderful non-profits serving the needs of Mainers, which range from food banks to recovery and rehabilitation centers to veterans support organizations,” added the Governor. “Each is worthy in its own right, and they all provide opportunities and assistance to those in need.” “Your program, specifically, is an excellent example of Mainers working together to fill an unmet need in their community.” “ So much more than just a ‘place to go,’ the staff at the MPTC have created an environment where these youth can gain life skills, make positive connections with peers and role models, and access resources that may not be available to them at home.”
Each year, My Place Teen Center (MPTC) provides each child with access to 1,300 hours of year-round programming and 260 hot, healthy meals. All services and meals are provided in a safe, nurturing and educational environment at no cost to children and their families.
About My Place Teen Center: MPTC is a year-round, free, after-school program for children between the ages of 10-18. Specializing in homeless, food insecure, cognitively-delayed, low-income, immigrant, and refugee teens and pre-teens, MPTC offers a multi-purpose, academically enriching, hunger-relieving youth development program that has been a focal point for greater Portland and York county kids since its inception in 1998. 567 kids were served by MPTC’s diverse offerings this past fiscal year, a figure sure to be surpassed this year.
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