Maine has suffered a great loss. Unspeakable violence shook our state when a gunman killed 18 people and wounded 13 others at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston. The victims were children, parents, siblings, neighbors, and friends — all beloved members of their communities. Maine is one big small town, which caused grief to spread to every corner of our state. While the conclusion of the manhunt has alleviated some of the immediate anxiety, our shared grief remains ongoing. That’s why I would like to share some resources that are available to help us through this difficult time.
For many, including myself, one of the first questions that came to mind was, “How can I help?” In the wake of this tragedy, several organizations have begun mobilizing to offer services to support Lewiston, especially the victims, families, and survivors. The Maine Community Foundation has set up the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund to address ongoing and emerging needs related to this tragedy. They will be utilizing existing networks, expertise, and resources to help the Lewiston community. For those who are able and willing to donate, you can do so through their website.
Central Maine Medical Center also established the Central Maine Medical Center Compassionate Care Fund for Trauma Response and Support in response to the Lewiston mass shooting. This hospital has been at the center of the crisis, starting on the night of the shooting. For information on how to help, you can email them at giving@cmhc.org or call them at 207-795-2685. The City of Lewiston has also started the City of Lewiston Families and Victims Fund. You can donate online, in-person at any Androscoggin Bank location, or by mailing a check to Androscoggin Savings Bank, c/o City of Lewiston Support Fund, PO Box 1407, Lewiston, ME 04243.
However, not everyone is able to help, but rather is looking for help for themselves or loved ones. If you are seeking immediate support, there are several hotlines that you can call. For mental health support, you can call or text 988, which offers free, confidential, 24/7 access to professional counselors who have been trained to help those experiencing mental health-related distress. You can also contact the Maine Intentional Warm Line at 1-866-771-9276 (WARM), which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic to help Mainers through mental health challenges that arose during that time. It offers mental health peer-to-peer support for those 18 and older with a trained peer specialist who has experienced mental health recovery.
Gov. Mills’ administration has listed all of these mental health supports, and more, on a page dedicated to helping Mainers through the grief and pain of the Lewiston shooting. The full list can be found here: maine.gov/governor/mills/lewiston.
Finally, my heart goes out to Lewiston and the families and loved ones of those impacted by this unspeakable tragedy. The manhunt has concluded and the injured will physically heal, but the emotional wounds will take a long time to process. That’s why our communities will need to remain strong, connected and compassionate to each other’s needs. My heart goes out to my colleagues from Lewiston who have been compassionate and active members of their community in this time of need. As a nurse-midwife, I’m especially grateful for the many hours that medical professionals have dedicated to responding to this crisis. This mass shooting has devastated Mainers across the state, but we are a resilient people. Together, we will make it through this difficult time.
If you have questions, ideas or comments concerning our efforts to prevent another tragedy, please feel free to contact me at Stacy.Brenner@legislature.maine.gov or my legislative office at (207) 287-1515. You can follow my Facebook page at Facebook.com/SenatorStacyBrenner for more frequent updates. To sign up for my email newsletter, you can go to mainesenate.org.
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