LEWISTON — People who need help, food or shelter this holiday season have places to turn.

“There are places, but not all are available every day at the same time,” said Michelle Vazquez Jacobus, associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College. “What would be helpful would be a calendar. If it’s a soup kitchen, what hours do they serve food and what days of the week?”

Jacobus said it can be daunting to find help, even with her background in social work. But it is necessary.

“It always happens around the holidays,” she said. “There are heating bills, gas bills and then there’s food and presents. And then you have the social emotional stuff that comes with the holidays.”

Area service providers say the best resource for people seeking help for any reason year round is to call 211 on their phone. That connects them to an operator who can browse a database of social services, ranging from the basics like food, shelter, clothing and heat to transportation providers, suicide prevention and legal assistance. It’s operated by the United Way of Maine.

“It’s an always changing list of providers, so it’s the best way to find just what you need,” said Larry Marcoux, director of community impact for United Way of Androscoggin County.

That database is also available on the Internet, at 211maine.org.

“But most of our contacts come in through the telephone,” Marcoux said. “In Androscoggin County, we average about 550 to 650 calls per month throughout the year.”

Through November this year, the service fielded 2,942 inquiries in Androscoggin County, 1,005 from Oxford County and 376 in Franklin County. Requests range from need for food, health care, shelter and help paying for heat and utilities.

“Those top five will stay that way throughout the year,” Marcoux said. “The ones after that will change depending on the time of year. For example, we’ll see requests for tax services increase in February and March. Right now, we see requests for holiday help increasing now.”

Good Shepherd Food Bank maintains a map listing area services at http://gsfb.org/help/food-map/. It lists contact information and locations for food banks, shelters and other food related charities.

“We knew we wanted a resource on our website that could direct people to services,” Clara Whitney, communications manager for the food bank, said. “It used to be a listing of all of our partner agencies, but we felt with current technology there is a better way to help people.”

staylor@sunjournal.com

Finding Help:

* Maine 211 (service of United Way of Maine): Dial 211 on any phone or visit the website at 211maine.org.

* Good Shepherd Food-Bank Food Map: http://gsfb.org/help/food-map/ Lists food pantries, kitchens and other food related services.

Hot meals

* Hope Haven Gospel Mission: Serves breakfast from 7:30-8 a.m. daily. Serves supper from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

* Trinity Jubilee Center: Serves a hot meal at 11:15 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 1:45 p.m. Sunday.

Food banks or pantries (call for times)

* High Street Congregational Church Food Pantry, 106 Pleasant St., Auburn, 207-784-1306

* Seventh-day Adventist Food Pantry, 316 Minot Ave., Auburn, 207-784-0861

* St. Louis Food Pantry, 80 Third St., Auburn, 207-784-9087

* St. Mary’s Food Pantry, 208 Bates St., Lewiston, 207-513-3841

* Calvary United Methodist Church, 59 Sabattus St., Lewiston, 207-782-3221

* Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, 61 Lisbon Rd, Sabattus, 207-375-8399

* Community Free Baptist Food Pantry, 9 Main St., Sabattus, 207-375-4337

Other resources

* Salvation Army, 67 Park St., Lewiston, 207-783-0801

* Root Cellar, 89 Birch St., Lewiston, 207-782-3659