Blue Hill’s Friendship Cottage Faces Closure Amid DCP Bankruptcy

In a critical development for care services in Hancock County, the Friendship Cottage adult day care center in Blue Hill faces uncertainty as it must buy back its property to continue operations. The facility, which has served adults with mental and physical disabilities for over two decades, is caught in the financial fallout of the now-defunct Downeast Community Partners (DCP). Supporters have initiated a fundraising campaign to secure the future of the center, amplifying concerns about the potential impact on vulnerable community members.

Friendship Cottage was previously operated under DCP, a nonprofit social service provider that ceased its operations in October 2023 due to severe financial difficulties. DCP now owes over $4 million to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, as indicated by liens filed in October with the Hancock and Washington County Registry of Deeds. This debt includes liens on several properties, including the headquarters and the Friendship Cottage facility on Ellsworth Road, which is now being liquidated.

The center provides essential day care services for residents with varying disabilities, offering not only medical assistance but also meals and community activities. Many participants depend on the care provided during the day, allowing their families to maintain employment. Dede Johnson, a Blue Hill resident, shared her reliance on Friendship Cottage, stating, “If Friendship Cottage wasn’t here, someone would have to quit their job to come take care of my husband. We couldn’t survive in our household without it.”

Ann Ossanna, Executive Director of Friendship Cottage, recalled the organization’s efforts in 2005 to raise $1.4 million to purchase and renovate the property, transforming it from a former café into a dedicated adult day care center. The news that the center may need to repurchase the facility has been emotionally taxing for Ossanna. “I was devastated, to be honest. I was devastated,” she expressed, reflecting on the challenges ahead.

On November 17, 2023, a group known as the Friends of Friendship Cottage announced the launch of a fundraising campaign aimed at acquiring the property once again. Although the center continues to operate under the fiscal sponsorship of the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP), the announcement emphasized that “the future of the facility depends on securing ownership of the property.”

Barbra Clark, a long-time volunteer at Friendship Cottage involved in the fundraising efforts, noted that negotiations are underway with Bernstein Shur, the legal firm managing DCP’s asset liquidation. Clark mentioned that the property has not yet been listed for sale and expressed uncertainty about the required fundraising target.

According to Jason Parent, Executive Director of ACAP, the timeline for when the Friendship Cottage property will be available for sale remains unclear. Parent stated, “We are working with a group of interested community members to hopefully purchase the facility. We are looking into alternatives. No solution is off the table at this point.”

As ACAP expands its focus to better serve the surrounding counties, it is also committed to enhancing the financial sustainability of Friendship Cottage. Ossanna emphasized the unique design of the facility, tailored for adult day care services, making relocation nearly impossible if the fundraising campaign does not succeed. “I’ve looked into other spaces and it’s just not going to happen,” she said.

The potential burden of a mortgage or rental payments would further strain the already limited finances of Friendship Cottage, which currently supports 11 participants, five of whom require nursing home-level care. Since the closure of the Island Nursing Home in 2021, Friendship Cottage has become one of the few remaining adult care facilities in Hancock County.

For Ossanna, the center represents more than just a service; it embodies a community. “It feels like family,” she said, noting the consistent feedback from caregivers who appreciate the compassion shown to their loved ones. As the fundraising campaign unfolds, the future of Friendship Cottage hangs in the balance, highlighting the vital support it provides to families in need.