Get Help
Now accepting referrals and requests for help in Cumberland and York Counties. Call (207) 800-9066.
Who we can help
You may qualify for Bridge to Stability if you:
- ✓Rent or own your home in Cumberland or York County, Maine
- ✓Are behind on rent or mortgage payments, or have received an eviction or foreclosure notice but still have time before your court date, or can see trouble coming and want to act early
We work with households with limited income. Income is one of several things we look at when we screen — reach out and we’ll go through it with you.
Not sure where your income falls? Don’t let that stop you from reaching out — tell us how you’re paid and we’ll do the math with you. If our program isn’t the right fit, we’ll point you to one that is, like MaineHousing’s Eviction Prevention Program or 211 Maine.
How our help works
We believe in honesty up front, so here’s exactly how the program works:
- Our first move is always to work with your landlord or lender on a payment arrangement – that conversation alone often stops an eviction.
- If direct financial help is needed, it’s available once per 12-month period, a direct payment to the creditor, sized to what it takes to resolve the arrears, paid directly to your landlord or mortgage holder.
- If you owe more than we can cover, we pair our help with a payment plan so your account gets fully caught up – not just patched.
- Financial education is part of the plan for some households and not others — we work that out with you at intake, based on what your situation actually calls for. When it is part of your plan, it isn’t optional, and it’s where the change tends to outlast the crisis.
How to Request Help
Complete the short form below – it takes about five minutes and asks only what we need to get started. We return client calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays – after you submit, you’ll hear from us on the next client day.
If you have a court date this week or need help within days, don’t wait for us – call Pine Tree Legal Assistance (ptla.org, 207-774-8211) or dial 211 right away. Our program works best early, before deadlines hit – and those partners handle urgent cases every day.
Prefer to talk to a person? Call (207) 800-9066 or email assistance@mainelyempoweringfoundation.org – we’re glad to walk through it with you.
Request Assistance
What Happens Next
You don’t need anything to reach out. Just tell us what’s happening — the form takes a few minutes and asks nothing you’d have to look up.
We’ll call you back. A quick screening to understand your situation and determine whether you’re eligible. Estimates are fine here — nothing needs to be exact yet.
If you’re eligible, we’ll set up an intake appointment — and tell you exactly what to bring. Every household is different, so we’ll walk you through what applies to you. We verify income and housing costs for everyone we work with. It’s how we make fair, consistent decisions, and it’s what our funders require of us.
We don’t collect documents through this website. We’ll send you a secure link when it’s time to share anything.
What We Do
What we do ourselves
Work with you one-on-one to understand your options and deadlines, help you communicate with your landlord or lender, build a household budget, and stay with you through the process.
Where we connect you
Emergency financial assistance, legal help, and other programs in your area. We know who to call and we’ll make the introduction — but those decisions belong to those organizations, not to us.
We serve Cumberland and York Counties, and we work with families before an eviction is filed, while there are still options. If your situation falls outside that, we’ll tell you quickly and point you toward who can help.
Other Helpful Resources
In addition to our direct assistance program, these trusted organizations may also be able to help. Our Resources page also has a search tool you can use to find more help near you.
211 Maine
Maine’s statewide helpline and online directory connecting residents to housing, food, utility, and other community assistance programs. Call or text 211.
Pine Tree Legal Assistance
Free civil legal help for income-eligible Mainers, including tenant rights, eviction defense, and housing law self-help tools.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Help with heating costs, administered through Maine’s local Community Action Agencies. Applications open seasonally each fall.
FAME Financial Wellness
Free financial education tools and resources from the Finance Authority of Maine.
Do I Qualify?
Know you won’t be able to make this month’s payment? Already 1–2 months behind on rent or mortgage — or holding an eviction or foreclosure notice with time left before your court date? Either way, you qualify.
You don’t need to be behind at all to start — reaching out before anything is due is exactly what we’re built for.
We work with households with limited income. Income is one of several things we look at when we screen — reach out and we’ll go through it with you.
If you already have a court date scheduled, we may not be able to help directly — Pine Tree Legal Assistance (207-774-8211) and 211 Maine can provide support for active eviction cases.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Is there a cost to request assistance?
No, our services are free.
Do I need to already have an eviction notice?
No — we encourage people to reach out as early as possible, even if you’re just worried about falling behind.
What documents should I have ready?
It’s helpful to have any notices from your landlord or lender, a recent lease or mortgage statement, and information about your household income, though you don’t need everything ready to start.
What areas do you serve?
We currently serve Cumberland and York Counties, Maine, with plans to expand as our program grows.