NECC History

The Northeast Community Council Inc., doing business as North East Community Center (NECC), was established in the winter of 1988 at the urging of Wendy Curtis and Sam Busselle, through the passing of a town statute. Its original purpose was to respond to the lack of social support services for Millerton and North East residents, who reside far from county services in Poughkeepsie. NECC incorporated as a New York nonprofit in 1990 and received federal recognition as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1994.

Early on, NECC occupied a small rented space in the Village of Millerton on North Center Street. In 1993, NECC purchased the current community center at 51 South Center Street through the generous support of a visionary donor. Through the ongoing generosity of additional donors and funders, and the commitment of staff and Board, NECC has grown steadily since its founding, adding programs, program sites, clients and geographic reach.

While NECC outgrew its South Center Street facility some years ago as the site for many of its programs and staff, its welcoming visibility and easy accessibility within the Village was advantageous for our clients, many of whom lack personal transportation. The building was never able to accommodate the staff or students of the NECC after-school program which serves Kindergarten through 8th grade, and eventually it could no longer accommodate other NECC programs and related staff. For ten years, these programs and staff were located in a leased portion of the former Millerton Elementary School facility, which was sold by the school district in August 2017. Beginning in September 2017, NECC has been partnering with the Webutuck School District to permanently locate its K – 8th grade after-school programs in the Elementary and Middle School buildings on the Webutuck campus. Temporary space for after-school and other staff, including storage and parking, has been leased adjacent to the current NECC building as of October 2018.

From its inception as a catalyst to create partnerships to address community needs, NECC has expanded over the years to become a highly-respected provider of a wide range of programs and services, addressing needs not only in Millerton and North East but also in surrounding rural towns in northeast Dutchess County. NECC has recently grown to a budget of over $1 million and a staff of 12 full-time and 14 part-time employees. As NECC has grown, it has remained committed to understanding the priority community needs of the individuals and communities it serves, providing or working collaboratively with community partners to provide needed programs and services to address those needs within its expertise, and enhancing engagement and understanding among all community members.