Guide for Resources and Opportunities for Transportation Advocacy (GRO-Trans):
Advocacy Resources in Maine
(October 2002)

What follows includes organizations in the state that provide support to advocates for mobility and transportation accessibility and/or serve as advocates for those issues as part of their mission. Many offer advocacy services on an individual or group basis. A few are organizations that hold community inclusion and independent living as central to their missions but are not currently working to improve transportation specifically; they could be valuable resources or partners for citizen-inspired projects. You’ll also find Web links from a variety of sites with information useful to Maine residents.

Alpha One
127 Main Street
South Portland, ME 04106
(207) 767-2189
(800) 640-7200
http://www.alpha-one.org/
Contact: Steve Tremblay at steven_tremblay@alphaonenow.com
Alpha One supports advocates through its commitment to provide “the community with information, services and products that create opportunities for people with disabilities to live independently.” Of particular usefulness to advocates may be the “sizeable archive of information, best practices, research, programs, resources, approaches, and products that promote independence and self-reliance.” Alpha One is also ready and willing to answer questions, stating on the Web site, “Questions, both big and small, receive the attention of the professional staff to insure timely and accurate responses.” In addition to the South Portland location listed above, Alpha One has satellite offices in Augusta, Brewer, and Aroostook County. The contact information for these offices follows:

Alpha One
424 Western Avenue
Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 623-1115
(800) 499-2357
Contact: Ketra Crosson

Alpha One
41 Acme Road
Brewer, ME 04412
(207) 989-6016
(800) 300-6016
Contact: Kelly McTague

Alpha One
P.O. Box 560
Mapleton, ME 04757
(207) 764-6466
(800) 974-6466
Contact: Darlene Stewart

American Public Transportation Association
1666 K Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 496-4800
http://www.apta.com/
APTA is a nationwide organization focused on “advocacy, innovation, and information sharing to strengthen and expand public transportation.” Click on "Links" to connect to "Transit Agencies by Mode, U.S." to see Maine's profile. This page is a good starting place for advocates who want to find out what public services are available in Maine—and which are not.

Center for Community Inclusion
University of Maine /5717 Corbett Hall
Orono, Maine 04469-5717
(207) 581-1084
(800) 452-1948
http://www.umaine.edu/cci/
CCI represents a cooperative endeavor between the community and the University. It promotes self-determination, advocacy, community service, education, and inclusivity. The Center publishes information designed and written by self-advocates and maintains a Resource Center containing over 10,000 books, monographs, journals, videos, audiotapes, articles, and assessment tools relating to disability issues available to anyone. To date, none if CCI’s projects centers on transportation issues.

Disability Rights Center
24 Stone Street
P.O. Box 2007
Augusta, ME 04338
(207) 626-2774 ext.104
(800) 452-1948
http://www.drcme.org/
Email: advocate@drcme.org
Disability Rights Center is a non-profit agency that provides advocacy services advocates to Maine citizens with disabilities. DRC offers rights and advocacy training, representation for individuals at meetings or hearings, information, service referrals, and in some cases, legal representation. The organization is a general resource for advocacy support in Maine.

Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
150 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0150
(207) 624-5950
Toll-Free: (800) 698-4440
Toll-Free TTY: (888) 755-0023
http://www.state.me.us/rehab/
On this page, you can link to BRS' Independent Living Services, a program which assists “people who have significant disabilities to live more independently in their homes and communities” and serves as “an advocacy program for people with disabilities and their families.” You can also link to BRS' Client Assistance Program, a federally-funded program providing information, assistance and advocacy to people with disabilities who are applying for or receiving services under the Rehabilitation Act, including Independent Living Services.

Maine Community Action Agencies
Community Action Agencies were created by the federal government in 1964 to fight poverty and its effects at the local level. They are private non-profit or public organizations that earn status as a Community Action Agency through explicit designation by local or state government. Transportation is among the issues some of these Agencies address; while those in the most rural areas have yet to establish services, transportation is an area of focus that fits their purpose and they are prime resources for advocates.

Aroostook County Action Program, Inc.
771 Maine Street
Presque Isle, ME 04769
(Satellite offices in Fort Kent, Madawaska, and Houlton)
http://www.acap-me.org/
Currently there is no transportation component among the programs offered.

Penquis Community Action Program, Inc.
P.O. Box 1162
262 Harlow Street
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 973-3675
http://www.penquiscap.org/
Transportation contact: Sharon Eaton at Seaton@penquiscap.org

Waldo County Committee for Social Action
P. O. Box 130
9 Field Street
Belfast, ME 04915
(207) 338-6809
http://www.wccsa.org/
Transportation contact: Edward Murphy at edmurphy@wccsa.org

Washington-Hancock Community Action Agency
P.O. Box 280
Milbridge, ME 04658
(207) 664-2424
(800) 339-9422
http://www.whcacap.org/
(Satellite offices in Calais, Machias and Ellsworth)
Transportation contact: Linda Belfiore at lbelfiore@whcacap.org

Western Maine Community Action, Inc.
20A Church Street
P.O. Box 200
East Wilton, ME 04234
(207) 645-3764
(800) 645-9636
http://www.wmca.org/
Currently there is no transportation component among the programs offered.

York County Community Action Program
P.O. Box 72
Sanford, ME 04073
(207) 324-5762
http://www.yccac.org/
Transportation contact: Connie Garbe

Maine Developmental Disabilities Council
139 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0139
(800) 244-3990
http://www.maineddc.org/
The purpose of this organization is to advocate on behalf of people with developmental disabilities, assuring that they can “participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life.”

Maine Rural Development Council
c/o University of Maine
Cooperative Extension
308 Corbett Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5717
(207) 581-3193
http://mrdc.umext.maine.edu/
Contact: Bob Ho, Executive Director at hobob@aol.com
The Council is an intergovernmental and inter-agency association with membership representing the federal government; the state; local and regional entities; the tribes; non-profits or community-based organizations; and the private sector. Among its primary goals is “undertaking the development and demonstration of innovative rural projects.” To date, it has not worked directly with transportation issues.

Office of Passenger Transportation (Maine Department of Transportation)
16 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0016
(207) 624-3250
http://www.state.me.us/mdot/opt/opt1.htm
Contact: Barbara Donovan
OPT is concerned with accessibility and mobility issues, and is an active partner to many of the transit services around the state. The Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) representing your region exists to share citizen views with OPT and the other departments within the MDOT. For a comprehensive list of public transit services by county, with links to their web sites, go to http://www.state.me.us/mdot/opt/transit/transit.php.

Speaking Up For Us
(207) 879-0847
Contact: Jodi Stacey
Speaking Up For Us is a group that supports self-advocacy through various services.

Maine Statewide Independent Living Council
880 N. Main Street
Brewer, ME 04412
(207) 989-1769
http://www.mainesilc.org/
The SILC is an organization that advocates on behalf of citizens with disabilities with the goal of ensuring “control over their lives and environments, and equal access to options, opportunities and choices.”