CCFC is an affiliate of Community Concepts Inc., consisting of HomeQuest (www.homequestmaine.org), a Neighborworks Homeownership Center, and The Business Lending Center (www.mainebusinesslending.com).

CCFC’s HomeQuest provides financial products such as mortgage loans, energy improvement and home improvement loans and down payment and closing cost assistance, as well as homeowner services such as mortgage brokerage, homebuyer education and budget and credit counseling. Similarly, CCFC’s Business Lending Center provides business lending to both small and large organizations as well as technical assistance to those seeking to start, expand or strengthen a business.

Dennis Lajoie, of Community Concepts Finance Corporation, says they have been experiencing solid growth and the grant money will help CCFC fulfill their mission of being a community resource. “These fund will help us to secure the resources needed to grow steadily and effectively, to best serve those seeking our services. This money will will allow us to invest in needed resources without detracting from the services we provide.”

The grant will finance an array of activities including the development of a professional market analysis to help CCFC more effectively reach it’s target audience. It will also allow for the purchase and installation of new financial lending software systems to better integrate with the current software systems at Community Concepts, as well as provide CCFC with operational support which includes developing a new board of directors and more intensive training programs for current staff.

Community Concepts Finance Corporation is located at 240 Bates St. in Lewiston. 1-800-866-5588.

“This loan program is a great opportunity for those who have hit a rough patch and need assistance getting back on their feet”, said Ron Knott, Director of HomeQuest. Only homeowners who have been unemployed or underemployed due to the economy or a medical condition, and are at least 90 days past due, are eligible to submit their information into a lottery to apply for potential assistance. Homeowners who are entered into the lottery will be notified by the beginning of August of their selection or placement on a waiting list.

Knott advises that due to fast approaching deadlines and the criteria an applicant must meet, interested applicants should get in touch with HomeQuest quickly. “The EHLP Pre-Applicant Screening worksheet is available on our website, www.homequestmaine.org and we are more than happy to sit down with potential applicants to be sure they meet the criteria and are entered into the lottery.” Additional program information can be found at the national EHLP Web site, www.findehlp.org The Pre-Applicant Screening worksheet may be emailed to info@homequestmaine.org, mailed to HomeQuest at 240 Bates Street, Lewiston, ME 04240 or completed in person. Call 1-866-221-4383 for an appointment.

HomeQuest’s director, Ronald Knott, says both the on-line and the classroom home buyer education programs provide participants with a wealth of information to help them become a more informed home buyer. “HomeQuest helps to create healthy home owners. Buying a home can be a daunting task. We’ll help you weed through your questions and even answer some that you hadn’t thought of yet.” Statistics show that people who have gone through HomeBuyer Education run a substantially lower risk of having difficulties later on affording or maintaining their home.

HomeQuest’s Home Buyer Education course covers everything from how to determine an appropriate mortgage, to how to save for necessary fees and costs, to shopping for a home, to maintaining one’s home over time. The online Home Buyer Education course is offered through HomeQuest’s affiliation with NeighborWorks and eHome America. HomeQuest is a full cycle program, able to help with everything from home buyer education to mortgage lending.

For more information, call 207-795-4065, email info@homequestmaine.org or find us online at www.homequestmaine.org.

CONTACT
Zakk Maher – Owner
Square Roots Natural Foods
zakk@squarerootsnaturalfoods.com
207-998-3484

OR

Jim Wilkins,
Director of Advancement
Community Concepts, Inc.
jwilkins@community-concepts.org
207-333-6400

What: New Natural Foods Store Opens in Poland, Maine
Community Concepts Finance Corp. Provides Financing

Why:

Square Root Natural Foods is celebrating the grand opening of a new natural foods store in Poland, Maine. Owners Zakk Maher, a native of Poland, and his wife Emmy Andersson, are committed to offering healthy foods that are grown or raised within 100 miles of their store.

Community Concepts Finance Corporation (CCFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the non-profit community action agency Community Concepts, Inc., has provided financing for Square Root Natural Foods. CCFC offers small business lending and technical assistance throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford Counties.

Who:

Zakk Maher and Emmy Andersson – Owners of Square Root Natural Foods
Dana Lee, Poland Town Manager
John Cleveland, Community Dynamics, Inc.
Dennis Lajoie, Community Concepts Finance Corporation

Music will be provided by: Old Man Forest

Where/When: Ribbon Cutting March 20, 2010
12:00 PM

1399 Maine Street (Route 26)
Poland, Maine

Additonal Media Information:
Square Roots Natural Foods is working to enhance economic, social and environmental sustainability through providing our community members with healthy, environmentally friendly, and local products and food. www.squarerootnaturalfoods.com

Store Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Community Concepts is a community action agency serving Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford Counties. Founded in 1965, Community Concepts serves more than 25,000 individuals with a vaiety of services: Business Lending, Head Start and Child Care, Home Repair and Energy Services, Transportation for Medical appointments, Affordable Apartments and Family Support. www.community-concepts.org

New Natural Food Store Opens in Poland, Maine

Poland, Maine – “Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local” may not be the motto for the new owners of the Square Roots Natural Foods store in Poland, Maine, but it might as well be. Poland native Zakk Maher and his wife Emmy Andersson recently opened Square Root Natural Foods to offer healthy foods that are grown or raised within 100 miles of their Route 26 location.

“We want our customers to know the value of their food and to enjoy the bounty of our local farmers,” said Zakk Maher. His wife, Emmy, commented that “It is important for us to be rooted in our community and to help support the local economy. So we will be buying as much from local suppliers as we can.”

Financing for the new business owners came from Community Concepts Finance Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Concepts, Inc. and Northeast Bank.

Dennis Lajoie, Director of the Community Concepts Finance Corporation, believes Square Root Natural Foods is a great investment for the community. “Zakk and Emmy want to make a difference for their customers by offering great products and for the local farmers, by giving them a local outlet to sell their fruits, vegetables and meats in a small personalized market.”

Food bought and sold within 100 miles supports the local farm economy, saves on fuel and transportation costs and helps to reduce the carbon footprint associated with growing and buying food. In addition to local fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, Square Root Natural Foods offers a wide variety of dry goods, herbs and spices, frozen foods, vitamin supplements and healthy snacks. The store also has a great selection of gluten free products for those with sensitivity to wheat.

The couple and their 19-month old daughter Elsa, will celebrate the opening of their new store with a community open house on Saturday, March 20th, 2010. The store will open at 10 AM and a formal ribbon cutting event will start at noon. In addition to live, local folk music, Mr. Dana Lee, Town Manager for Poland, Selectman from the town and other special guests will be there to welcome the Square Roots Natural Foods store to Poland.

The store, located at 1399 Maine Street (Route 26) in Poland is open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 7 PM, Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM.

An important piece of being “rooted in the community” is giving back, so Maher and Andersson will donate a portion of the grand opening day profits to Poland’s Ricker Library. “This is a new tradition that we plan on carrying out every year on the anniversary of the store opening,” said Ms. Andersson.

Community Concepts Finance Corporation offers small business lending and technical assistance throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford Counties. For more information, contact Joe Balchunas, Business Loan Officer, at 207-739-6548 or jbalchunas@community-concepts.org.
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