MassDevelopment.com: Press Room: $1,300,000 MassDevelopment Loan Supports New Community Action, Inc. Facility in Haverhill

$1,300,000 MassDevelopment Loan Supports New Community Action, Inc. Facility in Haverhill
Project Will Create Six New Local Jobs
July 30, 2007

Contact:
Adam Bickelman, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2086

MassDevelopment today announced a $1,300,000 low-interest loan through its New Markets Loan Fund for Haverhill-based Community Action, Inc (CAI). The human services provider is using the funds to convert the former Fox School – located at 75 Elm Street in Haverhill – into The Fox Center, a permanent home for the organization’s Head Start, family day care and adult education programs.

Fundraising efforts and construction for the project is currently underway, and Community Action officials estimate a September 2007 opening. Over the next few years, the Fox Center project will add six new jobs for local workers and help CAI reduce long waiting lists for Head Start and adult education.

"We are pleased to help Community Action, Inc. expand the critical programs so many Merrimack Valley families have come to rely on, and revitalize an historic Haverhill building by making every dollar count," said Robert L. Culver, MassDevelopment president/CEO. "Our New Markets Loan Fund targets businesses and nonprofits to promote economic development and job growth in low-income communities."

Founded in 1965, Community Action, Inc. empowers individuals, families and communities to overcome poverty through education, training, advocacy, prevention and services to meet basic human needs. CAI programs include Head Start, family day care, adult education, certified nurse aid and early childhood teacher training, affordable housing assistance, heating assistance, Women Infants & Children nutrition (WIC), the Haverhill Family Network family support and parent education, consumer protection, the North Essex Mediators and community services. The group’s service area includes Amesbury, Beverly, Boxford, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Manchester, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rockport, Rowley, Salisbury, Topsfield, Wenham and West Newbury. Each year, Community Action assists more than 9,000 people through its programs and services.

"Without the help of MassDevelopment, it would have been very difficult to move forward on our project," said John Cuneo, Community Action, Inc. executive director. "The new facility will help us accomplish our mission of assisting individuals with challenges to work toward self-sufficiency. It is also a vast improvement over Head Start’s previous site. It’s closer to our service population, and will encourage family literacy and other collaborative efforts among the three CAI programs."

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development authority, works with businesses, financial institutions and local officials to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. Between FY2004 and FY2006, MassDevelopment financed or managed 589 projects statewide representing an investment of more than $4 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are supporting the creation of 5,505 housing units and more than 23,000 jobs: 12,381 permanent and 10,679 construction-related.