Construction is underway at Friendship Cottage following the fulfillment of a major philanthropic pledge that helped make long-needed facility improvements possible. Work has begun to replace the building's roof, with additional repairs planned in the coming months to help ensure Friendship Cottage can continue providing high-quality care and support for older adults and their families across Hancock County.
The improvements come as Friendship Cottage serves a growing number of program participants, reflecting both the continued demand for its services and the increasing need for aging supports throughout the region.
"The start of this work is an important milestone for Friendship Cottage and the families who depend on it," said Anne Ossanna, Program Coordinator for Friendship Cottage. "The incredible support we have received from donors, community members, families, and advocates over the past year is helping us strengthen the facility while ensuring we can continue providing a safe, welcoming, and comfortable environment for participants."
While construction marks visible progress, leaders with Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties emphasize that maintaining and strengthening Friendship Cottage requires ongoing community investment and support.
"We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to Friendship Cottage's success over the past year," said Jason Parent, CEO of Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties. "The generosity we've seen has helped move critical facility improvements forward and positioned the program for the future. At the same time, we continue to face significant financial pressures associated with providing high-quality care. Sustaining services like Friendship Cottage will require continued partnership from donors, community supporters, healthcare stakeholders, and policymakers."
The renovations represent another important chapter in a community effort that began in late 2025 when the future of Friendship Cottage became uncertain. Faced with the possibility of losing one of Hancock County's most valued aging services programs, families, agency team members, community leaders, and supporters from across the region rallied together to preserve the program.
That extraordinary grassroots effort ultimately led to the successful acquisition of the Friendship Cottage facility, ensuring the program would have a permanent home and the opportunity to continue serving older adults and their caregivers for years to come. The campaign demonstrated the deep connection that participants, families, and the broader community have to Friendship Cottage and the essential role it plays in the region's continuum of care.
While securing the facility was a major achievement, agency leaders note that preserving the building was only the first step toward ensuring the program's long-term future.
"The community helped us save Friendship Cottage, and we will always be grateful for that tremendous show of support," Parent said. "What this process reaffirmed is just how essential this service is to families throughout Hancock County. Renovating the facility is important, but our ultimate goal is ensuring the program itself remains sustainable and accessible for generations to come."
Like many healthcare and aging services providers across Maine, Friendship Cottage continues to face growing operational pressures driven by rising labor costs, transportation expenses, food costs, utilities, insurance, and other necessities associated with delivering quality care. At the same time, reimbursement rates for adult day health services have not kept pace with those escalating costs, creating ongoing financial challenges for providers throughout the state.
The need for Friendship Cottage's services has become even more significant as Hancock County and much of Maine continue to confront long-term care capacity challenges. With limited long-term care options available locally, many families are seeking alternatives that allow loved ones to remain safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
Friendship Cottage fills a critical role within that system of care. Unlike many adult day programs that focus primarily on socialization, supervision, and caregiver respite, Friendship Cottage also serves individuals whose needs require a nursing level of care. Participants often have complex medical, physical, or cognitive conditions requiring highly trained staff, individualized support, health monitoring, and coordinated care.
That level of service allows many families to continue caring for loved ones at home while maintaining employment, balancing other caregiving responsibilities, and avoiding or delaying institutional placement. For participants, it provides meaningful engagement, professional support, and the opportunity to remain connected to their communities.
"Friendship Cottage is much more than an adult day program," Ossanna said. "For many families, it is a lifeline. The level of care provided here allows people with significant needs to remain in their homes and communities while receiving the support they deserve. In an environment where long-term care resources are increasingly limited, programs like Friendship Cottage are helping fill a critical gap in our healthcare system."
Agency leaders said continued community support, philanthropic investment, and advocacy for sustainable reimbursement rates will be essential to protecting the program's future.
"As our population ages, the need for services like Friendship Cottage will only continue to grow," Parent said. "We remain committed to working with state leaders, healthcare partners, donors, and community supporters to ensure this vital resource remains available to the families who depend on it. The support we've received demonstrates how much this program means to the community, and it gives us tremendous hope for the future."
Friendship Cottage will continue providing compassionate care and support for participants and families throughout the renovation process, with construction activities carefully coordinated to minimize disruption to daily operations.
