May 15, 2020

Greetings!

I am encouraged that there is now a plan in place to help us ease out of our homes while still keeping the risk of spreading infection of COVID-19 small.  

  • The governor has laid out her four-stage plan to reopen the economy, and she has been adjusting the plan as new solutions come to light. Originally, it was a four-stage process for the entire state, but when a new development came to light--the partnership with Maine-based IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. to purchase enough of the company’s recently authorized testing kits to more than triple the state’s testing capacity--the governor adapted the plan and differentiated the approach in 12 counties, including our own, that are not known to be experiencing community transmission. 
  • Gov. Mills also announced that, effective immediately, Maine lodging providers can begin accepting reservations for guests, arriving after June 1, who are Maine residents or non-residents (non-residents must comply with the state’s 14-day quarantine requirement).

These changes are an example of flexible leadership and an openness to make adjustments. It will allow parts of our economy to open up faster. Moving forward, Gov. Mills will need to make more of these kinds of changes, and we can help influence those adjustments and make sure Maine doesn’t change too much too fast. 


The governor stressed that Maine people must continue to take public health precautions against the virus, such as wearing face coverings, physical distancing, and handwashing. I so appreciate all you are doing to keep yourself and your neighbors healthy and to support our Maine economy through this time. 

  • Please help me get the word out about the website CoverME.gov. If you or someone you know has lost job-based health insurance or are having more difficulty affording premiums because of lost income, there are resources at CoverME.gov that can help. Having access to health insurance means having access to preventative care, which is vital to helping people stay healthy and happy. 
I know these changes can be confusing and it can be hard to know who to contact with a question. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know.

All my best, 
Sarah Pebworth
Serving District 133: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Sedgwick, and Surry
207- 479-4741
SNAP Benefits Increased
The USDA has approved Maine’s Pandemic EBT program to support more families with SNAP benefits, especially those affected by the loss of free or reduced-price school meals during the shutdown. Families who already receive benefits should be seeing more cash applied to their card, and other families who now qualify for this program (up to 175% of the federal poverty line ) will be able to request this benefit by calling 1-855-797-4357. More information is available here .
Frequently Used Resources
As always, here is a set of resources from trusted organizations to help with the most common problems Mainers are facing: