Resources

Are you looking for additional ways to support the community? Show how #WeAreMaineStrong with these resources:

Share Good News on Social Media

Click image for full size download.

Stay Safe While Supporting Local

  • Order online or over the phone whenever possible. Limit your direct contact and practice social distancing. Let your inner introvert out! Most businesses are actively communicating through phone, email, and their social media. Click here for an updated list of local restaurants doing take out and delivery in the Portland area!

  • Support your local farmers! Farmers who supply meat, dairy, and produce that would typically go straight to your favorite restaurants, are now stuck with an abundance of product and no where to sell it. Allison Lakin, a Maine cheese maker, and The University of Maine have complied a list of local farms, their available products, hours, and their delivery/pickup policy. Click here to check it out or to add yours!

  • The Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine has complied a list of hunger relief agencies throughout the state of Maine that are open and here to help those who need it most in this time of crisis.

  • Support Maine Breweries! The Maine Brew & Bev Guide has compiled a full list of breweries in the state of Maine with updated information on their beer delivery and take out programs. Cheers!

  • Tip well. Remember the delivery driver when you order your pizza or have your items sent to your home. If you’re enjoying a hand-crafted cocktail or cold beer at home, consider giving a service industry worker who is currently out of a job a virtual tip! This website selects a random local Maine bartender to send your tip to on Venmo!

  • Support Local musicians from the safety of your couch! With all the recent concert and venue cancellations, the music community is hurting now more than ever. Creative Portland has taken the lead by creating an emergency relief fund for visual artists and performing artists in the gig economy, who are not eligible for unemployment. Many local artists have no savings and no income to buy groceries or prescriptions during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Visit here to either donate, or if you’re an artist, to see if you’re eligible for a $500 stipend. You can also show support by visiting your favorite local musician’s social media pages to see if they’re doing any live performances from home. Click here for an up-to-date list of artists all over doing at-home performances! And when all else fails- show your support by buying up their merch!

  • Go Fishing! Governor Janet Mills has directed the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commisioner to waive the requirement of a fishing license to well…fish, until April 30th! 

  • Get that to-do list done. Have you been thinking about buying that membership or signing the kids up for a class? Look at all the free time on your hands! Do it now! Book that birthday party in advance. Finally sign up for guitar lessons. Learn how to solve a Rubik’s cube. Teach your dog how to finally fetch you a cold one out of the fridge. The sky’s the limit!

  • Stay Stress Free! Empower Massage Therapy owner Emily of South Portland, has created a playist of easy self-massage videos you can do in your home- that benefit both adults AND children! Take a moment to breath and treat yourself to some self-care. 

  • Get Free Legal Answers from Maine Lawyers! In these uncertain times, Maine lawyers are here to help. If your income has been impacted by the current global crisis, or if you qualify as a low-income household, you can have your civil legal questions answered for free at Maine.freelegalanswers.org. You can ask up to 5 questions and get answers from licensed Maine attorneys at no cost to you. This service is brought to you by the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project.

  • Do Good Close to Home. As Maine business owners and their employees weather this unprecedented pandemic, the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce is partnering with several organizations in our state to launch a campaign to support our community. It’s called Pay It Forward Maine. Learn all about it by clicking here!

Resources for Children

Are the kids at home looking for something to do? Here are some great ideas to help keep them engaged with the world and….um… maybe out of your hair!

  • Free Arts & Craft Ideas, Virtual Museum Trips! We love it when we get contributions to this page– and this is a good one from Erin and Trey! While learning from home this year, these young online explorers found a very cool site with some fun art project ideas as well as virtual trips to museums around the world. Take a look– there’s a lot to see and do! 

  • Tips for Keeping Kids Active! We all need to keep moving, of course… but here are some tips aimed at kids (and the whole family) who are moving less as they’re in front of screens more often and for longer periods of time. 

  • Fun Science Activities! Science rules! Check out this page that will give you some ideas about projects you can do with plastic bottles when you’re done with them. (thanks for this one and for “Keeping Kids Active”, Andrea!) 

  • Write letters or create a work of art for the elderly! The residents of local nursing homes are not getting many visitors these days. Pull out the old craft bin, fire up the glue gun (with adult supervision of course) and create something they will cherish for a lifetime. Here are some local  nursing homes that would love to hear from you- but any nursing or retirement home would greatly appreciate something from you little ones!

    • St. Joseph’s Manor- 1133 Washington Ave. Portland, ME 04103

    • Barron Center- 1145 Brighton Av. Portland, ME 04102

    • Gorham House- 50 New Portland Rd., Gorham, ME 04038

  • Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems! Take a step into the studio of Kennedy Center Education Artist-In-Residence, Mo Willems, with daily doodle sessions at 1 pm, and explore new ways of writing and making together!

  • “At Home Together”, created by Children’s Museum + Theater of Maine, is an online series of programs designed to support parents with easy prompts for hands-on experiential learning, imagination, and discovery through play. The online series is organized by themes: Makerspace and Wild Life are the initial two.

  • Art For Kids Hub has a huge database of free videos that teach your kids different creative skills- like drawing, painting, and even oragami!

  • Kids Live Cupcake Class– Every Wednesday at 10am, decorate cupcakes in a fun and unusual way with Jenny!

  • Get Closer to Nature! Maine Audubon is doing a daily update on a new resource page Maine Audubon Connections: We will have weekly posts from our education staff both for Pre-K and older kids, plus general activities and information as well.

  • Read Alouds with Maine Author, Chris Van Dussen join Chris as he reads some of his most popular children’s books!

  • Visit the San Diego Zoofrom your home! Featuring live videos, children’s activities, photos & more!

  • The Cincinnati Zoo is bringing you “Home Safari,” with daily live informational videos with the zoo residents, as well as paired activities that follow!

  • Take a Virtual Tour at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute! Including some previously unseen archives!

  • Take a Virtual Tour of Yellowstone Park! Explore some of the main attractions around the park!

  • Take a Field Trip to The Louvre in Paris, France! Admire the beauty of amazing works of art from all over the world- from the comfort of your own home!

  • Check out this list of day-by-day projects to keeps your kids reading, thinking, and growing! Conveniently separated into different age groups.

  • Macaroni Kid is a valuable resource for lists of events and activities to keep your kids busy!

For a lengthy list of additional ideas to do with your children- click here!

We're always looking for great online or educational resources for kids, as well as valuable resources for adults! Share with us!