NEWS & UPDATES
Group remembers homeless on longest night of year
A group in Portland remembers the homeless who have passed away with a vigil on the longest night of the year.
Homelessness is a daily battle
PORTLAND – As people began to gather in the twilight in the courtyard outside the Preble Street Resource Center, Dee Clarke lit a candle in honor of homeless people who have died in Portland. “No one should have to die on the street,” said Clarke, who once was homeless and now is an advocate leader
Preble Street volunteer wins 6 Who Care award
Barry D. Pfouts feeds the bodies, hearts, minds, and souls of homeless youth in Greater Portland. For more than eight years he has devoted four days each week to preparing meals for at the Preble Street Teen Center, but what he bring to the Center is far more than simply food prep and service. He
Report: Hunger a "Hidden Crisis" in Cumberland County
In the cafeteria of the East End Community School in Portland, students carry lunch trays teeming with food to their tables–beef stew, string cheese, milk, and biscuits. What you don’t see is the fact that about three-quarters of the students qualify for free or discounted lunches. Hunger in Maine is a hidden crisis, according to
Even 'rich' area in Maine hit by hunger, report says
PORTLAND – Cumberland County may be well known as Maine’s most affluent county, but it has plenty of residents who are struggling to feed themselves and their families, according to a new report. The Campaign to Promote Food Security in Cumberland County is scheduled to release its report today after a yearlong study. It says
Maine Voices: Bountiful tables not enjoyed by all
PORTLAND – Thanksgiving is a busy time at Preble Street, as at many homes across this country. Families and friends gather to catch up, share stories and build new histories together. And to eat. Food is a central part of Thanksgiving, ingrained in our cultural understanding of the holiday. For many Maine families, however, this
Homeless deaths cause concern
Homeless Voices for Justice was devastated to read of yet another death in the homeless community. James Stewart’s death, reported Sept. 2, brings the count to eight this summer alone. Can you imagine if eight members of another community in Portland had passed in two months? What would the response be then? We are angered
Hundreds Attend Yogathon in Portland
“Yogathon 2010” hit the Maine State Pier in Portland on Sunday afternoon, as hundreds participated in a public yoga event to raise money for the Preble Street Resource Center. Organizers say the Yogathon raises the overall consciousness about the benefits of yoga as part of a healthy lifestyle and also allows participants to enjoy the
Maine gubernatorial candidates put the focus on homeless
PORTLAND – A group of gubernatorial candidates fielded questions on issues centering on homelessness Tuesday during a forum at the Preble Street social service agency. About 25 people, most of them homeless, attended the forum, which was sponsored by the Homeless Voices for Justice group. The candidates who attended were Democrat Libby Mitchell and independent
Giving is bountiful for Portland food pantry
The United Way of Greater Portland wrapped up a food pantry project with Preble Street with better-than-expected results, collecting donations that provided needy people with 23,200 meals. The two organizations more than doubled their expected contributions, receiving 860 boxes of food instead of an anticipated 400 boxes, with each box supplying about 27 meals. Elena
Preble Street Shelter Gains More Funding
PORTLAND, Maine — A new donation has given a boost to the Preble Street Resource Center’s effort to make up for funding withdrawn by the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development withdrew support from "The Preble Street Homeless Voices for Justice Program." The diocese said that
Homeless outreach right approach
When you see an ambulance speeding through Portland, it’s easy to believe that it is headed to the scene of a car accident or a heart attack. It often is. But all too often the destination is a so-called "layout," or a street drunk who has collapsed in public. Addiction, homelessness and mental illness are
