The Coulombe Center for Health Improvement, located at the St. Andrews Campus, opened its doors in May of 2015. Since then, director and program coordinator AnniPat McKenney has been working with local groups to make the Center a “catalyst for action,” as its mission statement says, by bringing together ideas and action.

“We've spent a lot of time assessing what the community really needs,” McKenney said. “We want to make sure services aren't being duplicated in the region, and helping bring together the different groups that promote wellness.”

McKenney has worked with several organizations involved in health and wellness, including the Student Health Advisory Board at Boothbay Region High School and Healthy Lincoln County. Since she started leading the Center, she has helped bring helped bring the “Food for Thought” program to St. Andrews, hosted a meeting with Lincoln Country Dental to highlight oral health issues in area youth (Lincoln Country Dental now has a new suite at the Family Care Center), attended Set for Success and partnered with Healthy Lincoln Country to bring the USDA Summer Food Service Program to the area and provide free breakfast and lunch meals to those 18 years of age and younger.

“Based on the data we've collected, the Center is focusing on young people ages 11-26 as those most in need,” McKenney said. “But we've also collaborated on programs for all ages, including the WISE Program for supporting adults 50 years and older with long-term mental health needs.”

According to McKenney there are over 150 organizations and individuals involved in the wellness of area youth. The mission of the Coulombe Center is to bring those organizations and individuals together to collaborate and do more together than they could separately.

“We're looking to fill in the gaps,” McKenney said.

In November 2015, the center led a community retreat at St. Andrews to discuss what resources the community has, and what was needed, to help area youth. Over 100 people attended, including 11 students from Boothbay Region elementary and high schools.

“The student participation was most people's favorite part,” McKenney said. “Getting to hear, directly from the source, what was needed.”

That retreat inspired Julie and Paul Roberts, local business owners, to create the Boothbay Region K-12 Co-op closet where any student could get items they need, from snacks to personal care items. McKenney is also trying to raise awareness of the free and reduced school lunch program to area families. She wants to “change the culture” and have families not see it as a handout, but a hand up and a benefit for the region as a whole.

“For many years we (the Boothbay region) has hovered just below the 50-percent mark of people qualifying for free and reduced lunch,” McKenney said. “What people should know is that if we go above that, the community will be eligible for a lot of opportunities such as grants to help people who need it.”

McKenney said the plan is currently “targeted outreach” with confidential, pre-addressed envelopes sent to families to apply for the free and reduced program. She said it's important to reduce the barriers families might face.

Every six months, McKenney prepares a report for the center's benefactors, Paul and Giselaine Coulombe.

“They are excited about what's happening and offer supportive words,” McKenney said.

Next steps include coordinating with groups to create a safe place for youth to gather after school. McKenney said what happened in Belfast would be a good fit for the region: A retail store called the Game Loft created an area for students to play, and has now expanded into meal serving and mentoring programs.

“Mentoring is a huge part of youth involvement,” McKenney said. “People around here have so many skills to pass on, we just need to bring them together.”