Dear Editor: 

For the past 14 years, I’ve worked with veterans who are in need and co-founded Maine Veterans in Need five years ago. On average, our organization assists 25–30 new veterans every month. Most live at or below the poverty line, many surviving only on Social Security. Sadly, this is not unique to veterans - many Mainers face the same struggle. 

In 2022, 6.8% of Maine’s veterans - about 7,500 men and women - lived below the National Poverty Level. For reference, that level is $15,650 for a single person and $32,150 for a family of four.

There are government funded programs addressing this problem; such as Maine’s Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance Program, VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and Grant Per Diem (GPD), Federal vouchers and non-profits like Salvation Army’s Operation Red Shield, Veterans Forward, American Red Cross, Maine Veterans Project, Maine Veterans in Need and others. Together these programs keep many Mainers from falling into homelessness. 

But when prices rise - especially for fuel and electricity - families already on the edge face impossible choices. The state has little control over heating oil prices, but it does have authority over electricity rates. The Public Utilities Commission must approve any increase, and CMP has announced it will seek another. If approved, more veterans, seniors, and families will slip into homelessness. 

I urge our Administration and Legislature to protect those living at or near the poverty level by preventing further increases in their electric rates. Too many Mainers are already one bill away from losing their homes. 

David Patch 

Maine Veterans in Need