New Haggett Family Early Learning Center to open this fall
The Bath Area Family YMCA announced today that it has successfully completed its $7.9 million capital campaign to dramatically expand access to childcare for Midcoast families. The campaign culminates with the opening of the new Haggett Family Early Learning Center this September, increasing the YMCA’s childcare capacity from 35 children to 200 in just three years.
Launched in 2023, the multi-phase capital campaign was created to address the growing demand for high-quality, affordable childcare across the region. The completed campaign represents one of the largest investments in early childhood education in the Bath Area Family YMCA’s history and reflects a community-wide commitment to ensuring families have access to the care and early learning opportunities they need.
The campaign’s first phase began with the construction of two new classrooms in a standalone building on the Bath YMCA campus, which opened in 2024. The expansion tripled the number of available childcare spaces at a time when several childcare providers in the community were reducing services or closing their doors.
Last year, the YMCA also opened a new early learning center in Brunswick in partnership with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, expanding childcare opportunities for both BIW employees and families throughout the broader community.
The second and final phase of the campaign will be realized this September with the opening of the Haggett Family Early Learning Center – a dedicated six-classroom addition to the Bath YMCA. The center is named in honor of the late Bill Haggett, former president of Bath Iron Works, longtime YMCA board member, and past board president, and his wife, Sally, in recognition of their tireless leadership and advocacy for expanding childcare opportunities in the Midcoast region.
When the Haggett Family Early Learning Center opens this fall, the YMCA’s childcare capacity will have grown from serving 35 children to 200 – a nearly six-fold increase in just three years.
In early 2025, the YMCA launched the public phase of the campaign after raising nearly 90 percent of the campaign goal through early pledges from donors, contributions from community partners including General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, and $1.5 million in federal funding secured by Senator Angus King. Two recent gifts from Bath Savings Bank and the Libra Foundation provided the final momentum needed to complete the fundraising effort.
“This campaign represents what can happen when a community comes together around a shared purpose,” said Staci Beal, Chief Philanthropy Officer for the Bath Area Family YMCA. “Every gift – large and small – helped make this vision a reality. We’re incredibly thankful to Bath Savings Bank, the Libra Foundation, our donors, community partners, and every individual who contributed along the way. Their generosity is creating more opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive for generations to come.”
“For years, families have been asking for more childcare opportunities, and we’re thrilled that we’re finally able to meet so much of that need,” said Annie Colaluca, Executive Director of Child and Family Services. “The Haggett Family Early Learning Center is much more than a beautiful new building – it’s a place where children will build confidence, friendships, and a lifelong love of learning while giving parents the support they need to work and thrive.”
The opening of the Haggett Family Early Learning Center will also create new opportunities across the Bath YMCA campus. Existing classroom space will be transformed into expanded fitness studios and flexible multi-purpose areas that will support wellness programs, community gatherings, and initiatives such as the Veggie Van food delivery program, allowing the YMCA to serve even more people in new ways.
“This is a truly transformational moment for our YMCA,” said CEO Amy Vendt. “Completing this campaign means more than expanding childcare – it represents an investment in the future of our entire community. By creating more opportunities for families to access high-quality early education, we’re strengthening our workforce, supporting parents, and helping the next generation thrive.”