The state of Maine is spending $2 million on a pilot program to fight student homelessness.

The money will be directed to five school systems in rural Aroostook County as well as the cities of Bath, Biddeford, Lewiston, and Portland.

The funding will keep students and families in their existing homes or provide new housing.

The process will include hiring homeless prevention and housing navigation specialists and providing direct financial assistance to a student’s family to cover expenses that will help them maintain their current housing or obtain new housing.

“This assistance was designed to be flexible to best meet the needs of the family needing help,” said Lauren Bustard, MaineHousing’s Senior Director of Homeless Initiatives.

The Maine State Legislature approved funding for the pilot program that was created by MaineHousing and the Maine Department of Education to establish the criteria for for the $2 million in  grants.

A total of 11 school systems submitted more than $4.9 million in requests for the available funding through a competitive selection process.

“Unfortunately, demand for these valuable state resources far outstripped the available funds, and as with all pilot programs, we look forward to learning all we can – in this case, to better prevent homelessness for students in the future,” said said MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan.

In all. about 1,700 students in the five school systems will be served by the funding.

Portland is getting around a third of the available pilot program money – roughly $760,000 – which will benefit 650 students.

Bath and its surrounding area will receive $442,000 for 300 students while rural Aroostook County is getting for$353 for 110  students.

In addition, Biddeford and York County will receive $275,000 for 200 students and Lewiston is getting about $170,000 for 400-500 students.