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Homeless advocacy group hosts candidates

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.

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Increase in homeless teens

STATEWIDE (WGME) — More teens are on the streets. That’s according to the US Department of Education. Members of the Preble Street Resource Center say the number of homeless teens nationwide went up 30% for the 2012/2013 school year, The number of students in Maine going homeless each year is outpacing the national increase. Members

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Homeless Voices for Justice Invites Candidates to Preble Street

Gubernatorial candidates Mike Michaud and Eliot Cutler are among the candidates for public office scheduled to visit the Preble Street Resource Center this fall as part of the 20th annual "You Don’t Need a Home to Vote" Candidates’ Breakfast series, Homeless Voices for Justice announced. The local advocacy group has invited candidates for local, statewide

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Dr. Lisa Radio Hour: Life on the Edges #153

How do we handle ourselves when life throws us a curve? Bruce Fitzgerald, Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, and Joshua Frances, Director of Emergency Management at Maine Medical Center, give us valuable information about emergencies, how we might be impacted and how we can best prepare. Preble Street Executive Director Mark Swann discusses what happens

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New Faces and Promotions in Preble Street Teen Services

New Faces  Kristin Doneski joined Preble Street as teen services supervisor. Doneski, of Portland, will work with homeless youths to help them develop life skills that promote long-term stability. She previously worked at Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco.  Promotions Charlotte DeTroy was promoted to supervisor of Preble Street Teen Services First Place Transitional

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Our View: Food programs for children advance slowly

… Many school districts have successfully partnered with nonprofit groups to provide space, staffing and transportation for the summer meals programs. In fact, over the last three years, the Maine Hunger Initiative has helped open 49 new summer meal sites …  Read more here.

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Critics call DHHS office move a 'no win'

The proposed relocation of Maine Department of Health and Human Services offices to the Jetport Access Road in South Portland would hinder service recipients from getting back on their feet, officials argued during a press conference Wednesday. The issue also looms as a factor in the fall elections, as Portland’s mayor suggested that a new

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Protests continue in the midst of DHHS construction

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Since December, protests have been held at Portland’s Department of Health and Human Services over a decision to move the offices to South Portland. Construction is already well underway, with a goal of opening the new location by the start of next year. Portland Mayor Michael Brennan says the LePage

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Portland Mayor Joins Protest Against DHHS Move

PORTLAND, Maine – Protestors marched again today against the planned move of the Department of Health and Human Services offices from its current location in Portland, to a new site in South Portland. They’ve been demonstrating against the move every month since December. The LePage administration says the move will save the state money and

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DHHS hearing held on "work for welfare" plan

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — A public hearing on new welfare requirements was held on Wednesday. The Department of Health and Human Services says it will require “able bodied adults” who get SNAP benefits — commonly known as food stamps — to get jobs or volunteer. Commissioner Mary Mayhew says, “The volunteer aspect of this

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Plan to Restrict SNAP Benefits in Maine Meets Strong Opposition

AUGUSTA, Maine – Advocates for the low-income, veterans and the homeless turned out in Augusta to express their strong opposition to a proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services to cut off food stamps or SNAP benefits to able-bodied, childless adults after three months unless they work 20 hours a week, volunteer or

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Maine Food Stamps Recipients May Be Required To Work Or Volunteer

Advocates for the poor are urging Governor LePage’s administration to scrap a plan that would require people to have a job to receive food stamps. LePage’s administration announced last month that it will no longer seek a federal waiver that has allowed jobless people to continue receiving benefits in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Non-elderly,

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