A Vision Taking Shape:
United 4 Child Care Prepares to Launch
In just a few months, 236 Gannett Drive in South Portland will open its doors as a brand-new, high-quality child care facility. But during a recent September visit, that future was hard to picture. The building was still an active construction site with large wires dangling from the ceiling, dust and debris everywhere, and hard hats required for entry.
Imagining a different future—and the path to get there—isn’t always easy. But over the past several years, many organizations, convened by United Way of Southern Maine, have been working together toward a vision where parents can work, children get the care they need, and families can thrive.
That vision is now becoming a reality.
Designing a New Child Care Model
236 Gannett Drive and a second location in Freeport will be the first sites for United 4 Child Care, a bold initiative aiming to create 400 child care slots over the next five years. These centers will serve families across Southern Maine, with a focus on ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households.
Even before the pandemic, families in Southern Maine faced a child care shortage. Today, 37% of Southern Maine households are ALICE. Despite working hard, sometimes at multiple jobs, ALICE families live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to afford the basics, including child care.
Without reliable child care, parents can’t work consistently and build financial security for their family. A 2023 UWSM survey found that lack of child care was the primary barrier to employment for 85% of households where at least one adult is not working.
These challenges are even greater for single parents. In Southern Maine, 74% of single women with children are ALICE. Missing a shift because you don’t have child care can mean the difference between paying rent for the month or not.
Uniting to Strengthen the System
Recognizing the complexity of this issue, United Way of Southern Maine and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce brought together local community partners and businesses in 2023 to co-create a ground-breaking solution.
That collaborative effort led to the launch of United 4 Child Care (U4CC), a new nonprofit that will advance access to affordable child care through a public/private partnership model.
In September, representatives from United Way, Colby Co. Engineering, and Wright-Ryan, as well as U4CC board members, visited the 236 Gannett Drive construction, the result of two years of conversation, effort, and investment.
The South Portland and Freeport centers are slated to open in 2026 and will together add 200 child care and/or pre-K slots to our region. The Freeport location will offer extended hours to support families, especially those with nontraditional or unpredictable work schedules. This innovative model combines high-quality early education with flexible care, tailored to meet the needs of both children and caregivers.
“This is just the beginning of a long-term effort to expand child care access across Southern Maine,” said Dan Coyne, president and CEO, United Way of Southern Maine. “We’re grateful to our business and community partners who are helping us lay the foundation for these innovative child care solutions.”
Community Support and Long-Term Vision
Local organizations providing support include: 2 Stonewood Dr. LLC, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Colby Co. Engineering, Davis Family Foundation, Hannaford, L.L.Bean, MaineHealth, Maine Beer Company, Maine Community Bank, M&T Bank, Northern Light Health, Partners Bank, Town of Freeport, Unum, Wright-Ryan, and Zachau Construction.
“This effort ensures working parents have access to reliable child care and strengthens Maine’s workforce and economic stability,” says Coyne.
United 4 Child Care will do more than create affordable slots. It aims to strengthen our child care ecosystem by supporting the workforce and offering operational and technical assistance to other child care providers.
For nearly a century, United Way has worked at the intersection of community need and collective impact. United 4 Child Care builds on that legacy — imagining a brighter future and uniting people and organizations to get us there.
Enrollment is not yet open for United 4 Child Care. More information will be made available in the coming months.