The dedication, compassion, and hard work of Preble Street volunteers make a profound impact on the lives of those we serve. This year, we’ve had over 1,300 individual volunteers contributing nearly 20,000 volunteer hours.  

Our volunteers make time in their busy schedules and come out in all kinds of challenging Maine weather to make a positive impact in the lives of others. It is truly inspiring! Our volunteers have been and always will be central to Preble Street’s mission and the work we do. 

So far in 2024, our community of Preble Street staff and volunteers have come together to prepare 504,497 meals in Preble Street’s kitchens. These meals represent a real connection and a genuine support for someone experiencing homelessness or food insecurity. Along with our prepared meals, the grocery food boxes from Preble Street’s Food Pantry have provided an additional 351,518 meals to families navigating food insecurity. With the invaluable support of our volunteers, Preble Street in total provided over 800,000 meals to individuals and families in the Greater Portland Area. Every meal served, every box packed, every small act of kindness— it all adds up to a profound impact that stretches far beyond what can be seen or counted.

These numbers do not include the busy holiday season! It would be impossible for us to show the many wonderful moments we’ve had this past year, but we hope you enjoy some recent volunteer highlights below!