Maine Families Newsletter, July/Summer 2025
Maine Families Midcoast participates in Community Baby Showers
Maine Families prides itself on the connections that we make with other community organizations to better support enrolled families and increase community engagement. One of those connections is with Maine’s Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Councils (CAN councils) throughout the state. This year, our visitors participated in two local Community Baby Showers that the CAN councils hosted in Thomaston and in Bath. These events offer a plethora of tangible goods for families with babies, as well as tables staffed by individuals representing programs and resources for new parents in Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Cumberland counties. Many prenatal families and parents with new babies participated and were pleased to receive infant clothes and supplies, safety equipment, and to meet providers of local resource programs, including Maine Families!
PAT Activity Spotlight
Following the PAT (Parents as Teachers) model, our Parent Education Professionals bring parent-child activities supporting development and attachment on every visit. We’ll highlight one in each newsletter for our followers. Today, we share Nursery Rhymes: Listening and Feeling Rhythm (3.5-5.5 months). Babies are born with rhythm! They are learning the sounds of language that surround them, but will need to hear the sounds over and over as they learn language, and rhyming and rhythm can help with this. Listening to nursery rhymes helps develop phonemic awareness (awareness of the parts of the word and sound). This builds the skills little ones will need for learning to speak and eventually, to read.
New Promotional Materials for Maine Families
Ever wonder how to explain Maine Families?
Check out these promotional materials to share with clients or at your next appointment, centering or childbirth class. Additionally, we have Maine Families rack cards available in the following languages in addition to English: Arabic, French, Haitian Creole, Lingala, Portuguese, Somali and Spanish.
- Maine Families Promotional Video (Google Drive) (Short Version: 25 seconds)
- Maine Families Video – Parent Perspective (Google Drive) (Short Version: 51 seconds)
Maine Families Rack Cards (English and Spanish Language)
Being a parent is a really important job… and it isn’t always easy.
Every parent deserves support along the way. Our certified Family Visitors are here to help. Let us be your partners in parenthood.
Learn more at mainefamilies.org.
A great start for you… a brighter future for your baby.
Family Visitors are a group of caring professionals certified in early childhood development. We know you want the best for your child as they grow, and we are here to offer personalized support along the way. Every visit is completely free, and we’ll meet you at home or at a location you choose, at a time that works for you. Visits can begin as early as pregnancy and continue until your child turns 3.
We will talk with you about your child, offer information and encouragement, and share activities and resources to help you support their healthy development.
Maine Families: More than a visit, an investment in a brighter future.
Completely voluntary. 100% FREE.
Learn more at mainefamilies.org.
¿Está esperando un bebé o tiene un nuevo bebé en casa?
¡Podemos ayudar!
Ser padres es un trabajo muy importante. Sabemos que todos los padres quieren lo mejor para sus hijos y que la crianza no siempre es fácil. ¡Maine Families está aquí para ayudar a hacer su trabajo de padres un poco más fácil!
Nuestros visitadores familiares pueden:
- ayudarla a planificar o navegar por su embarazo
- ser alguien con quién hablar sobre su hijo y cómo va creciendo y aprendiendo, para así estar lista para lo que viene después
- compartir consejos sobre cómo apoyar la salud física y emocional de su hijo y su familia
- escuchar sus preguntas e inquietudes y ayudarla a conectarse con los recursos comunitarios
Mejor aún, ¡cada visita es gratuita y está disponible en su hogar o donde mejor le convenga!
MaineFamilies.org
facebook.com/mainefamilies.org
¡Llámenos hoy para obtener más información o encontrar un programa de Maine Families cerca de usted!
Aroostook Council for Healthy Families
207-532-7405
Área de servicio: Condado de Aroostook, localidad de Patten en el condado de Penobscot y la localidad de Danforth en el condado de Washington
Community Concepts, Inc.
207-595-8124
Área de servicio: Condado de Androscoggin, condado de Oxford y las localidades de Baldwin, Bridgton, Casco, Gray, Harrison, Naples, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, Raymond, Sebago y Standish en el condado de Cumberland
Down East Community Hospital
207-255-0438
Área de servicio: Condado de Washington
Franklin County Children’s Task Force
207-778-6960
Área de servicio: Condado de Franklin
Kennebec Valley Community Action Program
207-859-1577
Área de servicio: Condados de Kennebec y Somerset
Maine Family Planning
207-667-5304, ext. 225
Área de servicio: Condado de Hancock
MaineHealth – Southern Region
207-432-2719
Área de servicio: Condado de York y localidades de Gorham, Scarborough y Windham en el condado de Cumberland
Parent Program of Mid-Coast Maine, Inc.
207-832-0343
Área de servicio: Condados de Knox, Lincoln y Sagadahoc, así como las localidades de Brunswick, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Harpswell y Yarmouth en el condado de Cumberland
Penquis
207-973-3674
Área de servicio: Condados de Penobscot y Piscataquis
The Opportunity Alliance
207-553-5801
Área de servicio: Localidades de Cape Elizabeth, Portland, South Portland y Westbrook del Condado de Cumberland y sus islas
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
207-342-5971
Área de servicio: Condado de Waldo
Este programa cuenta con el apoyo de la Administración de Recursos y Servicios Sanitarios (HRSA) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Estados Unidos (HHS) como parte de una adjudicación financiada con fuentes no gubernamentales. El contenido de la publicación pertenece al autor o autores y no representa necesariamente las opiniones oficiales, ni un respaldo, de HRSA, HHS o del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Para más información, visite HRSA.gov Este programa también se financia con fondos federales del Título IV E y con fondos estatales del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Maine.
Maine Families no discrimina a ninguna persona por motivos de identidad de género (incluido el embarazo o condición médica relacionada), edad, raza, color, ascendencia, discapacidad física o mental, orientación sexual, religión, creencias políticas, origen nacional, estado civil, Maine Families no discrimina a ninguna persona.
For more information or questions, contact either Co-Editor: Jen Doherty, at email
jennifer.d.doherty@maine.edu or call 207.832.0343 or Ruth Griffin at email ruth.griffin@maine.edu, or call 207.542.8752.