HEART OF MAINE UNITED WAY

211 - homeuw supports 2-1-1 maine for the 5-county area it serves. 2-1-1 is a comprehensive statewide directory of over 10,000 health and human services available in maine. The toll free 2-1-1 hotline is confidential and anonymous and connects callers to trained call specialists who can help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Finding the answers to health and human services questions and locating resources is as quick and easy as dialing 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898-211, or by visiting 211maine.org. 211 provides homeuw with up-to-date data around community needs and unmet needs on a monthly basis. While call volume and type vary from month to month the top call categories for the past several years have included heating assistance, utilities assistance, housing, basic needs-food, mental health services, health care/health insurance, and substance abuse services. Call volume spikes for heating assistance september through march with heating assistance calls often making up 60 - 70% of the calls. Additionally, 211 receives calls for seasonal service needs (thanksgiving and christmas), tax services (january-march), and weather-related disasters (i.e. Ice storms).

Others - neighbors united - this initiative leverages homeuw's connections in the business and nonprofit sectors to help provide needed supplies to residents across our six-counties. Homeuw works with nonprofits and businesses to connect those in need of supplies with those willing to donate the needed items through our neighbors united drives. In the last year, homeuw helped our neighbors in need obtain over 178,000 worth of goods (diapers, socks, toothbrushes, school supplies etc.) via donations and neighbors united drives. Fuel assistance fund -this initiative provides small grants that help families stay safe through the winter by providing funds for emergency heating assistance, energy audits, winterization, weatherization, and hands-on training in energy savings methods. In the past year, this program provided 25,000 in grants to non-profits in homeuw's service area to help local families and individuals in need of emergency assistance. Food security - homeuw has had a long-standing focus on food security through programs like the fema emergency food & shelter program (efsp), the national association of letter carriers (nalc) food drive, and homeuw's food drives. Homeuw is committed to raising the resources necessary to meet the immediate food security needs for the region while addressing the underlying causes of hunger and working with partners to strengthen the food security network. Over the past 10 years our local nalc food drive has generated over 1 million pounds of food, translating into nearly 825,000 meals valued over 1.9 million dollars. The bundle project -bundle is a collaborative community-based project dedicated to connecting and supporting families in the maine highlands and focused on the well-being of young children, expecting parents, and caregivers. This project combines a user-friendly website with a community-based effort, making it easier for families to access the support they need. As part of the bundle project, every newborn and their caregiver across the maine highlands will receive 4 bundle boxes at their healthcare provider. Each bundle box contains carefully selected items that cater to the age-appropriate developmental needs of the child, and the wellbeing of the caregiver. While bundle originated in the maine highlands community, our vision is for other communities to implement the bundle project and provide a positive impact on families across the state and country