NEWS & UPDATES
Overcoming the odds together
Women experiencing homelessness face many obstacles on their path to stability and security. Like homeless youth, they are especially vulnerable to violence while trying to survive on the streets. Some have untreated mental illness and/or substance use disorders, are transitioning from incarceration, or have serious medical needs — especially as the population of people experiencing
The solution to homelessness is housing
Everyone deserves a safe place to live, and “Housing First” is the philosophy at the center of Preble Street’s housing work: housing must be the first step in addressing homelessness. When people have a safe, stable place to call home the results are profound and far-reaching. Once out of the chaos of homelessness, where every
Advocating for Solutions
Advocacy is a key component of social work. Social workers advocate for clients every day as they help them access healthcare, housing, and social services. While this approach is necessary, valuable, and positively impacts individuals, it does not address the systemic issues that lead to hunger, homelessness, and poverty. To truly address these problems, we
CURRENT ACTION: Tell legislators to support LD 1626 and tribal sovereignty!
(Image from Wabanaki Alliance) Oppressive state and federal regulation of Native tribes, as well as a lack of sovereignty for those tribes, has resulted in worse health and economic outcomes for Indigenous communities in Maine. Exercising control over Indigenous people and land while simultaneously not investing in equitable resources for those communities is the sordid
MMC-Preble Street Learning Collaborative marks 5 years of serving our community!
People experiencing homelessness face devastating physical and mental health consequences and higher rates of chronic illness than their peers who are housed. Yet, they also face higher barriers to accessing critical healthcare and treatment. To address these issues in Portland, Preble Street, Maine Medical Center (MMC), and community partners opened the MMC-Preble Street Learning Collaborative
Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Throughout Maine, children and adults of all genders, ages, and races are forced by sexual, physical, and psychological coercion or violence to do all kinds of work, including farm labor, domestic service, sex work, and restaurant and hospitality service. This is human trafficking, a crime of exploitation that can and does impact every community. In Maine, sex
Stop discrimination based on homelessness!
People experiencing homelessness describe experiencing discrimination from landlords, employers, and in their daily routines. LD 1871 helps them document those discriminatory acts with the Maine Human Rights Commission to formally lodge discrimination complaints. This bill extends the original Dignity Pilot, a program to document discrimination against people who are unhoused, by two years. The hearing
Support LD 174 to End Hunger in Maine!
In commemoration of Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative’s 14th anniversary and its long history of collaborating with partners to end hunger in Maine, please lend your voice and support to ensure the passage of significant anti-hunger legislation! LD 174: An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Ending Hunger by 2030 Advisory Group will help ensure all Mainers have consistent access
Tell Senator Collins to support the Freedom to Vote Act!
In light of the anniversary of the assault on U.S. democracy on January 6, 2020 and the upcoming celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, please write or call Senator Susan Collins and urge her to support the Freedom to Vote Act! This critical legislation will address voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security,
Read the latest edition of Curbside!
Ending hunger in Maine, housing for youth and Veterans, providing hope… The latest edition of Curbside is out! Read it here.
Solstice vigil honors lives lost in homeless community
Thank you to everyone who joined us on the Winter Solstice to honor the lives of the 51 people in Portland’s homeless community who died this year. Learn more at preblestreet.org/vigil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wfq12bEWhg Solstice vigil honors lives lost in homeless communityBy Rachel Ohm, Portland Press HeraldOn Tuesday night, the crowd lit candles and marched together to
From a large new facility in South Portland, Preble Street feeds people and fights to end hunger
By Gillian Graham; Portland Press Herald By 9:30 a.m. Monday, the team had already sent 500 breakfast packages out the door, bound for people staying in shelters and motels, at the YMCA and on the streets. The tacos, all 860 of them, would be delivered for dinner. Up next were 420 hot ham and cheese,
