Caravan of Caring offers area outreach programs - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

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The following is a summary of Caravan of Caring outreach programs as of Nov. 9.

Kennebec Behavioral Health, 1-888-322-2136:

Provides services to youth, adults, and families experiencing mental illness, substance use disorders, emotional difficulties, or behavioral challenges. Is able to provide services to patients who do not have insurance or those who do have insurance, but which does not cover the services.

• Case management services for adults and children

• Outpatient and medication management services

• Clubhouses

Catholic Charities of Maine, 1-800-781-8550:

• SEARCH: Seek Elderly Alone, Renew Courage & Hope — Connects isolated seniors with community volunteers.

• Volunteers can help with a variety of services from appointments, errands, grocery shopping

• Provides visitation and companionship to seniors

• Telephone reassurance, especially during the pandemic when home visits were limited

Safe Voices, 207-778-6107:

• Provides emergency shelter to victims (and their children) of domestic violence and sex trafficking and exploitation.

• One-on-one support as well as support groups

• Children’s services

• Advocacy and court advocacy

SAPARS, 1-800-871-7741:
• Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services — The Children’s Advocacy Center

Helps to promote the healing of victims of child sexual abuse by providing a strong community response to investigation, treatment and prevention of abuse.

United Way, 207-778-5048:

• The Hope Fund: Provides assistance for unmet needs of children in Greater Franklin County, Livermore and Livermore Falls. Helps remove barriers to enable low-income children to engage in a wide variety of enriching experiences in which they would not otherwise be able to participate. Non-profits may now apply in addition to individuals. Visit uwtva.org/what-we-do/ for the application.

• The Very Basics Fund: The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area and its partners are working to meet the short- and long-term needs of individuals and families in Greater Franklin County. Organizations that serve populations in need every day are finding themselves under-resourced to serve a growing demand for those services. United Way established The Very Basics Fund, which supports requests up to $5,000 for food, fuel, shelter, and other basic needs.

• 211: a 24/7 health and human services helpline supported by individual United Ways of Maine and the state of Maine. Calling 211 is easy; people get a live person 24 hours a day, and the information they need to take the next steps in getting the help they need.

• 211 online: 211maine.org

• 211 via text 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: people enter their zip code to 207-898-211 to get connected to resources they need.

• United Way is piloting a volunteer driver program in Rangeley.

• Food hub coordination: researching food insecurity in Franklin County to create and improve on existing resources; has a position available 10 hours a week.

• Youth Leadership Council: Working with youth within Foster Tech to support the youth in Franklin County. Students develop leadership skills, volunteer four hours a month, and decide how seed money provided by United Way is invested in youth programs in Greater Franklin County.

• Western Maine CA$H Collation: Free tax preparation for families with income below $57,000. Tax preparation is done by certified IRS volunteers. Taxes will be prepared in mid January.