PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — A local advocacy group invited gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud to speak at a forum at the Preble Street Resource Center Thursday morning.

Homeless Voices for Justice has engaged in voter registration and education for two decades. The forum was part of its "You Don’t Need A Home to Vote" campaign. The group has invited all the gubernatorial candidates to speak at forums to connect with the homeless.

Those who attended the forum were able to meet Congressman Michaud and ask him questions about social services, minimum wage and housing opportunities. It also gave Michaud the opportunity to listen to people who access social services and to learn what their specific concerns are.

"I’m here really to learn from them, to see what some of them have gone through and what are some of the problems and struggles they are facing to get up," said Michaud

Homeless Voices for Justice will host Eliot Cutler Oct. 7. Gov. Paul LePage declined the invitation.