Supporting Janet Mills for Reelection

As printed originally by the Lincoln County News on August 10, posted with permission of the author.

To the editor:
I am writing to you in support of the re-election of Janet Mills as governor of Maine.

I am the fund manager for the Ecumenical Council on Homelessness Prevention in Damariscotta. My coworkers and I have interviewed and assisted numerous families and individuals seeking our assistance in the last two years.

Over the last four years we have worked through Tedford Housing in Brunswick to assist over 90 families who were facing eviction, living in their cars, or living in tents in the winter here in Lincoln County.

Our funds helped to pay rental arrearages, find at least temporary housing, or cover an arrearage on the utility bill. We have witnessed the effect on requests for assistance made by the stimulus checks from the federal government. From a high of 27 families in 2018, the number of requests dropped to 11 in 2021.

The effect of the $850 Gov. Mills has authorized will help reduce the demand for our services as we clearly saw last year. Through her efforts and attention, homelessness in Lincoln County is being reduced.

This is one of the main reasons why I’m supporting Janet Mills for reelection as governor of the state of Maine.

Alden Sproul
Bristol