2-1-1 Maine has up-to-date information on these topics.
Click to be linked to detailed information!
Census 2010
Census Questionnaire Assistance Centers for Immigrant & Refugee Respondents
Free Income Tax Preparation
Keep ME Well
Flu Season is Here - Learn More!
Finding Apartments in Maine
About 2-1-1 Maine
Census 2010
This month, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States and Puerto Rico. There
are 10 short questions to answer and it only takes about 10 minutes to complete. A posaget paid envelope is provided to send the form back. A census taker may visit if you don't mail the form back and ask you questions from the form. All information is confidential.
Census information helps communities receive federal funds for hospital;, job training centers; schools; senior centers; bridge, tunnel and other public works projects; as well as emergency services.
Click here for more information about the 2010 Census.
Census Questionnaire Assistance Centers
Fifteen Questionnaire Assistance Centers in Auburn, Lewiston and Portland open on March 19, 2010 and will stay open through April 19, 2010. Centers will have bilingual staff members available to assist immigrant and refugee respondents fill out the Census questionnaire. Arabic, Somali, Spanish and Sudanese/Arabic speakers are at the sites and support is available in 57 languages.
Dial 2-1-1 for more information on the specific locations and language assistance offered.
Free Income Tax Preparation
Put More Money Back Into Your Pocket!
Every year, Maine residents do not realize they qualify for thousands of dollars of income tax credits, leaving millions of their hard-earned dollars unclaimed. Throughout the state, 25% of qualifying residents do not apply for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)—leaving up to $5,657 on the table for each qualifying household.
If you made less than $50,000 in 2009, you might be leaving money on the table. Find out by having your federal and state income taxes prepared for free by IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers. Free tax preparation sites can also connect you to free programs and services in the community that help you make the most of your money.
How to participate:
- Collect tax statements from ALL income received in 2009 (W-2, 1099, 1098, SSA and unemployment).
- Gather Social Security cards for each person you will claim on your tax return.
- Dial 2-1-1 (it’s free!) to find a tax site.
- Call the tax site to schedule an appointment: other qualifications may apply (interpreters available upon request).
To find more information about tax prep in your area, times, locations, etc., click here.
Free tax preparation is brought to you by CA$H Maine and AARP Tax-Aide tax sites throughout the state. CA$H Maine, a collaboration of eight statewide coalitions, is comprised of 50 non- and for-profit partners, and AARP Tax-Aide, a program of the AARP Foundation, is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service available. Last year, CA$H Maine and AARP Tax-Aide helped Maine residents get back more than $13.9 million in federal and state refunds, including $3.62 million in Earned Income Tax Credits.
Keep ME Well
KeepMEWell.org was launched statewide by Governor Baldacci on January 27, 2010. The KeepMEWell initiative helps Maine residents, 18 years or older, assess their risk for chronic diseases, improve their health through education, and link them to local resources and supports that can help them decrease their risk of chronic disease and improve their health. Those who are uninsured or underinsured can learn about no cost and low cost healthcare services in their local area.
Visit www.keepmewell.org for the health assessment and local community resources.
2-1-1 Maine provides statewide H1N1 flu information and referrals
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has contracted with 2-1-1 Maine to provide confidential information and referrals to the general public related to H1N1 and seasonal flu.
Dialing 2-1-1 is free and enables Maine residents to speak with a trained Call Specialist who will provide
up-to-date information, as well as information on the general availability of the vaccine and on public clinics for the H1N1 vaccine.
2-1-1 Maine service will include referrals to a nurse triage/help line when necessary for those without access to a help line through their health care provider or insurance company. Most people who become ill with H1N1 should recover at home without needing to seek care at a health care provider’s office, but some people are at risk for more serious diseases. Nurse help lines can help people determine whether to seek further care. Calling 2-1-1 may be a good first step for those with questions about flu symptoms.
Dial 2-1-1 or visit www.maineflu.gov for up-to-date information on H1N1.
More Flu Resources
American Lung Association Flu Clinic Locator
This resource provides information on locations offering seasonal flu and H1N1 flu shots. Always call ahead to confirm availability.
http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/influenza/flu-clinic-locator/
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
The homepage provides information and links to seasonal and H1N1 influenza updates.
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/index.shtml
MaineFlu.gov
This site provides resource information on H1N1 influenza.
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/maineflu/index.shtml
U.S. Centers for Disease Control Seasonal
This site provides information and links on seasonal and H1N1 influenza.
New Website Links Maine Apartment Seekers with Maine Landlords
Are you a renter looking for an apartment? Or a landlord with an apartment to rent? In either case, you may want to check out MaineHousingSearch.org – a new online easily searchable rental listing service with detailed descriptions of rentals. And it is all free.
MaineHousing, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and in partnership with 2-1-1 Maine, is sponsoring the website as a public service.
“This is a great tool for landlords and for tenants,” said Dale McCormick, Director of MaineHousing. “It’s quick and easy to use, it’s available on line 24-7, it’s listings remain current, and best of all there is no charge for listing apartments or searching for rentals.”
While the Maine site is available on line, outreach is only just beginning. Currently, there are over 700 listings with over 7,000 units, including over 450 vacancies, statewide, with some in every county. MaineHousing and DHHS are encouraging Maine landlords to list their apartments on the site.
About 2-1-1 Maine
2-1-1 is Quick and Easy to Use:
We all know to dial 9-1-1 for medical and health emergencies. We also know to dial 4-1-1 for directory assistance. And now, finding the answers to health and human services information and resources is as quick and easy as dialing 2-1-1 or logging onto 211maine.org.
Toll Free Line: (877) 463-6207
To assist families looking for resources for relatives living in Maine, or if you are having difficulty dialing 2-1-1, an instate/out-of-state toll free number is available. This line is staffed 24 hours a day by the 2-1-1 Call Specialists, to provide the same service to the public.
Can't Dial 2-1-1?
On occasion the partners of 2-1-1 Maine will hear from an organization or individual that has had difficulty reaching 2-1-1 Maine. Here are some common problems:
- Certain organizations have telephone software that does not recognize a newly programmed number such as 511 or 2-1-1. If there is a telephone technology person available, check to see that 2-1-1 dialing has been enabled.
- Every major telephone carrier in the state has made 2-1-1 dialing available to its customers. Because the telephone industry is very complex, there are many small providers now operating. If this might be the problem, please have the name of the phone carrier before contacting 2-1-1.
In addition, occasionally, individuals reach the national 2-1-1 information website by mistake (www.211.org) and cannot find appropriate service data. Please remember the 2-1-1 Maine website address is www.211maine.org.
2-1-1 Maine, Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed in partnership with United Ways of Maine and Youth Alternatives Ingraham to develop a health and human services information and referral service system to serve the entire State of Maine, every day and in times of crisis.
| 2-1-1 Maine, Inc. • P.O. Box 15200, Portland, Maine 04112-5200 | ||
| Telephone: 2-1-1 • E-mail: info@211maine.org | ||
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TTY: 2-1-1 | |
