On Monday, December 21 — the longest night of homelessness — we will be holding a virtual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Vigil at preblestreet.org/vigil. We’ll share the names of the people we lost this year, a prayer from Grace Street Ministries, music from people experiencing homelessness, and more. The life expectancy of our friends who endure … Read more
Food insecurity is a growing national problem amid the pandemic. Pantries are stretched thin — and money is tight in many communities. Advocates from across the country are urging Congress to increase SNAP benefits. They all want the next pandemic relief bill to include a boost for the program – and they’re urging congress not … Read more
“There’s been a lot of social services throughout the state of Maine that have been working collaboratively, together, to really make a dent and helping people out of homelessness,” Preble Street Deputy Director Donna Yellen said. She says that despite the decrease in people experiencing homelessness, there is a lot of work that needs to … Read more
Dozens turned out last Friday to honor the 43 members of the homeless community who lost their lives in 2019. For the last 25 years, people have gathered in Portland for the Homeless Persons’ Memorial Vigil, an event to mourn and pay tribute to the lives lost and to reaffirm the need to help find … Read more
Tim Keefe found himself homeless in his tent in rural Maine. It was below freezing. He hadn’t had food in two days. “I’ve worked since I was 11. I’ve paid taxes my whole life. Now, they are denying me food stamps? I don’t understand this,” he said. Keefe is a veteran, father, and widower in … Read more
“Taking food away from someone doesn’t encourage them to look for work, it actually harms their efforts to get back on their feet.” – Heather Zimmerman, Preble Street Advocacy Director Thousands of Mainers could lose SNAP benefits next year, according to a new decision by the federal government. The Department of Agriculture made it mandatory … Read more
“We see this as a cruel punishment for people living in poverty.” — Meredith Cook, Preble Street Social Change Advocate The Trump administration is tightening work requirements for the federal food stamp program in a move that will slash benefits for hundreds of thousands of people. The rule will restrict states from exempting work-eligible adults … Read more
A rule change from the Trump administration could knock thousands of Maine families, seniors, and people with disabilities off food stamps. Meredith Cook of the Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative says the proposed rule jeopardizes other federal benefits like free and reduced lunches. “Many families are directly certified into the school lunch program based on … Read more
In the wake of her formal inauguration, during which Governor Janet Mills said she will implement voter-approved Medicaid expansion, advocacy groups are hopeful that Maine’s newly elected Democratic governor will quickly sideline the potential for work requirements to be placed on the state’s Medicaid recipients, an option granted by the federal government on Dec. 21 … Read more
Preble Street and other poverty relief organizations in Maine are relieved that the 2018 US Farm Bill has passed with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, intact. The $867-billion dollar omnibus bill passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers, but not before a tense year of negotiations, including a House version of the bill that would have cut SNAP and imposed work requirements, … Read more