PATTEN, Maine — For half-a-century, Green Valley Association has been helping people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities lead a happy, healthy life.
A not-for-profit organization with an office in Island Falls and residential center in Patten, GVA provides support to its clients that allows them to live, work and recreate as valued members of their communities.
This year, the organization marked its 50th year of providing those services to the local area. The company provides services for about 26 clients in southern Aroostook and northern Penobscot counties, with a dedicated staff of 54, including management.
Services have become more diverse over the past 50 years, but the company’s founding principle of control by, and service to, local community members has not changed.
“Over the years, buildings and people have changed, but the commitment, caring and quality of service at GVA has never changed,” said Jeff Hamm, executive director for Green Valley Association. “Direct Support Professional work can have its challenges, but anyone who has done it will tell you it is very rewarding. If a person spent five minutes with the people we support, they would understand why.”
Direct Support Professional Chris Casey, middle, helps Green Valley Association resident Rusty Davis with painting a pumpkin. In the background is Mona Gallagher. (Joseph Cyr | Pioneer Times)
GVA was formed in 1967 as the Green Valley Association for Retarded Children. A 12-member board of directors was established and at its inception, GVA provided advocacy services and some academic programming. In its first 10-years, family and community members volunteered to provide academic education for children in borrowed spaces with donated materials.
In 1977, a one-year grant of $25,000 was awarded to GVA to provide academic and vocational services to 11 people. A building was purchased and the Green Valley Center opened with one full-time and one part-time employee.
In 1979, the Green Valley Group Home opened in Island Falls as a boarding home housing six men. The next year, this residence was certified as an Intermediate Care Facility, serving people with mental retardation.
In 1983, Green Valley Patten Group Home opened, providing housing for four men and two women. This home was eventually renamed 24 Katahdin Street.
Academic programs ceased in June 1986, when local school districts integrated those programs into their curriculum. Green Valley Center then was adapted for use as a day program where clients could learn and perform such tasks as furniture stripping, janitorial work, and woodworking skills. A Practical Life Program also was established to train clients on social skills, money handling, hobbies and domestic skills.
In 1988, the group officially became known as Green Valley Association. According to Hamm, the name change was driven by the group’s participation in the national move to identify individuals as a “person that has mental retardation” as opposed to saying a person was mentally retarded.
An adult waiver foster home opened at 10 Gardner St in Patten in 1989 and five years later, Green Valley divided its day program into two separate locations. Developmental programming and community integration services became based out of the Katahdin Street location in Patten, while work programs remained at a location in Crystal.
Katie Qualey, a client at Green Valley Association’s Patten location, paints a “Minion” pumpkin during a recent activity. (Joseph Cyr | Pioneer Times)
In 1996, Green Valley’s residential services underwent a major change. A facility on Waters Road (now called Shin Pond Road) opened in Patten to provide supported living services to two people. Other changes allowed the organization to serve up to 30 people in programs among the Patten and Island Falls locations.
By 2001, 66 people were supported through the adult and children’s services, but in 2005, changes at the Department of Health and Human Services reduced the number of children eligible for GVA’s programs. In 2007, that program was closed.
Today, Green Valley continues to provide home and community support. All of its residences are licensed by the Maine Department of Human Services and provide ongoing, active support in social, physical and intellectual development, as well as daily living skills.
Green Valley Association accepts donations for special programs and consumer activities, such as Special Olympics. To support GVA, donations can be mailed to Green Valley Association, P.O. Box 127, Island Falls, ME, 04747.
For more information, visit their website at http://www.gva-me.org/ or call 463-2156.
