College challenge expands state-wide

AUGUSTA – Governor John E. Baldacci has announced that every baby born in Maine will be eligible for a $500 grant to start a NextGen College Investing Plan account starting Jan. 1, 2009.  The Harold Alfond College Challenge began as a pilot program for babies born in MaineGeneral facilities in 2008, with 320 babies opening NextGen College Investing accounts and receiving $500 grants in the first year alone.  About 150 of those babies were at Thursday’s announcement.     “Harold Alfond wanted all Maine children to have the opportunity to pursue higher education and to enjoy the benefits such education would bring to them and our State,” Governor Baldacci said.  “He wanted Maine to lead the nation in making higher education a right and responsibility for all.”
    The Harold Alfond College Challenge provides every baby born in Maine with a $500 grant to start a NextGen account for education beyond high school.  It is expected that more than 14,000 babies will be born in Maine in 2009.
    “Harold would be very pleased with our progress, but he would not want us to rest on our laurels,” the Governor said.  “He would be the first to say that our work is not done and ‘enough with the pats on the back, get back to work tomorrow. Harold would challenge us to enroll as many Maine newborns as possible in the program this coming year, and to continue to spread the message of the importance of saving early for college and obtaining a college education.”
    For more information about the Harold Alfond College Challenge, please visitwww.500forbaby.org or call 1-800-228-3734.
For more information about the NextGen College Investing Plan, go to www.famemaine.com/nextgen/ho