Newsletter to the Community - OCTOBER 2026 | | |
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
A healthy home helps children grow, learn, and thrive.
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Imagine a family moving into an older home they love. It has character, space to play, and a neighborhood that feels just right. What they may not see is that old paint can sometimes contain lead—and as it chips, peels, or creates dust, it can become a risk to young children.
The good news is that lead poisoning is preventable, and help is available.
In Biddeford, the City’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program helps eligible property owners and landlords identify and address lead hazards in older housing. This can help make rental homes safer for children while supporting landlords with the cost and process of lead hazard reduction.
Families and property owners can also take an important first step by checking for lead dust. The Maine CDC offers free lead dust test kits that can be used to test areas such as floors and windowsills where lead dust may collect.
During National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, let’s help every family and property owner know: Healthy Homes. Safe Kids. Lead-Free Futures.
If you live in or own an older home, now is a great time to learn about lead hazards, request a free lead dust test kit, and find out what local resources may be available to help.
| | | |  | | In September, our Nourish ME team attended the first Nourish ME Summit at Sugarloaf Mountain with organizations representing each county in Maine. It was a great opportunity to share ideas, learn from each other, and get ready to start nutrition classes and projects in York County this Fall. | | Starting in October, we'll offer nutrition education classes in communities across York County, with practical information and tools to help people eat well, prevent and manage chronic disease, and make healthy choices that fit their lives and budgets. | | |
We're also exploring opportunities to connect nutrition education with healthcare, food access programs, and other community resources — because improving health takes more than simply telling people what to eat.
Want to bring NourishME to your community? We're looking for organizations interested in hosting classes, referring participants, sharing resources, or partnering with us in other ways. Contact us at chcc@une.edu to get connected.
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| | Maine Harvest of the Month | | | | Our local prevention coalitions are putting partnership into practice across York County, creating new opportunities to engage young people, strengthen community connections, and prevent substance misuse. Below is a snapshot of some of the work taking place in our communities. | | Creating More Ways for Youth to Connect | | Taking Red Ribbon Week Community-Wide | | Prevent Youth Prescription Drug Misuse | | This October, CHCC is encouraging community members to properly dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications. Unneeded medications left in the home can become a source of misuse, especially for youth. In fact, many people who misuse prescription drugs first obtain them from a family member or friend. | |
A simple step, like cleaning out unused medications still at home, can help prevent prescription drug misuse and keep medications out of the wrong hands. One safe, anonymous way to dispose of these medications is to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, October 24th from 10 AM to 2 PM. Safe disposal options are also available year-round at many pharmacies, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies.
Join us in promoting safe medication disposal and protecting our youth. Visit the DEA Take Back Day or Maine Drug Takeback Program websites to find a disposal location near you. Together, we can help create safer homes and healthier communities.
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Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
October 30th & November 13th
| | MaineHealth is partnering with My Place Teen Center to host a Youth Mental Health First Aid training on October 30th and November 13 from 9:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Space is limited, so if you or someone from your organization would like to participate, please reach out to Reegan Hebert at MaineHealth directly to reserve your spot at Reegan.hebert@mainehealth.org to reserve a spot. For more information, click here. | | |
Youth Full Maine
Food Distribution
Fall 2026
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York County High School Youth Summit
Save the Date
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Heart of Biddeford Creepy Crawl
October 31st from 3-5 PM
Join the Heart of Biddeford for a spooktacular adventure along Main Street (and side streets too) this Halloween, with trick-or-treating fun as ghosts, goblins, and all sorts of magical creatures come to play. Dress up in your most boo-tiful costumes and roam the enchanted streets, collecting treats and giggles along the way. Participating businesses will have a black cat (on orange paper) displayed in their window. Have fun, little monsters! 🎃👻🍬
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Stay Connected
Healthy communities are built by people who care about them. Whether you're interested in nutrition, healthy housing, substance use prevention, youth, recovery, or simply making your community a better place to live, there are ways to get involved with CHCC.
Volunteer at an event, join a workgroup, share your perspective, or become a community partner. Contact us at chcc@une.edu.
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Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition
207-602-3589
chcc@une.edu
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