NEWS & UPDATES
Rally urges state to accept federal money to expand MaineCare
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – Thomas Ptacek never expected to rely on MaineCare or the veterans health services he was entitled to after serving as a psychiatric technician with the Navy during the first Gulf War. But after he became homeless four years ago at the age of 40, Ptacek found himself needing government assistance for
Avesta’s Dana Totman named Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year
When Dana Totman was first courted by the board of York-Cumberland Housing in 2000, the then-deputy director of the Maine State Housing Authority saw a struggling, stagnant organization in desperate need of new leadership. "They were not real productive, they were just kind of plodding along," he says. Poor financial health, low workplace morale and
After 100 years in the business, Portland's Hub Furniture still giving strong
PORTLAND – In 1913, two peddlers, Jewish immigrants from the same village in Russia, founded a furniture store on Congress Street, near Franklin Street. They gave it a name that put it at the center of their world: Hub Furniture. Among their sale items was a six-piece dining room set priced at $46.50. Today, that
Homeless Youth: Who They Are and What They Need From Us
Preble Street Teen Services coordinator Chris Bicknell was featured on the Dr. Ross Green podcast ” Issues in Childrens Mental Health.” Listen to the podcast here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rosswgreene/2013/03/04/issues-in-childrens-mental-health.
Officials: Panhandling in Portland on rise
PORTLAND, Maine – If it appears that you are seeing more panhandlers on Portland’s city streets these days, officials at the Preble Street Resource Center say you are. Working with police and the United Way, the center is about to launch a study to find out what has caused the sudden influx and what they
USM Wrestling Volunteers at Preble Street Soup Kitchen
Huskies’ senior captain Logan Russell talks about his team’s efforts at the Preble Street Resource Center and his quest for 100 wins (watch video).
Plan offers ways to aid Portland's homeless
PORTLAND – The city’s Health and Human Services Department is recommending that Portland establish housing where homeless people can stay sober, develop a team of specialists to help the homeless find housing and hire more workers to interview people who enter shelters. That action plan, to be presented Tuesday night to the City Council’s Public
Homelessness is not myth in York County, says social worker
YORK COUNTY – A new method to determine the number of homeless individuals and families in Maine has produced surprisingly good results, according to the local coordinator for the state’s annual point-in-time survey, held Jan. 30. Homeless individuals called in, according to Amy Marcotte, social worker at the Sanford Veterans Center in Springvale. "This is
Potent Synthetic Pot: Easy to Get in Maine, Hard to Kick
In the past few years, several new synthetic, “designer drugs” have emerged as the new thing. Bath salts are probably the most well-known. Another big one is Spice, or K2, a kind of synthetic marijuana. Spice is potent, and can have intense side effects, but efforts to ban it at both the federal and state
Gimme Shelter
A portrait of the Oxford Street Shelter by the Portland Press Herald & Kimball & Keyser (watch video)
Task force member supports city's homeless prevention plan
As a member of the Portland Homeless Prevention Task Force, I am in full support of the task force recommendations and work plan. The task force, comprised of members of the business community, social service agencies and neighborhood representatives, spent several months examining issues and causes of homelessness, as well as workable solutions that lead
Maine Voices: Efficient and effective, Preble Street respects humanity of those it serves
PORTLAND – Our roles as stewards of Preble Street’s mission, philosophy and approach compel us to respond to a recent Maine Voices column that questions the effectiveness of the work our organization does ("Poor oversight of homeless services erodes Bayside’s quality of life," Feb. 4). That column demands steps that were addressed and, in many
