Maine Helps

Fred Rogers – Mr. Rogers – said, “When I was young and I would see scary things on the news, my mother would say, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Maine people are helpers, and they are everywhere. They are our doctors, nurses, EMS, firefighters, police officers, grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, government employees.

They are you, they are your neighbor, they are your loved ones. They are Maine people.

I hope this new resource will help those looking for ways to lend a hand and encourage more Maine people to target their skills, resources, and time in the most effective and safe ways to do the most good for our state.

Please consider donating to relief funds or trusted local nonprofits, contributing to the health care response, safely supporting your local businesses and community organizations, and connecting virtually to ensure your social bonds remain strong.

We may be apart, but we can still come together in the ways that matter most to support the state that we all know and love.

Governor Janet Mills

This page will be updated regularly.

Help by donating

Donate directly to trusted local nonprofits. Many of the nonprofits you know and trust are providing services to those in need in your community and they could use your help.

  • Donate to your local United Way. Each of Maine‘s nine United Ways* has a local response to the pandemic, based on the needs of the communities they serve. To donate visit United Ways of Maine.
  • *For Knox County, please also visit United Midcoast Charities.
  • Donate to the Maine Community Foundation. MaineCF has established a statewide emergency response fund to provide immediate, flexible grants to regional and community-based nonprofits responding to COVID-19 hardships throughout Maine, such as area agencies on aging, community action programs, homeless shelters and food pantries. To donate visit the Maine Community Foundation.
  • Donate for food security. Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine’s largest hunger relief organization, is partnering with state agencies and food pantries to support those affected by COVID-19. To donate or hold a virtual food drive in your community, visit gsfb.org/mainecovid.

Help the health care response

If you wish to help Maine government purchase critical medical supplies, please use this form:
COVID-19 purchase form

If you have critical, certified medical supplies* to donate to combat COVID-19, please use this form:
COVID-19 donation form

*Only items sealed in original packaging can be accepted. Governor Mills deeply appreciates Maine people who have volunteered to make masks, however the Maine CDC is not recommending that health care providers use donated homemade masks at this time.*

Help support local businesses

Pay It Forward Maine is a new statewide effort to assist businesses affected by COVID-19 through a variety of important means. Please visit:

Help by volunteering

Organizations across Maine depend on volunteers to ensure essential needs and services are delivered. Volunteers are now permitted to provide in-person support to those organizations deemed essential, but given the crucial need stop the spread of COVID-19, all volunteers should abide by physical distancing guidelines and maintain their personal safety. If you wish to volunteer with a local nonprofit or service organization, we encourage you to contact them to see how you can support their mission safely.

  • To volunteer for emergency or disaster relief efforts, please register at MaineReady.org. Emergency agencies seeking volunteers can also register their agency and needs at MaineReady.
  • To volunteer with nonprofit or service agencies serving essential needs, please visit VolunteerMaine.com.
  • The Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine’s largest hunger relief organization, is accepting volunteer inquiries.

Where to find help

If you need to help yourself, or for a loved one, connect with specialists at 211 Maine via phone, text, or email – it‘s free and confidential. Please visit: 211 Maine

  • The Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging online applications for public assistance programs to decrease delays in delivery of benefits. Please visit: MyMaineConnection

Help by connecting

While keeping physical distance is paramount to prevent the spread of COVID-19, now is the time to strengthen and renew social bonds with friends, family and community. Make a phone call. Use video tools, like FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Zoom, to have face-to-face conversations. Connect on social networks to engage with your community and identify businesses or other services you may need or wish to support.