A new chapter in Community Action across northern and Downeast Maine will officially begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, when Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties unveils a new organizational name and brand representing its expanded regional identity and future direction.
The public announcement will be released simultaneously through the agency's website at www.acap-me.org, its Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube platforms, and a special edition of the agency's Weekly Briefing electronic newsletter, which is distributed to more than 10,000 subscribers throughout the region.
Agency leaders say the forthcoming announcement is about much more than a new logo or visual identity. It reflects a newly expanded footprint, regional collaboration, and deliberate efforts to build a stronger, more sustainable Community Action Agency serving communities across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock Counties.
"For decades, our organization was known as the Aroostook County Action Program, a name that accurately reflected where we began and the communities we served," said Jason Parent, CEO. "Today, our agency serves families and communities across three counties and throughout both northern and Downeast Maine. As our work evolved and our footprint expanded, it became increasingly clear that a name rooted in a single county was no longer inclusive of the people, places, and communities we now serve. This transition is about ensuring that our identity reflects who we are today and the future we are building together."
The rebranding follows a transformative period for the organization. Since assuming responsibility for the continuation of key community services in Washington and Hancock Counties in late 2025, the agency has worked to create a unified regional structure while maintaining strong local presence and representation in each county. That work culminated this year with the establishment of a new 30-member regional Board of Directors representing consumer, public, and private sector voices from across all three counties, creating a governance model that is both regionally unified and locally grounded.
Gary Sanfacon, Chair of the Board of Directors, said the new brand reflects the organization's evolution into a truly regional agency while honoring the values and relationships that have defined Community Action work for generations.
"This organization has been built through partnership, collaboration, and a shared commitment to ensuring that families throughout northern and Downeast Maine continue to have access to critical services," Sanfacon said. "The new brand honors that spirit while providing a stronger foundation for the future. It recognizes that while our communities may be separated by geography, they are connected by common values, resilience, and a belief that we are stronger when we work together."
Agency leaders emphasized that the transition to a new name and brand comes as part of a broader effort to create a stronger and more efficient regional organization. Over the past year, the agency has successfully consolidated administrative functions, streamlined agency and program leadership structures, reduced duplication, and unified operations across the three-county region. These efforts are generating substantial recurring savings annually, allowing more resources to be directed to community services while strengthening long-term organizational sustainability.
The agency noted that the modest investment associated with updating signage, materials, and visual identity represents only a fraction of those ongoing savings and efficiencies. Leaders also emphasized that no program funds intended for direct services are being used to support the transition.
The naming process itself involved extensive participation from staff members, Board members, program participants, community partners, volunteers, and residents throughout the region. Guided by a comprehensive process led by Maine-based branding firm Warp + Weft, the effort included interviews, surveys, stakeholder engagement sessions, and multiple rounds of review to identify an identity that could authentically represent the agency's mission, values, and expanding service area.
While leaders are keeping the new name confidential until September 22, they describe it as one that reflects relationships rather than geography and partnership rather than place. It is inspired by the idea that meaningful progress happens when people work alongside one another and draws from historical and cultural threads that connect communities throughout the northernmost and Downeast regions of Maine. The new identity acknowledges a shared heritage that has helped shape the region for centuries while embracing the diverse communities and cultures that continue to enrich it today.
Today, the agency provides a broad range of services that touch nearly every stage of life, including energy and heating assistance, early childhood education and Head Start, housing stability programs, workforce development and employment supports, health and wellness initiatives, services for older adults, financial empowerment programs, transportation supports, and community and economic development efforts. Together, these programs assist thousands of individuals and families each year throughout Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock Counties.
"The heart of this organization is unchanged," Parent added. "Our team members will continue doing what they have always done: showing up for people, listening without judgment, connecting resources, building partnerships, and helping communities thrive. What changes on September 22 is the name by which people know us. What remains constant is our commitment to standing alongside the individuals, families, and communities we serve every day."
Community members can view the public announcement beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, through the agency's website, social media channels, and a special edition of the Weekly Briefing electronic newsletter. Individuals interested in receiving the Weekly Briefing may subscribe by contacting info@acap-me.org.
Text...
