{"id":5069,"date":"2026-02-03T15:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T20:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/?p=5069"},"modified":"2026-02-04T10:04:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T15:04:46","slug":"feb-winter-2026-maine-families-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/2026\/02\/03\/feb-winter-2026-maine-families-news\/","title":{"rendered":"February\/Winter 2026 Maine Families Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-promo-materials\"><strong>New Promotional Materials&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maine Families has created new promotional materials that we are excited to share with providers. We have a variety of forms of materials from short videos, testimonials from families, posters, rack cards, etc. We are attaching an example of a 60 second video that providers are free to share with potential parents or whomever else they feel it would be relevant. Please contact us if you would like specific materials and we would be happy to send them along!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b{padding-left:0px;gap:25px;justify-content:flex-start;align-items:center;}.kt-btns5069_ef73a8-1b .kt-button{font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .site .entry-content .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .site .entry-content .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b{margin-bottom:0px;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b{padding-right:50px;padding-left:50px;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .site .entry-content .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b, .site .entry-content .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b{margin-bottom:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b{padding-right:25px;padding-left:25px;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn kb-buttons-wrap kb-btns5069_ef73a8-1b um-UMBHBlueButton\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button{color:#082e58;background:#79bde8;font-size:16px;font-family:'Chakra Petch';font-weight:600;text-transform:uppercase;border-top-left-radius:20px;border-top-right-radius:20px;border-bottom-right-radius:20px;border-bottom-left-radius:20px;border-top:2px solid #79bde8;border-right:2px solid #79bde8;border-bottom:2px solid #79bde8;border-left:2px solid #79bde8;margin-bottom:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:focus{color:#ffffff;background:#082e58;border-top-color:#082e58;border-top-style:solid;border-right-color:#082e58;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-color:#082e58;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-color:#082e58;border-left-style:solid;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button{border-top:2px solid #79bde8;border-right:2px solid #79bde8;border-bottom:2px solid #79bde8;border-left:2px solid #79bde8;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:focus{border-top-color:#082e58;border-top-style:solid;border-right-color:#082e58;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-color:#082e58;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-color:#082e58;border-left-style:solid;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button{border-top:2px solid #79bde8;border-right:2px solid #79bde8;border-bottom:2px solid #79bde8;border-left:2px solid #79bde8;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn5069_a302e2-02.kb-button:focus{border-top-color:#082e58;border-top-style:solid;border-right-color:#082e58;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-color:#082e58;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-color:#082e58;border-left-style:solid;}}<\/style><a class=\"kb-button kt-button button kb-btn5069_a302e2-02 kt-btn-size-standard kt-btn-width-type-fixed kb-btn-global-outline  kt-btn-has-text-true kt-btn-has-svg-false  wp-block-kadence-singlebtn\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1PNGhWrlNP1UegLBGU4HRYP9L-2RCFsr_\/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"kt-btn-inner-text\">Maine Families Video &#8211; with transcript (Google Drive)<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"partnering-with-community-organizations\"><strong><strong>Partnering with Community Organizations<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image5069_b6e7dc-fc .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image5069_b6e7dc-fc\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Four of Maine Families staff members posing as a group\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-5079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-317x211.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-423x282.jpg 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-634x423.jpg 634w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty-846x564.jpg 846w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Brooke-Sanborn-Dawn-Flagg-Ellen-Baker-Jen-Doherty.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,300px\" \/><figcaption>Left to Right: Brooke Sanborn, Dawn Flagg, Ellen Baker, Jen Doherty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Our team collaborates regularly with local providers. This year our Sagadahoc and Cumberland family visitors are working closely with the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Prevention Council at Midcoast Maine Community Action. Dawn Flagg from the CAN council attends our monthly playgroups to connect with families and share information about upcoming parent classes as well as tips and strategies for parents. Brooke Sanborn from our team is a member of\u00a0the Families CAN advisory council and we participate annually in their community baby shower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ruth-griffin-retires\"><strong>Ruth Griffin Retires<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image5069_b6cb76-a6 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image5069_b6cb76-a6\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Ruth-Griffin-Retires-Feb-2026-News-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"headshot of Ruth Griffin\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-5082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Ruth-Griffin-Retires-Feb-2026-News-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Ruth-Griffin-Retires-Feb-2026-News-93x140.jpg 93w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Ruth-Griffin-Retires-Feb-2026-News-317x476.jpg 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/02\/Ruth-Griffin-Retires-Feb-2026-News.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,200px\" \/><figcaption>Ruth Griffin<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of January, our colleague Ruth Griffin retired after 24 years. Ruth first started as mentor coordinator for the Teen and Young Parent Program in Knox County, and with new home visiting funding, became a full-time Family Visitor. In the last six years, she took on the role of full-time supervisor and referral coordinator, supporting our team while continuing to keep families at the center of her work. What Ruth loved most about her time with Maine Families was visiting families and building meaningful relationships. Over time, families have come up to her and thanked her for all she did to support them when they were beginning their parenting journey. We will miss Ruth greatly and wish her all the best in her retirement. She will now have a little more time to do all the things she loves, gardening, photography, reading, kayaking with friends, and visiting with family and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0{margin-top:0px;}.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-xxs, 0.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0{background-color:rgba(142,209,252,0.3);}.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 > .kt-row-column-wrap{row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id5069_4340bc-f0 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column5069_432da9-69{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column5069_432da9-69 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5069_432da9-69\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>For more information or questions, contact either Editor: Jen Doherty, at email<br>&nbsp;jennifer.d.doherty@maine.edu&nbsp;or call 207.832.0343.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Promotional Materials&nbsp; Maine Families has created new promotional materials that we are excited to share with providers. We have a variety of forms of materials from short videos, testimonials from families, posters, rack cards, etc. We are attaching an example of a 60 second video that providers are free to share with potential parents [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","spc_primary_category":266},"categories":[266],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-maine-families-news"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":266,"label":"Maine Families News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"msnowden","author_link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/author\/msnowden\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":266,"name":"Maine Families News","slug":"maine-families-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":266,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":12,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":266,"category_count":12,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Maine Families News","category_nicename":"maine-families-news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5069"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5099,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5069\/revisions\/5099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}