NEWS & UPDATES
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
Everything you ever wanted to know about helping our neighbors
The holidays can be especially tough for somefolks. If you need help with housing, food or even just somepone to talk to (during the holidays, or anytime), this is the show for you. Join Amy Gallant from Preble Street, Kurt Holmgren from The Root Cellar in Portland and Greg Payne from the Maine Affordable Housing
Welcome Home
When Ed Page found himself on the streets one cold night in Portland, Maine, the city had few services for the homeless. He found his way to an air vent, and spent the night there trying to keep warm. That was 20 years ago. As the homeless population rose in Portland, service organizations created soup
Maine Calling: Homelessness
Who are the homeless in Maine and how are they being helped? How many people in our state does homelessness affect, and what practical steps can be taken to help? Maine Calling host Jennifer Rooks was joined by Tom McLaughlin, research professor at University of New England, Mark R. Swann, MSPA, Executive Director of Preble
NAACP Portland Branch's MLK Jr. holiday observance events
In 2014, the NAACP celebrates 50 years in the state of Maine. The NAACP Portland Branch is joining the Center for African Heritage, City of Portland, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, Homeless Voices for Justice/Preble Street, The Opportunity Alliance, Portland Housing Authority, Portland Public Schools, and University of New England in celebrating the Martin
Dozens of lawyers join forces with judges to provide free legal help to Portland-area homeless
PORTLAND, Maine – Local political leaders, advocates for homeless people, attorneys and judges gathered in Portland on Thursday afternoon to launch a free legal clinic to serve the area’s homeless population. "Every day, we see people who would or could get out of the homeless shelters if they could just get clear of these lingering
Support being sought for new legal clinic
A group of New Orleans judges went to a soup kitchen in February 2002 to help serve a meal, and among them was Judge Jay Zainey, of the U.S. District Court. Zainey served the patrons a meal but still left feeling empty. He thought he could do more for the city’s homeless individuals."We as lawyers
