Welcome to Community Connect Maine!
We aim to make the disability community more visible to policy makers, while facilitating relationship building and advocacy among disability community members. This can be done by sharing your stories and connecting with community members, including policy makers.
We encourage constituents to feel comfortable contacting legislators about issues that they care about. Learn who your legislators are and let them learn about you. Several organizations listed on this website serve as resources both to the disability community and to legislators. They have encouraged legislative advocacy. Then after you have reached out to policy makers, we would love to have your feedback on the experience. Click HERE to share your feedback.
See our petition to Maine legislators to raise direct care workforce wages to 125% of minimum wage signed by over 1,700 Mainers: Click HERE.
Sign the petition here-https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KGW6WFD
Directions to identify Maine Senators and Representatives and find their addresses:
Click HERE to find your legislative districts and elected officials. Type in the prompts for your address then click GO. Then click onto Elected Officials tab. Scroll down to view your legislators.
Click HERE to find Maine State Senator or State Representative by town.
Directions to identify legislators serving on Joint Standing Committees and their contact information:
Click HERE to find Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services information and the audio link.
Click HERE to find the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs information and the audio link.
Click HERE to find Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs information and the audio link.
Directions to download and complete a thank you note to send to a policy-maker:
Click HERE to download a thank you note. Fold the 8 1/2 by 11 inch page in half with the fold horizontally in the middle. Then fold it down the middle vertically so that it opens as a card. The cards fits a 4 3/8 by 5 3/4 inch envelope. Write your thank you message in the card. Our one guideline is please be respectful in your message. Send the card with your message in an envelope to your legislator.
Directions to access and use postcards:
Three postcard options are listed below. More detailed instructions for each of these options are in the following section.
OPTION #1 Download the 81/2 by 11-inch postcard with a pre-written message: Click HERE for the “Greetings” card. Click HERE for “These Our our Stories” card.
OPTION #2 Download blank postcards. Click HERE for “Greetings” card. Click HERE for “These Are Our Stories” card.
OPTION #3 For postcard option #3 electronic postcards, Click HERE for “These Our Are Stories” card. Click HERE for “Greetings” card.
For postcard option #1, print the front, flip it over and print the back on the same paper.
On the message side of the card, sign your name and address. You may also write a personal message by hand if you wish. Our one guideline is to please be respectful in your message. You could indicate which organization(s) supporting people with disabilities you belong to, including ones in your local area.
Next fold the 81/2 by 11 inch page in half with the message on the inside. Staple or tape it with a small piece of tape on the outside edge.
On the other side, fill in the address of your Senator or Representative and your return address. Place a stamp where indicated.
For postcard option #2, print on thicker 81/2 by 11 inch paper, photo paper or card stock. After printing it, cut the page across the middle to create two postcards. Each will be blank on the other side. Write your message on the left half of the blank side of the card with your return address. On the right half, fill in your Senator or Representative’s address and place a stamp on the top right hand corner of the card.
For postcard option #3, Copy the link for option #3. Move it to your email. Insert it there as a link. Personalize your email message above the link. Then invite the legislator to click on the link to view the postcard and see additional resources. Send to your legislator.
Directions to complete the email template message:
Click HERE to download the template. Copy the message on the PDF template into your email or onto a word document. Fill in according to the prompts on the message template. Adapt it to your personal story, sharing what is important to you. Our one guideline is to please be respectful in your message. Send the message to your legislator.
Directions to download graphic labels to accommodate constituent communication style on postcards.
Click HERE to download graphic labels to print. Print on one 8 1/2 by 11 inch page of blank label paper or regular paper. After printing, cut out individual sticky labels and attach to the postcard, or use a glue stick to attach paper labels.
Labels also fit Avery ® 8195, 5195 sheet. If you are assisting someone who needs additional communication modifications, select two or three labels and let the constituent choose which label(s) are most relevant to express their interests.
Who we are:
Community Connect Collaborative encourages constituents to feel comfortable contacting legislators about issues that matter to them. Several organizations support legislative advocacy and encourage their members to reach out. Their website links are listed below. For more information or to join our contact email Kim Humphrey at khumphrey.phadv@gmail.com or call 207-754-3435
American Academy of Pediatrics Maine Chapter
Center For Community Inclusion and Disabilities Studies
Community Connect ME Leadership Link
Maine Association for Community Service Providers
Maine Coalition for Housing & Quality Services
Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
New Mainers Public Health Initiative
Speaking Up For Us Maine (SUFU)
**Individual messages written on the postcards downloaded from this website do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the collaborating organizations. But they do raise the visibility of the wide array of needs of constituents within the disability community statewide.
More information about Community Connect Maine:
The mission to Community Connect Maine is to connect families, caregivers and communities to improve the system of care for people with developmental disabilities and related conditions. It is a grass-roots family driven, 501(c)(3), non-profit, organization. Click HERE to download our informational rack card. Click HERE to download our one page informational flyer. To join our contact list email Kim Humphrey at khumphrey.phadv@gmail.com.
More information from Disability Voters of Maine:
Click HERE for access to more information about disability voter resources from Disability Voters of Maine.