Adult Services

A crowd estimated at 200 people gathered in Monument Square on Wednesday evening to light candles and read the names of homeless residents who died this year. The event, held each year on the evening of the winter solstice, started in the courtyard of the Preble Street social service agency before the procession marched up … Read more

… Over the past year, Good Shepherd Food Bank and Preble Street have undertaken the first research effort of its kind to better understand trends of hunger and food pantry usage in Maine. The results from more than 2,000 surveys completed in 244 towns in every county show how much Mainers are depending on local … Read more

… Donna Yellen, chief program officer for Preble Street, said the agency’s Joe Kreisler Teen Center reached capacity Wednesday night. The center has 24 beds. Yellen said the staff brought in cots to accommodate the overflow. Florence House on Valley Street is a 40-bed shelter for women. When it reaches capacity, women are sent to … Read more

On any given day, dozens gather outside in Portland’s Bayside area, waiting to get inside the Preble Street Resource Center and soup kitchen for a meal. As Homeless Veteran Al Libby puts it, “if you’re hungry enough, you’ll appreciate it.” And, although he says he appreciates the food, and the warm place to sleep, Libby … Read more

Despite discouraging news headlines about homelessness, some innovative Maine organizations have had meaningful success in reducing homelessness and improving the lives of the homeless population. We’ll learn about these solutions and what it would take to expand them. Guests: Mark Swann, executive director of Preble Street in Portland Stephanie Primm, executive director of Hospitality House … Read more

Mark Swann, executive director of Preble Street, a nonprofit that runs a soup kitchen and resource center, said a lack of services and limited hours at Portland Community Health are causing more people to go to local hospitals or the India Street clinic, or go untreated. “There’s some really strong staff at PCHC we work … Read more

Koral Mitchell has relied on a city-run clinic on India Street for a variety of health care needs for nearly a decade … So Mitchell is worried about what will happen if the City Council approves City Manager Jon Jennings’ proposal to close the India Street Public Health Center as part of next year’s budget … Read more

Concerns over the possible closure of a Portland health clinic are intensifying. A proposed city budget would close the India Street Public Health Center and transfer patients to the federally qualified Portland Community Health Center. City officials say the switch would be more cost-effective while still providing the same quality of care. But some in … Read more

… Other advocates for the bill said greater access to the drug will save lives. Bill Burns, testifying on behalf of Preble Street, told the Health and Human Services Committee how the Portland homeless shelter has been forced to alter its practices because of the high risk of overdoses … Read more.

… This innovative model will provide access to treatment of a variety of addiction disorders in an outpatient setting, safe and sober housing, recovery support and access to primary care and mental health services … … partners are Amistad, Maine Medical Center, the city of Portland, the Portland Police Department, the Opportunity Alliance, Preble Street … Read more