DIVERSITY HIRING
COALITION OF MAINE

DIVERSITY RESOURCES IN MAINE

ONLINE INFORMATION

Maine Chamber of Commerce: www.mainechamber.org Directory for living in Maine, including communities, libraries, education, arts & leisure, transportation, safety & health, environment, accessible recreation.

Virtual Relocation: www.virtualrelocation.com Provides relocation information and compares cities in Maine to other cities with regard to cost of living, job growth, taxes, education, real estate and general quality of life. Provides useful information and resources for making the move to Maine.

Rents In Maine: www.rentsinmaine.com Relocating to Maine has never been more cost effective, efficient, and easier. This site provides information on rental properties, commercial and seasonal properties by county.

State of Maine: www.state.me.us The official web site for the State of Maine.

Department of Behavioral & Developmental Services website: www.state.me.us/bds/

BDS Multicultural Diversity Resource Guide: http://www.state.me.us/bds/mhservices/MulticulturalResource/Contents.html

Cultural/Support Groups/ Diversity Contacts: One of the best sources of support and information is through Maine's University System. Groups include: Dialogues in Diversity-Multicultural Voices Sharing Their Reality- their primary goal is to educate and sensitize the University and outside communities about diversity. The members are diverse, each individual representing a historically underrepresented group or "voice." Through sharing and discussing their own experiences as diverse people, these students increase awareness of cultural, racial, religious, differences, and create a forum for interactive education, heightening awareness of discrimination, prejudice, and misconceptions; Los Colores Unidos- a program and student support group for those students interested in learning more about and/or celebrating the Latino/a Culture; Black Student Union- open to all students interested in celebrating Black and African American heritage. For more information, contact Nancy Morin at the Multicultural Student Affairs Office at (207)-581-1405 or Nancy_Morin@umit.maine.edu

PUBLICATIONS

The Bridge - Helping People to Communicate
Opportunities, Minority News Network
PO Box 11064
Portland, ME 04104
Contact: Leonard W. Cummings (Publisher/Editor)
772-7767

NAACP
314 South Brunswick Street
Old Town, Maine 04468
Contact: James Varner
827-4493

HIGHER EDUCATION

• University of Maine System provides courses and higher education programs and degrees. Visit www.maine.edu to find information about individual campuses and programs, plus search engine to access information about diversity at Maine's University System
• Maine Technical College System (MTCS) offers courses, certificate and degree programs and seminars. For information about training through Maine Technical Colleges, visit www.mtcs.net.
• Maine Adult Education Programs provide education classes for life-long learning and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Visit www.umaine.edu/call to find your community's Adult Education Program and contact information.
• Maine CareerCenters are located in all 16 counties and provide a clearinghouse to match qualified employees with job openings. Each Center offers the use of their phone, fax, copier, and computers, and provides assistance to update your resume. Eligible job seekers may qualify for training. For the One-Stop CareerCenter closest to you, call 1-888-457-8883, or visit the website at www.mainecareercenter.com.
  
  

• Maine Care (formerly Cub Care) is a Department of Human Services (DHS) program that provides low-cost or no cost Health and dental insurance for families with children. A family of three whose annual household income is less than $29,000 may be eligible for health insurance for dependent children. Parents of children may also be eligible for certain programs. For more information, call DHS toll-free at 1-877-543-7669.
• The Healthy Maine Prescription Program is a new program that offers up to 25% discount on RX drugs. Eligibility guidelines apply. For example, a family of two with an annual income of less than $35,000 would likely to be eligible. Call 1-866-RX-MAINE (toll-free) for more details.
• Individual Development Account (IDA) is a matched savings account administered by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI). CEI will match every dollar that an employee deposits in an account up to $4,000. The savings in an IDA may be used towards a first home, post-secondary education, or capitalizing a small business. Eligibility guidelines apply. Contact Heather Cox or Ann Pfeiffer at (207) 882-7552.
• Lease-Purchase Program enables eligible people to live in and rent the home they wish to purchase while saving for the down payment and closing costs. Call Elaine Sederlund or Tammy Doran (207) 882-7552.
• Child Care Resource and Referral Center provides childcare information on current home and day care sites. Call 1-877-684-0466 to find the R & R Center in your community.
• Refugee and Immigration Services — 562 Congress St. Portland, ME 04101-3323-- Matthew Ward, Director, Refugee Resettlement Program, Ph: (207) 871-7437
• Catholic Charities Maine — Ph: (207) 781-8550 Support for refugees as they adjust to life in Maine. Assistance with housing, registering children in school, interpreter referral, employment services, etc. www.ccmaine.org
• Center for Cultural Exchange, 1 Longfellow Square in Portland, Maine. Promote and organize varied cultural performances, and the Center serves as a community center. For more info contact www.centerforculturalexchange.org