Good afternoon,
My morning evaporated, so this will be my first afternoon edition of the morning updates!
Just a brief update today to make sure you know of two programs that might help you or someone you know who is struggling financially right now.
Rental relief is available through Maine State Housing
For Mainers that have lost their job or income due to the Coronavirus, MaineHousing is offering a rent relief program for eligible applicants. $500 is available in one-time rental relief for a limited number of households. Funds are still available. You can read all about the program here. Even if you don’t need this program or do not qualify for it now, keep it in mind to suggest to friends, neighbors, or family you talk with who may be struggling financially. You can pass this information along and help us make sure that the help gets to the folks who need it most!
Additional federal food benefits now available to all families with children, earning under 175% of the federal poverty line
USDA has approved Maine’s application for the Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT). This means that Maine families earning under 175% of the federal poverty line are now eligible for a payment toward food costs (often called “food stamps” but now delivered entirely through an electronic benefit card that works like a debit card to buy eligible food products at grocery stores).
When and how much:
· The P-EBT combined benefit amount for March and April is $189 per child and will be available in early May.
· The P-EBT combined benefit amount for May and June is $194 per child and will be available in early June.
How to receive the benefits:
· If a household is on SNAP or TANF, the benefit amount will be added to the existing account automatically.
· If a household is not on SNAP or TANF, but child(ren) received free or reduced lunch, parent(s) will need to request the benefit by calling 1-855-797-4357 and will need to give certain demographic information to an eligibility specialist who will then verify with the Department of Education that the child(ren) received free or reduced lunch.
· If child(ren) did not receive free or reduced lunch, parent(s) can apply through the local school district. If child(ren) are found eligible, then the parent(s) can call 1-855-797-4357 and give certain demographic information to an eligibility specialist who will then verify with the Department of Education that the child(ren) are now eligible for free or reduced lunch. Newly eligible determinations will only receive the benefit amount for May and June (not March or April).
If you have children and are struggling to afford food, please take advantage of these programs. And again, even if these programs don’t apply to your circumstances, I hope you’ll keep them in mind when talking with families who are struggling financially. Please have the family reach out to me if they need help applying for free and reduced lunch as a first step in accessing these benefits. I can help connect them with their local school district administration to complete that part, if needed.
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On Fridays, I do home deliveries for my business. It’s an interesting business model that I certainly never thought we would adopt, but these strange times have required all sorts of innovations and pivots. It’s been uncomfortable, to say the least, to chuck out our well established business plan and start from scratch with a new one. But driving my route, which takes me to all corners of my senate district (as well as a few places further afield), I get smiles and waves. Sometimes a bouncy, happy dog greets me in the driveway, excited to see someone other than her own family. Today, I expect I’ll admire a lot of pretty spring flowers that hadn’t emerged yet when I was driving around last week. So I’ve started to look forward to this new sort of work. I know that I’m lucky to have work at all, and I’m happy to be headed out on the road today to spend a few hours far away from my computer screen.
Be well.
With love,
Heather
P.S. You can reach me at heather.sanborn@legislature.maine.gov
P.P.S. You can subscribe to these updates at heathersanborn.substack.com