Maine Head Start

The Head Start program (for children ages 3-5) and Early Head Start program (for pregnant women, infants, and toddlers) promote school readiness for children in low-income families by providing comprehensive educational, health, nutritional, and...read more

Maine Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (commonly called LIHEAP or HEAP) provides money to low income homeowners and renters to help pay heating costs. Eleven Community Action Programs distribute the funds throughout Maine, in most cases...read more

Maine MaineCare

MaineCare (formerly Medicaid) is a "Federal/State" program, which provides assistance to people with limited resources. Specifically, MaineCare can help eligible Maine residents with their health care payments. read more

Maine MaineCare (SCHIP)

MaineCare provides free or low-cost health insurance for families with children and pregnant women. read more

Maine School Breakfast and Lunch Program

The School Breakfast and Lunch Programs make nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free meals available to school children each school day. Over 92,000 schools offer lunches at school, and nearly 70,000 schools offer breakfast at school nationwide....read more

Maine Special Milk Program

The Special Milk Program provides milk to children in schools, childcare institutions, and eligible camps that do not participate in other Federal child nutrition meal service programs. Schools that participate in the National School Lunch or School...read more

Maine Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The WIC Program provides supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals to health care, at no cost, to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are determined to be at nutritional risk. To...read more

Maine Summer Food Service

Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child's need for good nutrition. The Maine Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they...read more

Maine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

SNAP provides food assistance benefits that help low income households buy the food they need for good health. The amount of food assistance benefits each household receives is based on the Thrifty Food Plan, the model diet plan the U.S. Department...read more

Maine Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Maine TANF is financial assistance to keep children in their homes while the family is temporarily unable to support themselves. While receiving assistance, parents or caretaker relatives work on an employment plan to become self-supporting. read more