'Harbinger of hope': $650K boost for Biddeford teen center under construction in former church
Summary
"A pure labor of love and longevity, My Place Teen Center Executive Director Donna Dwyer said of the renovation project in progress. "Find a way theres always a way.Like My Place Teen Center in Westbrook, the Biddeford branch is envisioned as a welcoming community space for teens and will work to help them deal with food insecurity and substance abuse.The funding is part of the $454 million for 185 projects that U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, secured for the state in the latest congressional directed spending appropriations package.Over the past several years unprecedented challenges have contributed to declines in mental health for young people across Maine, King said. By giving our children a safe space to heal and grow alongside a steady support system, we are setting them up for a brighter, healthier tomorrow. "Dwyer was honored as a Mainebiz Woman to Watch in 2015.With the $650,000 boost, she said it will be possible to pay for the final stages of transforming the 17,000-square-foot shuttered church. Among other things, the money will go to furnishings, fixtures, equipment, a security system, information technology and phone system.Changing the trajectory of vulnerable, young lives is at the heart of keeping kids safe, fed and loved, she said.