NEWS & UPDATES
4 Things to know about Deputy Director, Daniella Cameron
Daniella’s relationship with Preble Street began when she was a teen in the 1990s. She donated food to the agency through her school and volunteered in the old Resource Center Soup Kitchen with her family. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be involved in social work. For her senior project in high
TAKE ACTION: Tell legislators to fund Site-based Housing First in Maine!
This coming Tuesday, April 4, the Housing Committee will hold a public hearing on LD 2: An Act to Address Maine’s Housing Crisis. This legislation sponsored by Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross will provide funding for the 24-hour-a-day supportive services that make Site-based Housing First a successful solution for people with complex needs experiencing chronic homelessness.
HOUSE is Saving Lives: We need to keep it going!
“I think my mom might still be alive if she got the help I have from you guys, and the help we get from the doctors staying sober.” T.J., HOUSE client As the opioid epidemic takes the lives of more Mainers every year, the HOUSE program offers a beacon of hope. The program (which stands for
Site-based Housing First is critical for Maine
TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT SITE -BASED HOUSING FIRST IN MAINE BY CLICKING HERE. Michelle lost her home in a fire 10 years ago and ended up having to stay in shelters in Lewiston and Portland. After connecting with Preble Street, she became one of the first residents of Huston Commons, which opened in 2017 as
Once-homeless Mainers ‘get to dream again’ at this model program
by Lori Valigra, Bangor Daily News After losing her Oxford Hills home in a fire 10 years ago, Michelle Ducas spent the money she had before landing in a Lewiston shelter, then headed to Portland thinking it would be easier to find a good job. It proved harder than she expected. The 38-year-old ended up
Take Action for equitable healthcare access!
People experiencing homelessness face devastating physical and mental health consequences. They have higher rates of chronic illness and a life expectancy that is an average of 28 years shorter than people who are housed. These individuals also face high barriers to accessing critical healthcare and often delay seeking treatment. A recent study by Preble Street found
Youth homelessness and the right to education
A lack of housing shouldn’t be a barrier to the right to education. Whether they’re couch surfing with friends, sleeping in a car, hotel, or motel, or staying at a shelter, at least 15,000 youth and young adults experience homelessness each year in Maine. Thankfully, schools are federally mandated by The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Meeting people where they’re at
“I’m so thankful you can stand in as their family when we can’t.”— Parent of a person experiencing unsheltered homelessness and mental health disorders Unsheltered homelessness is on the rise due to a shortage of shelter beds, lack of affordable housing, and insufficient resources for people with mental health and substance use disorders. In 2022,
Maine needs more site-based Housing First
More site-based Housing First programs in Maine will help us to end long-term, chronic homelessness in our state.
Take Action: Keep hotel shelters open this winter!
TONIGHT, February 7, the South Portland City Council will vote whether to allow hotels in their town to continue serving as emergency shelters until April 30. If denied, many of the individuals and families staying at these hotels will be evicted this month and will need to sleep outside or in their vehicles. This extension
Responding to Winter Weather
Update 2/2/2023: Warming shelters will be available in the Portland area from Friday February 3 to Sunday February 5. The City of Portland, along with community partners and volunteers, will staff a temporary overnight shelter at the Salvation Army’s gymnasium at 297 Cumberland Avenue. The overnight warming shelter will be available from 3pm on Friday,
Legislative priorities – let’s take action!
The 132nd session of the Maine legislature begins on January 5, 2025. Preble Street will provide a detailed outline of our priorities for the next session of legislature in the next few weeks. Follow this link for a detailed description of Preble Street legislative priorities for the last session of the Maine Legislature. Hunger and homelessness
