Health group, community center get $48M endowments in Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A health group and community center will receive a combined $48 million in endowments to grow services for central Maine.

The Peter Alfond Foundation is providing the support to MaineGeneral Health and the Alfond Youth & Community Center. The foundation said MaineGeneral will receive $40 million and the community center will get the rest.

MaineGeneral will use the support to expand prevention programs that focus on community health, the group said. The community center will use its money to fund positions of wellness director and wellness trainers.

MaineGeneral chief executive officer Chuck Hays said the money arrives at a critical time for the health care system because of the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.