From left, Annie Walsh, Aspire Development Services, state officials William Concannon and Roger Herzog, break ground Wednesday at Aspire’s new Franklin Street headquarters with Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, Aspire’s Lori Russell and state Sen. Thomas M. McGee. Item Photo by Owen O’Rourke
By Bridget Turcotte
LYNN — Annie Walsh first got involved with Aspire Developmental Services when her twins, Maeve and Myles, needed early intervention care.
Aspire provides early intervention services to children who have, or are at risk for, developmental delays.
Walsh’s daughter received services for about a year, but her son needed more care. Once the twins aged out of the program, Walsh began fundraising and eventually joined the Board of Directors as a way to give back.
“It means the world to me what you’ve done for my family,” she said during a groundbreaking for Aspire’s new Franklin Street headquarters on Wednesday. “Aspire provides incredible services. They do so much for the kids who really need it.”
The organization is renovating the former O’Keefe School building on Franklin Street. Lori Russell, acting executive director of Aspire, is hoping for a summer 2017 grand opening.
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said she remembers the school being in operation when she was a child. After the school sat unused for 15 to 20 years, she couldn’t think of a better use for it than to help the children in the city of Lynn.
City Council President Dan Cahill added that at one point, a recommendation was made to the panel to tear down the building.
“As a parent whose daughter went through services of early intervention, seeing the help that she got, I’m blown away,” he said.
Sen. Thomas McGee said he was glad to see the building be brought back to life, educating and helping children again.
“It’s good for the neighborhood but more importantly, it’s great for the children,” he said.
Aspire provided services to more than 1,850 children last year. Two-thirds of the families served were minority and 78 percent were below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
The new facility will provide 15,000 square feet, or three times as much space, allowing play group opportunities for children receiving early intervention services to double. Capacity for childcare and preschool students will also increase, said Russell.
“The old Johnson Street facility reached capacity a long time ago,” Walsh said.
She’s thrilled that Aspire will be able to offer services to families in Lynn that weren’t possible at the old building.
The cost of the project is estimated to be $4.3 million and about half was funded by a state grant, bank financing and the sale of their existing property.
In June, the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, in partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund, awarded Aspire a $1 million Early Education and Care and Out of School Time grant.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
