Made Alive

Resources / By state / Maine

Pregnancy & family help in Maine

50 organizations in Maine offering help with pregnancy, housing, food, childcare, adoption and more. We checked each one before listing it, but hours and services change, so please call ahead.

Adoption

  • Community Care — Treatment Foster Care

    Treatment foster care within about an hour of Bangor and Skowhegan and in the Machias area, with a full-time clinician and 24-hour on-call support for foster parents. Toll-free: (888) 236-2273.

  • Spurwink — Foster Care & Adoption Services

    Support for foster families from first inquiry through placement, treatment foster care, and the Adoption Matching Program, which works with DHHS to pair licensed families with children awaiting adoption.

  • A Family for ME

    Statewide

    Maine's foster and adoptive family recruitment program, a partnership between DHHS and Spurwink, with the Maine Heart Gallery of children waiting for families.

  • Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine (AFFM)

    Statewide

    Support services for adoptive, foster and kinship families across Maine, including the Kinship Program, with support from a contract with Maine DHHS. Offices in Brewer and Saco.

  • Maine DHHS — Foster Care & Adoption

    Statewide

    How to become a resource (foster) or adoptive parent in Maine: licensing requirements, informational meetings, and a list of licensed adoption agencies.

  • State of Maine Adoption Reunion Registry

    Statewide

    Maine's registry that helps adoptees and birth families find each other once both have registered and consented. The page also explains how adoptees 18 or older who were born in Maine can request their original birth certificate.

Free / Subsidized Childcare

Churches / Baby Closets

  • ABBA Women's Choice

    Free, confidential pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, STI/STD testing, and support programs and classes in Portland. Call or text (207) 977-2119.

  • First Step Pregnancy Resource Center

    Free women's health clinic for greater Bangor: pregnancy testing, STD testing and information about all options.

  • Open Arms Pregnancy Center

    Free help in Augusta for pregnant women and young families: options information, and for those who decide to parent, emotional and material support and a moms' support group.

  • The Salvation Army — Northern New England

    Emergency help with rent, mortgage and utility bills from the Salvation Army's Northern New England Division, whose local teams assess each family's needs.

  • Catholic Charities Maine

    Statewide

    Catholic social services across Maine since 1966: child development centers, children's behavioral health, food programs and more. Toll-free: (800) 781-8550.

Clothing / Supplies

  • ABBA Women's Choice

    Free, confidential pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, STI/STD testing, and support programs and classes in Portland. Call or text (207) 977-2119.

  • First Step Pregnancy Resource Center

    Free women's health clinic for greater Bangor: pregnancy testing, STD testing and information about all options.

  • Open Arms Pregnancy Center

    Free help in Augusta for pregnant women and young families: options information, and for those who decide to parent, emotional and material support and a moms' support group.

Domestic Violence

  • Maine Statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline

    Statewide

    Free, confidential 24-hour helpline for anyone affected by domestic abuse. Advocates help with next steps and connect callers with local services, including shelter. Deaf or hard of hearing: Maine Relay, (800) 437-1220.

Employment

  • Goodwill Northern New England — Workforce Services

    Job support: career advisors help with resumes, cover letters, interview prep and finding training, and vocational support advisors meet people across southern and central Maine.

  • Maine CareerCenters

    Statewide

    Free job search help, training and career services at CareerCenters across Maine, plus the Maine JobLink job board.

Potential Financial Assistance

  • The Salvation Army — Northern New England

    Emergency help with rent, mortgage and utility bills from the Salvation Army's Northern New England Division, whose local teams assess each family's needs.

  • Catholic Charities Maine

    Statewide

    Catholic social services across Maine since 1966: child development centers, children's behavioral health, food programs and more. Toll-free: (800) 781-8550.

Food Programs

  • Catholic Charities Maine — Food Bank (Aroostook County)

    Catholic Charities' food bank in Aroostook County, with a list of its food pantries across the county on its site.

  • Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program

    Free groceries and prepared meals in Brunswick, through its food pantry and satellite pantries in the area.

  • Wayside Food Programs

    Free community meals, and mobile food pantries that bring groceries to Portland neighborhoods where transportation is a barrier.

  • Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine

    Statewide

    Maine's statewide food bank: find a food pantry or meal site near you through its partner network.

Health Assistance

  • Greater Portland Health

    Affordable primary care, behavioral health and dental care at locations in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook, with a sliding fee scale.

  • HealthReach Community Health Centers

    Nonprofit network of community health centers in rural central and western Maine. Call the center nearest you.

  • Maine Families Home Visiting

    Statewide

    Free home visits for every family who is expecting or has a new baby. Certified Family Visitors share information and support on health, nutrition, safety and child development.

  • MaineCare (Maine Medicaid)

    Statewide

    Free and low-cost health coverage for Maine children, pregnant people and adults who qualify by household income. The page lists income limits and ways to apply.

Housing Assistance & Shelters

  • Greater Portland Family Promise

    Case managers help families find housing (applications, references, acting as guarantor), with help for rent, utilities, food and transportation, a monthly food and diaper distribution, and furniture for the new home.

  • Preble Street

    Housing, food and critical services for individuals and families in Portland and across Maine.

  • Tedford Housing

    Emergency shelter in Brunswick with a family wing of ten private units for families with children, plus case managers and housing stability plans. For the family waitlist, call ext. 113.

Infant & Baby Equipment

Mental Health & Postpartum Assistance

  • MaineHealth — Breastfeeding & Lactation Support

    Breastfeeding advice and support for new parents, online breastfeeding classes, and lactation help at MaineHealth family birth centers.

  • Maine Families Home Visiting

    Statewide

    Free home visits for every family who is expecting or has a new baby. Certified Family Visitors share information and support on health, nutrition, safety and child development.

Parenting Classes

  • Community Concepts

    Head Start and Early Head Start in Oxford and Franklin counties, Maine Families home visiting and parenting workshops.

  • Maine Children's Trust

    Statewide

    Maine's child-abuse prevention organization: parenting education and family supports by county through the Maine Prevention Councils.

  • Maine Families Home Visiting

    Statewide

    Free home visits for every family who is expecting or has a new baby. Certified Family Visitors share information and support on health, nutrition, safety and child development.

Pregnancy Centers

  • ABBA Women's Choice

    Free, confidential pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, STI/STD testing, and support programs and classes in Portland. Call or text (207) 977-2119.

  • First Step Pregnancy Resource Center

    Free women's health clinic for greater Bangor: pregnancy testing, STD testing and information about all options.

  • Open Arms Pregnancy Center

    Free help in Augusta for pregnant women and young families: options information, and for those who decide to parent, emotional and material support and a moms' support group.

  • Pregnancy Care Center of Aroostook

    Free, confidential pregnancy tests and options information. Centers in Presque Isle, Houlton ((207) 532-6380) and Fort Kent ((207) 834-5800).

  • Relief & Hope Services (Catholic Charities Maine)

    Help for expectant and new parents: referrals for career planning, medical, adoption, financial, counseling, parenting and spiritual support, and help finding baby items.

Special Needs Assistance

  • Pine Tree Society

    Services for Maine children and adults with disabilities, including speech-language and assistive technology services, and Pine Tree Camp.

  • Maine Parent Federation

    Statewide

    Maine's Parent Training & Information center, Family-to-Family center and Statewide Family Network: information, training and support for families of children and youth with disabilities or special health care needs.

Support for Fathers

  • Maine Families Home Visiting

    Statewide

    Free home visits for every family who is expecting or has a new baby. Certified Family Visitors share information and support on health, nutrition, safety and child development.

Transportation

  • Greater Portland Family Promise

    Case managers help families find housing (applications, references, acting as guarantor), with help for rent, utilities, food and transportation, a monthly food and diaper distribution, and furniture for the new home.

  • MaineCare rides to medical appointments

    Statewide

    Rides to MaineCare-covered appointments, scheduled through the transportation broker for your county. Call at least two business days ahead.

Looking for more? Nationwide hotlines and programs that also serve Maine are in the full directory search. Know an organization that belongs here? Tell us about it.