PORTLAND – Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson’s seminal "War on Poverty" remarks in his State of the Union address. Inspired by the civil rights movement, galvanized by the assassination of President Kennedy, LBJ’s words were passionate, lofty and aspirational. The War on Poverty, he said, "will not be a short or … Read more
Rebecca Dennison’s voice broke as she said her friend’s name, "Mary Lou." "Mary Lou passed away recently. I’m missing her so much," Dennison told the roughly 200 people gathered Friday night in Monument Square for Portland’s annual vigil to remember the homeless people who died during the year. "She was frail and sassy at the … Read more
Tuesday’s cold, and the forecast for more snow, sent social service outreach workers into the woods and alleys of Portland, looking to convince vulnerable people to seek shelter from the elements. Peggy Lynch, outreach coordinator for Preble Street, and Bill Burns, the coordinator of the social service agency’s adult day shelter, trudged through deep snow … Read more
As Mainers get ready for another night of snow and freezing temperatures, there are some who are sleeping without a roof over their heads – people like 35-year old Matt Coffey. Coffey camps out in a wooded area somewhere in greater Portland – he doesn’t want to disclose the exact location for fear of being … Read more
With temperatures plunging below zero early Tuesday morning, many of Portland’s homeless faced life-threatening cold. Preble Street, a private nonprofit social service agency, sends teams of outreach workers to campsites in the city each morning to offer extra blankets, flashlights and hand warmers, and to offer people help to find permanent housing. "When it’s cold, … Read more
With temperatures frigid and this season’s first major snowfall approaching, outreach teams in Portland urged the homeless Friday to come into emergency shelters. Weather that cold is particularly hard on the homeless, said John Bradley, associate director of the Preble Street social service agency in Portland. "We’ve been worrying about the weather for the last … Read more
PORTLAND (WGME) — The Oxford Street Shelter is expecting more than 500 people as the temperature drops Wednesday night. The overflow space at the Preble Street Resource Center typically holds 75 and repairs were made in time to accommodate all of those people, but shelter directors say many will still be left out in the … Read more
U.S. housing official Barbara Poppe pays a visit today to the Joe Kriesler Teen Shelter at Preble Street in Portland. One of the federal government’s top housing officials has been visiting a couple of homeless shelters in Maine’s biggest city. Barbara Poppe, the executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, toured the Florence … Read more
The Obama administration’s top official dedicated to ending homelessness is in Portland this week to meet with administrators of shelters and speak at a conference on homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. As executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Barbara Poppe is responsible for administering Opening Doors, the nation’s first comprehensive … Read more
PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — On an average night last September, 500 people were staying at Portland homeless shelter — a record-breaking month for the city. Portland shelters are at full capacity, looking for overflow spaces and housing solutions for the growing homeless population. At Preble Street, they’re seeing an increase in elderly clients, many … Read more
