First County Foundation’s (FCF) board of directors is setting a new standard for community leadership in York County, with members whose professional and personal commitments are shaping the region’s response to urgent needs.

“The strength of FCF’s governance lies in the lived experience and dedication of its members, who are deeply invested in the well-being of York County,” said Chief Advancement Officer Rachel Stansfield.

Among those board members is Diane Small, who also serves as executive director of the Sanford Housing Authority. Small’s decades-long commitment to housing and recovery services exemplifies the board’s impact. “Housing is the foundation for stability,” Small said. “All other supports—whether food, recovery, or employment—are built on the ability to have a safe place to live.”

Small’s career began at the Sanford General Assistance office. She later moved into the role of Chief Operating Officer of York County Shelter Programs, where she was part of a curated team assembled by York County Manager Greg Zinser that created Layman’s Way Recovery Center, a 24-bed facility for substance use treatment.

At Sanford Housing Authority, her leadership has led to the development of a new 30-unit recovery-supportive housing project, funded in part by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and supported by the City of Sanford and York County. The initiative provides no-barrier housing for individuals at any stage of substance use or recovery, with access to case management and supportive services.

“My parents taught me the importance of compassion and dignity,” said Small. “I saw how housing instability could disrupt families and impact children. This project is about giving people the opportunity to rebuild, regardless of where they are in their journey.”

The new housing initiative is closely connected to the York County Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Center in Alfred, which will offer a comprehensive range of care—from detoxification to long-term recovery—beginning in early 2026. The coordinated approach seeks to address service gaps and provide a direct pathway from crisis to stability.

“There is currently no clear pathway for people in York County to access detox and recovery without leaving their community,” Small said. “Our partnership with FCF and York County will allow individuals to transition directly from treatment into supportive housing, eliminating many of the barriers that have kept people from getting the help they need.”

While the York County Government will operate the Treatment and Recovery Center, FCF is its charitable arm. Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”

In addition to the Treatment and Recovery Center, FCF is responsible for raising funds for the York County First Responder Training Center, set to open in late 2025.

“It’s terrific to have people like Diane on our board who understand the complex issues we are addressing,” said Stansfield. “Her insight and commitment ensure that our efforts are grounded in the real needs of York County residents.”

Click here to learn more about the Sanford Housing Authority’s project, part of a broader “Housing First” strategy.

About First County Foundation
Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”

Contact Us
If you have any questions about FCF, please get in touch with Rachel Stansfield at 207.459.7055 or restansfield@yorkcountyfcf.org.

Opening early 2026, York County’s First Responder Training Center will set a new standard for how Maine prepares police, firefighters, EMS, and dispatchers.

“There’s nothing like it in Maine,” said York County Chief Fire Administrator Roger Hooper. “This facility will dramatically improve the competence and confidence of our first responders.”

Equipped with classrooms, a tactical simulation center, and specialized infrastructure, including a steel box for live fire training, the Training Center will also feature a dedicated canine training program—a first for Southern Maine.

“We’re going to have a canine course,” explained Chief Deputy Jeremy Forbes of the York County Sheriff's Office. “Right now, there’s no place for canines in Southern Maine to train. This will fill a critical gap.”

Forbes said the Training Center will foster skill-building across disciplines. “I think we already do a great job as first responders, but this will increase our training, knowledge, and communication,” he explained. “It will help us learn from each other, stay updated, and work better together across departments.”

Wells Police Chief Kevin Chabot praised York County’s investment, describing it as “forward-thinking.” “We’re on the edge of the state line, and you don’t always see public safety prioritized like this,” he said. “York County identified a problem and acted on it—and that includes the Recovery Center, too.”

The York County Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Center is scheduled to open in 2026. While First County Foundation (FCF), the charitable arm of the York County Government is fundraising for the project, both state-of-the-art and best-in-class facilities will be operated by the York County Government.

FCF also recently took over the operation of First County Food Pantry. Previously, the food pantry was managed by nonprofit York County Shelter Programs Inc.

“It’s an exciting time for us and the entire county of York,” noted Rachel Stansfield, FCF Chief Advancement Officer. “Our goal is not just to address emergent needs in York County, but to serve as a community hub for intra-agency collaboration.”

The focus now, however, is on completing the Training Center. “Every week, every day, more progress is made,” said Stansfield. “We appreciate Landry/French Construction and the work and care they are putting into this project.”

About First County Foundation
Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”

Contact Us
If you have any questions about FCF, please get in touch with Rachel Stansfield at 207.459.7055 or restansfield@yorkcountymaine.gov.

By Tammy Wells, Media Specialist with York County Government.

York County Food Pantry will continue to operate at 5 Swett’s Bridge Road in Alfred, opening to the public as usual on Tuesdays and Fridays from noon to 3 p.m.

The food pantry, until recently a program of the private nonprofit York County Shelter Programs Inc., will be operated in a partnership between York County Government and the county’s charitable arm, the nonprofit First County Foundation. The foundation was formed in 2024 to enhance two county government projects – a first responder training center and substance use recovery center – with a forward look to support future endeavors across the county. And although York County Shelter Programs, Inc., has closed the adult shelter, with other shelters they operate to follow, the county government and the foundation are forging ahead as a unit to operate the pantry.

“There will be no hiccup,” said York County Manager Greg Zinser of the food pantry operation. He said people who use the pantry can expect it to continue. “There is no intent to change any distribution.”

York County Commissioners on May 7 unanimously voted to authorize Zinser to take necessary steps to run the pantry, and to use $25,000 in contingency funding to operate it through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. They agreed to appropriate $100,000, pending York County Budget Committee approval, for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

“We’re glad to be able to help people in York County. We don’t want our residents to go hungry,” said York County Commissioners Chair Richard Dutremble. “That is why we allocated funding for the food pantry and have assumed its operation.”

The food pantry was located at York County Shelter Programs main campus on Shaker Hill in Alfred from its formation until 2018, when it moved to the county-owned building at Swett’s Bridge Road. The building and most utilities were provided to the agency by the county government as a courtesy, without charge.

On a recent day, pantry coordinator Rob Boyd was surveying the shelves. A shipment of food had come in earlier in the day, and he was expecting another before the next day.

The pantry operates like a market, where those who come for food browse for the items they need. 

How much food do folks get? Well, depending on the choices they make, Boyd said a weekly visit yields enough food for one to two people for four or five days. He estimated that the pantry sees 100 to 130 boxes of food go out the door each day the pantry is open.

At times, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pantry had operated a drive-thru, where boxes were prepacked for clients, but food allergies and the like meant some of the food handed out went to waste, Boyd said. This way, folks make their own choices, avoiding items they can’t eat.

On a recent day, some shelves were marked with the number of cans or boxes that shoppers were invited to take. Some had no limits, it all depends on how much is available, Boyd said. Shelter volunteers hand out meat, poultry, fish and the like.

During the summer and fall, local farms are generous with their produce donations. Area supermarkets donate produce, meats and some dry goods year-round, said Boyd. The pantry is a member of Good Shepherd Food Bank, and also receives some commodities from The Emergency Food Assistance Program, a federal government initiative. The most recent shipment contained dry milk, macaroni and cheese packets, several varieties of canned beans, canned collard greens and more.

“I had a lot of happy and relieved pantry customers on Friday (May 9) when they learned we were staying open,” said Boyd.

The pantry helps feed residents from across York County and is open to all. “We don’t turn anyone away,” Zinser noted.

The pantry operates with the help of volunteers who stock shelves, escort customers around the pantry and pick up food from donors. Those looking to help should contact Boyd at 207-289-9668 or rlboyd@yorkcountymaine.gov.

Those interested in making a charitable contribution to FCF or seeking additional information may contact Chief Advancement Officer Rachel Stansfield, First County Foundation, at restansfield@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-459-7055.

About First County Foundation
Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”

By Tammy Wells, Media Specialist with York County Government.

As construction continues on the York County Regional First Responder Training Center and the York County Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Center, the county government is looking ahead to opening day — and to making a difference in the lives of residents in York County.

York County Commissioners are looking forward to welcoming folks looking for treatment and recovery from the stranglehold of substance dependency. And they are happy to be providing a centralized location where first responders can get an array of essential training, much closer to home than before.

To help accomplish both missions, and with a forward look to support future endeavors to strengthen communities across the county, First County Foundation, the charitable arm of York County government was established, earning tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in July 2024.

While construction costs are covered through an array of funds — like much of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation, opioid settlements, Congressionally Directed Funding, and grants, like a $300,000 award from the Maine Recovery Council, people who invest in the projects through donations to FCF will help bridge gaps.

“The primary need right now is to outfit the buildings,” said York County Government’s Development Director Rachel Stansfield. “For instance, the training center needs simulators to practice things such as driving emergency vehicles, while the recovery center needs beds, linens, wardrobes and the like. The commercial grade kitchen at the recovery center has a price tag of $500,000,” she said. “The most impactful way donors can contribute to these projects is by giving unrestricted funds, allowing the county and FCF to determine where the greatest need is at any given time.”

“These projects are innovative and unique,” said Stansfield. “There are no centers like these two anywhere else in Maine.” She noted the recovery center provides care from detox through 270-day residential program under one roof, in one location. “We are able to seamlessly transition someone who comes for treatment to the different levels of care without the need to find them a new facility or open bed, and we are able to do this in such a comprehensive way, in looking at the whole person,” Stansfield continued. “And there is no training center of this caliber offering so many opportunities for first responders and public safety workers.”

FCF is applying for grants, and looking to local and national foundations and corporations for support, as well as individuals and families.

The 58-bed substance use recovery center will make a difference, noted York County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeremy Forbes. Currently, police have just two options — a hospital emergency room or jail — when someone is having a substance-related issue, and depending on the circumstance, neither may be the right choice, Forbes said. Emergency departments are busy and often understaffed, he noted, and unless there is a crime and a charge involved, jail isn’t the appropriate place either — but the recovery center, which offers a number of observation beds, is an appropriate alternative. “The recovery center gives us a resource,” Forbes said.

The regional training center is designed to provide programs for all categories of first responders — firefighters and emergency medical personnel, police and deputies, emergency management, dispatchers, and corrections officers. Forbes, whose on the training center planning committee, noted that those in the law enforcement community as well as other first responders undergo mandatory annual training which will all be offered at the center, along with an array of other offerings, from de-escalation training to mental health matters to a K-9 program. “It’s exciting, and it’s unlimited what we can do,” he said.

First County Foundation board member Chris Burbank is dean of Student Experience and Strategy at York County Community College and a retired police lieutenant.

“The idea of being able to get our emergency services under one roof training together with the latest and greatest best practices is a concept long needed, and I’m excited about bringing them all together,” said Burbank. “On the flip side, I came from a career in law enforcement and nearly every criminal investigation led back to substance use … we struggled getting them resources. Help in all of our backyards is transformational. As board members, we can serve as great ambassadors and do some fundraising to support the ongoing programs.”

“Public safety is the issue underlying everything about the training center and that’s an issue that affects each and every one of us,” said FCF Chair Billy Shore. A Kennebunkport volunteer firefighter, Shore is also executive chair of Share Our Strength, the parent organization of the No Kid Hungry campaign. “Our first responders — fire, police, EMS, dispatch and others — always put the public interest ahead of their own, and in times of division and political polarization, that’s a rare quality. It deserves our support and everything we can do to advance it. Even at the age of 70 and far from being an impressionable child, they are still heroes to me. That’s one reason I was eager to support the First County Foundation as a board member.”

“Likewise, issues of substance abuse unfortunately touch almost every family in some way,” said Shore. “And for those who step forward and say they are ready to get help, making the best possible care available feels like the least we can do. As a Maine resident, and firefighter of six years, I can see how these facilities will be a true gem that not only serve those in our region but also serve to inspire the entire state.”

Those interested in making a charitable contribution to the recovery center or seeking additional information may contact Chief Advancement Officer Rachel Stansfield, First County Foundation, at restansfield@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-459-7055.

About First County Foundation
Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”

By Tammy Wells, Media Specialist with York County Government.

The water line has been brought over from York County Jail to the building site, the foundation for the First Responder Training Center has been poured, sewer piping is complete, and soon, installation of structural steel for the training center will commence.

York County Commissioners learned during a mid-January site tour that if all continues to go well, the training center building project may be complete by the end of this year. The nearby York County Recovery Center project is expected to be completed sometime in 2026. The foundation is slated to be poured in March.

The training center will serve all first responders – firefighters, emergency medical service providers, law enforcement and dispatchers. It is designed to provide timely instruction, in a central location, for those looking to complete mandatory and ongoing training, to those entering a profession, and more.

Darcy Valido, assistant director of operations at Sanford Regional Communications Center, learned her craft in-house, inside the dispatch center. There were also training stints at the Emergency Services Communications Bureau in Augusta, and at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro – the former 94 miles away, the latter, 107 miles from the Sanford communications center.

Valido sees value in having a training center close by the agency where she has worked for 15 years. The Sanford center serves 15 law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical agencies in 11 municipalities. The dispatch center has 22 full-time positions and five reserves.

For her department, the new York County First Responder Training Center would be about five miles away – but even York County’s most far-flung locations are a reasonable distance from the site on Layman Way in Alfred, where earth-moving equipment began preparing the site in mid-October.

Old Orchard Beach first responders would be 21 miles away, York, 27 miles, and Cornish, 34 miles away. And while training close to home is a definite asset for first responders, it isn’t the only one, said Valido.

“We will have more opportunity for unified public safety training with police, fire, EMS, and even other dispatch centers,” she said. “And continuing education is paramount to maintaining and enhancing our skills.”

Wells Police Capp. Kevin Chabot, also chair of the District 1 Training Council, sees the first responder training center as a hub for mandated as well as specialized training – and a draw for those considering their career choices.

“It gives them something to aspire to,” he said. “You know the training will be available as you go on.”

Currently, individual police departments across York County coordinate much of the training for those employed by their departments, inviting others to join them as there is space available. New, uncertified police hires attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro for 18 weeks.

And while he said the Maine Criminal Justice Academy does a good job of planning and hosting training sessions for various courses at its Vassalboro base, Chabot noted its distance from many York County departments.

Chabot, who has taught at the academy and at York County Community College, outlined an array of training topics – from escalation techniques to officer wellness, first aid, digital evidence, forensic statement analysis, community policing, cell phone forensics, mental health topics, and more, that could be offered locally.

“We envision the center having specialized type of training ... in a regional way so not one agency is expected to bear the burden of hosting it,” said Chabot.

Waterboro Fire Chief Matt Bors, also his community’s town administrator, said a regional training hub for first responders is long overdue.

“While I have not been directly involved, I see the benefits for the local communities, having a state-of-the-art facility and programs nearby will be a significant asset to the departments,” Bors said. “I’m confident that this will increase our capabilities to provide the best possible services to our residents and guests.”

3/3 York County Commissioners Donna Ring and Justin Chenette, County Manager Greg Zinser and Commissioner Richard Clark stand near the foundation of the First Responder Training Center. They toured the site of two county building projects on Jan. 15. The foundation for the 58-bed recovery center will be poured this spring. Contributed / York County Government

York County Fire Administrator Roger Hooper, who has been planning and organizing the First Responder Training Center for the past four years, with input from a committee of first responders, said a centralized location and shared resources where all first responders can learn, and practice are huge assets.

“A facility like this has been a dream for many generations,” said Hooper. He noted it is financed primarily by a portion of York County government’s share of American Rescue Plan Act funding, and other sources.

Congressionally Directed Spending, through Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Angus King, will help outfit the facility with equipment, props, and training aids.

“We’ll host national level classes,” said Hooper. “We’ll provide the standard initial entry training classes as well as specialized training. We’ll be able to do this on a set schedule, and for multiple agencies at one time. Partnering with other training and educational organizations, such as the York County Community College, will enhance educational opportunities.”

Design-build contractors Landry French took York County Commissioners and County Manager Greg Zinser on a tour of the 17-acre Layman Way property on Jan. 15.

“It’s great to see this coming together,” said Commissioner Justin Chenette. “I can see the progress the team is making.”

“I’m pleased to see the progress. It seems to be on track, and I am looking forward to seeing it done,” said Commissioner Richard Clark.

“I am so pleased with the whole project and amazed at how quickly it has come together,” said Commissioner Donna Ring. “I am proud of what the county has accomplished with American Rescue Plan Act funds, very proud.”

Those interested in making a charitable contribution to the recovery center or seeking additional information may contact Chief Advancement Officer Rachel Stansfield, First County Foundation, at restansfield@yorkcountymaine.gov or 207-459-7055.

About First County Foundation
Founded in 2023, FCF is charged with a mission “to support and strengthen safe and healthy communities by resourcing transformational solutions to the emergent needs of York County.”