BANGOR, Maine — A new facility in Bangor called the Opportunity Center has officially opened its doors, offering services for Bangor residents in public housing.
The center is a collaboration between BangorHousing and the Boys & Girls Club of Bangor, and it aims to provide a comprehensive support system by combining child care, life-skills workshops, and other resources all in one location.
Ashley McLaughlin, a BangorHousing resident, has already started taking advantage of the new center.
"It feels like home here," McLaughlin said.
She said the new facility is a huge help for her and her son.
"Having the child care [and] the resources available has definitely impacted my life,” she explained.
With both child care services and adult education classes in the same building, residents can now more easily access support for themselves and their families.
"That’s one less thing they really have to worry about," Jordan Demerchant, a resident and community mental health ambassador of BangorHousing, said.
In the new center, BangorHousing hosts a variety of workshops aimed at helping residents improve their lives. These include financial literacy and parenting classes, which are designed to support participants as they learn skills they can use to achieve greater self-sufficiency.
Demerchant said BangorHousing has provided her with some of these tools.
"They help me do the things that I need to do to better my life," she said.
Construction of the Opportunity Center was made possible in part by $2 million in federal funding, which was secured by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
Speaking at the ceremony, Collins highlighted the facility's potential to transform lives.
"It speaks to optimism, to our determination to provide a better life for families in Bangor," Collins said.
The new facility has already enabled BangorHousing to expand its programming, including introducing a free driver’s education course.
The Bangor Boys & Girls Club has also seen significant growth, now serving nearly twice as many children.
"It’s very fun meeting new people and having so many friends here always to talk to and having a bunch of staff that can always be there for you and help you," Lydia Marsh, who attends the Boys & Girls Club, said.
For McLaughlin, the center represents more than just a place to take classes. It’s a pathway to achieving her dreams.
"Recently, I was accepted to Central Maine Community College for the criminal justice program, all thanks to this building," she said. "It’s gonna be a big difference for my life."