Wright-Ryan Construction celebrates ribbon cutting of United 4 Child Care Center

South Portland, ME Wright-Ryan Construction joined United 4 Child Care, United Way of Southern Maine, and other project partners to celebrate the ribbon cutting of a new, purpose-built childcare center at 236 Gannett Dr. – the first facility to open under the United 4 Child Care (U4CC) model.

Serving as construction manager, Wright-Ryan played a central role in delivering the approximately 100-child facility, designed to support infants and young children while addressing one of the region’s most pressing challenges: access to affordable, high-quality childcare.

“This ribbon cutting represents more than the completion of a building – it reflects what’s possible when mission-driven organizations and industry partners come together around a shared purpose,” said Matt Ricard, integrated PM/foreman with Wright-Ryan’s Commercial Select Projects Group. “We’re proud to help bring this vision to life and to support a model that will have a lasting, positive impact for working families across Southern Maine,” said Brett Longo, Wright-Ryan’s project superintendent.

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine faced a significant shortage of available childcare. In response, United Way of Southern Maine and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce convened employers, community leaders, and service providers in 2023 to collaboratively develop a new approach. That effort led to the creation of United 4 Child Care – a new nonprofit that is advancing a scalable, public-private partnership model to expand access and affordability.

The South Portland center represents the first facility developed under U4CC’s long-term strategy to expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare across the region. Notably, half of those slots are intended to serve ALICE households – families who are asset-limited, income-constrained, and employed, yet continue to struggle to meet basic needs such as childcare. Today, an estimated 37% of households in Southern Maine fall into this category according to the most recent data shared by United Way of Southern Maine.

“Access to reliable childcare is foundational to family stability and a thriving workforce,” said Dan Coyne, president and CEO of United Way of Southern Maine. “This new center is exactly the kind of innovative, cross-sector solution our community needs — one that supports ALICE families, strengthens employers, and delivers long-term impact across Southern Maine.”

The facility was delivered through close coordination with project partners, including Colby Co. Engineering, alongside a broader team of designers, tradespeople, and community stakeholders. The result is a thoughtfully designed environment that prioritizes safety, accessibility, and early childhood development. All the facilities envisioned by U4CC make a significant step forward in a broader initiative to reshape childcare access throughout Southern Maine.

“At Wright-Ryan, we believe construction can be a catalyst for meaningful change,” said Luke Dionne, general manager of Wright-Ryan’s Commercial Select Projects Group. “Projects like this underscore the role our industry can play in supporting communities – not just through what we build, but through the partnerships we help foster along the way.”