NEWS & UPDATES
Rally and march to stop violence against women
Take Back The Night 30th Anniversary On November 1st 1980, a young woman of 35, stepped to the front of a tentative crowd at Portland, Maine’s first Take Back the Night March. She was nervous but filled with the fire of feminism. And to those assembled she began what amounted to a call and response
Myths about the homeless
There are many myths and stereotypes about the "homeless". Myths and stereotypes come about due to misconceptions born of ignorance, overgeneralizations from a single experience, and poor access to the real facts. Since the homeless population is often called "the invisible population," it is understandable why these myths and stereotypes develop and why they persist.
Prepared Remarks for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan at the Florence House Grand Opening
Thank you, Governor Baldacci — for that introduction and for the leadership that you provide, particularly to Maine’s most vulnerable families. This is a special day for this community — and I want to thank everyone in this room who made it possible. We all recognize the remarkable strides our country has made in tackling
LePage visit clears up contested budget item
Worried that the proposed state budget would drastically limit access to General Assistance funds for some of Maine’s neediest residents, one state representative invited Gov. Lepage to Portland’s epicenter of social services and cleared up a major "drafting error." Upon hearing that the governor’s budget proposal called for limiting General Assistance help to once per
LePage doesn't intend to limit general assistance to once a year
PORTLAND – Gov. Paul LePage does not intend to limit Mainers to receiving 30 days of general assistance a year, according to spokesman Dan Demeritt. Demeritt made that clarification after LePage met with clients and service providers of Preble Street. The stop was one of several on the governor’s Capitol for a Day program Friday.
Americorps VISTAs help fight hunger
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Two Americorps VISTA volunteers are working with the Preble Street Resource Center to help spread a nationwide campaign to end hunger. Shoshona Smith and Abby Farnahm will be working for the next year with the organization. They’ll be helping with fundraising efforts, and applying for grants. One of the key
Different women, same heartfelt compassion
Inspired by those in need Donna Yellen Age: 50 Residence: Portland Occupation: Director of the Maine Hunger Initiative and Advocacy at Preble Street in Portland A friend and an advocate: The homeless, the hungry, the poor and the hurting need both. Donna Yellen of Portland is one of many such volunteers who every day not
Finding the homeless on Portland's streets
PORTLAND – At the far end of the city’s industrial waterfront, over a 7-foot-tall snowbank, across the railroad tracks and behind a patch of trees and frozen brush, Susie Whittington and Sandy Brown saw footprints heading along the riverbank. "Hello!" Whittington called out as she trudged through knee-deep snow. "Homeless outreach. Anyone out here?" About
City wins $3.196 million in federal homeless aid
Portland received nearly $3.2 million in federal money for homeless relief, most of it in the form of subsidized housing, officials announced Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced its Continuum of Care grants, which provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless people as well as services including job training, health care,
Maine hunger coalition is a needed voice in policy arena
The last three years have been an unending challenge for the people who distribute food to those in need. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 195,000 Maine residents struggled with "food insecurity," which means having difficulty providing enough food for their families. With nearly 15 percent of households in that category, organizations that supply
Preble Street Director honored for social justice work.
MCC is delighted to honor Donna Yellen, Board Member and long time parishioner of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Portland. Donna is the Director of the Maine Hunger Initiative and Advocacy at Preble Street, a social service agency whose mission is to provide services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger and poverty and
Coalition looking to fill more Mainers' plates
Six nonprofits are teaming up to expand food supplies to hungry Mainers and reverse the rise in the rate of people struggling to feed their families. Leaders of the coalition, called the Maine Hunger Initiative, hope to generate more funding and food donations for pantries, which are facing increasing demand. They also plan to push
