Age Friendly South Portland has made money available to the city’s Social Service Department to assist senior citizens and people with disabilities obtain transportation for essential services. The money is a gift from an anonymous donor.

For more information, please call Kathleen Babeu at 767-7617 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Age Friendly South Portland would like to make residents aware of the Community Support and Resources directory established by the city.

Dedicated Resource Assistance Line: For those who require assistance with food pick-up and delivery, pharmacy services, transportation, childcare, and/or other needs as a result of the COVID-19 situation, the city has established a dedicated assistance telephone line at 207-347-4177 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and online at webpage at https://www.southportland.org/community.

The webpage also includes links to important CDC information and videos regarding COVID-19 in a variety of languages, including Portuguese, Somali, Maay Maay, Kirundi, French and English.

Senior Shopping Hours: Please note that Hannaford is adding a dedicated time when customers who are 60 or older and individuals identified as being identified by the CDC as at high risk may shop, providing them with the opportunity to have more social distance while in the store.

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These special hours for our 60-plus customers are 6 to 7 a.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week. Additionally, Walmart, Market Basket, Shaw’s, Target, Dollar General and Whole Foods have senior hours. Please check with your area store for hours as these may change.

Social Check-In Calls: For those who would like to receive routine phone calls from the city, sign up by calling 207-347-4177. Residents do not need to be a senior to qualify, and calls are not intended to serve as a wellness assessment or to give medical advice but rather as way to ask how people are doing and to make them aware of available supports and services.

General COVID-19 Information: For those who would like to receive additional information about COVID-19 and learn more about available resources throughout the state, they can call 2-1-1 (or 1-866-811-5695), text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email info@211maine.org.

Age Friendly South Portland hopes that our neighbors of all ages are safe, healthy and stay connected during this difficult time.

To stay informed on city news, we encourage residents to follow the South Portland Facebook page and tune in to South Portland Television, which can be accessed via basic cable on Spectrum channels 1301 and 1302. For additional senior resources or questions, please call Social Services at 767-7617. Kathleen, Laura and Paige will be pleased to help.

Susan Henderson is a South Portland city councilor. She can be reached at shenderson@southportland.org.

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