NEWS & UPDATES
Maine lawmakers override gov's veto of school lunch expansion
When it comes to hunger, Maine has the unfortunate distinction of leading almost every other state: third in the nation for food insecurity. And when it comes to kids, the picture is also stark: More than 84,000 Maine children qualify for free and reduced-price school meals. But nearly 70,000 of them do not have access
Portland will close homeless clinic without federal money
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — The city of Portland has announced that it will close its healthcare clinic at the end of March if it does not receive help from the federal government. Last year, the city treated 2,300 people in its clinic for the homeless. Portland applied for a federal grant to fund the
House overturns LePage’s veto of ‘hungry kids’ bill, which will now become a law
AUGUSTA, Maine – A bill designed to encourage school districts to host summer nutrition programs for needy students will go into law after the House of Representatives voted Thursday to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage, who called it an " irresponsible unfunded mandate" even though the program is supported with federal funds. The
Legislature should override LePage’s veto of bill that fills in summer hunger gap for children
It’s no secret that far too many children go hungry in Maine. Less widely known is that there are effective and affordable ways to reach our most at-risk students both during the school year, and when classes let out for vacation. Extending free or reduced-priced lunches during the summer months is one measure helping to
Making Winter Break Matter
Students who participated in this year’s Alternative Winter Break came together recently for a dinner to reflect on their experiences. Each January, student leaders organize AWB trips to take their peers into Maine communities to volunteer during the last week of winter break. Ryan Davis ’15 and Tenzin Tsagong ’16 led a week-long trip that
Maine starts to take on sex trafficking
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Sex trafficking is a growing problem in Maine, as out-of-state pimps target 12- to 24-year-old women, promising them love, money or drugs, and delivering shame, abuse and humiliation. Experts say the crime is difficult to prosecute because victims often are embarrassed or frightened to come forward. They may also have
Experts say sex trafficking is growing in Maine
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — When you look at sex trafficking in Maine by the numbers, it doesn’t seem like that big an issue. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center reports getting 180 calls from Maine in the past 5 years. 25 of those are known cases of sex trafficking. That is, officials can prove
LePage’s student food veto hard to stomach
Add yet another group to Gov. Paul LePage’s war on the poor: hungry kids. Sometime in the next few days, the Legislature will find itself staring once again at "An Act To Further Reduce Student Hunger" – a no-brainer piece of legislation passed overwhelmingly by the House and Senate last spring only to fall victim
MAINE COMPASS: Maine’s hungry children need their lawmakers
Every summer in towns all over Maine, the families of more than 83,000 children who receive free and reduced meals during the school year must find ways to provide those extra meals for their children. Maine’s Summer Food Service Program reaches only 17.5 percent of eligible children, meaning that more than 70,000 qualifying children do
Homelessness in the U.S. is a national disgrace
On Wednesday, Phil Allen, who is the veterans housing service manager for the Portland-based Preble Street Resource Center, discovered a man who had been living in his car for the past four months. The man wasn’t found in Portland. He was found in Oxford Hills as Allen and dozens of other social workers and housing
Portland clinic to provide free legal aid to homeless
PORTLAND – People who are homeless will soon not have to also be lawyer-less. Volunteer attorneys, in partnership with Preble Street, are launching a free legal clinic for homeless individuals. The Maine Homeless Legal Project, announced at a press conference Jan. 9, is expected to be serving clients by April. Lawyers will meet with the
"Who's Hungry" advance visit
This week Portland Ovations hosted performance artist Dan Froot for a whirlwind visit in our fair city. Dan is the co-creator of “Who’s Hungry,” a powerful and provocative puppetry piece that gives a voice to those who suffer from food insecurity that we are presenting in April at and in conjunction with SPACE Gallery. While
