Advocacy Programs

For Maine, the state with the fifth highest rate of hunger in the nation, Summer Meals continues to be a vital program for youth. Each year the program evolves and improves, with community partners working to increase access to this nationally under-utilized program. In Maine only 17.5 percent of children are accessing summer meals. To … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — A local advocacy group invited gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud to speak at a forum at the Preble Street Resource Center Thursday morning. Homeless Voices for Justice has engaged in voter registration and education for two decades. The forum was part of its "You Don’t Need A Home to Vote" campaign. … Read more

Gubernatorial candidates Mike Michaud and Eliot Cutler are among the candidates for public office scheduled to visit the Preble Street Resource Center this fall as part of the 20th annual "You Don’t Need a Home to Vote" Candidates’ Breakfast series, Homeless Voices for Justice announced. The local advocacy group has invited candidates for local, statewide … Read more

… Many school districts have successfully partnered with nonprofit groups to provide space, staffing and transportation for the summer meals programs. In fact, over the last three years, the Maine Hunger Initiative has helped open 49 new summer meal sites …  Read more here.

The proposed relocation of Maine Department of Health and Human Services offices to the Jetport Access Road in South Portland would hinder service recipients from getting back on their feet, officials argued during a press conference Wednesday. The issue also looms as a factor in the fall elections, as Portland’s mayor suggested that a new … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Since December, protests have been held at Portland’s Department of Health and Human Services over a decision to move the offices to South Portland. Construction is already well underway, with a goal of opening the new location by the start of next year. Portland Mayor Michael Brennan says the LePage … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine – Protestors marched again today against the planned move of the Department of Health and Human Services offices from its current location in Portland, to a new site in South Portland. They’ve been demonstrating against the move every month since December. The LePage administration says the move will save the state money and … Read more

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — A public hearing on new welfare requirements was held on Wednesday. The Department of Health and Human Services says it will require “able bodied adults” who get SNAP benefits — commonly known as food stamps — to get jobs or volunteer. Commissioner Mary Mayhew says, “The volunteer aspect of this … Read more

AUGUSTA, Maine – Advocates for the low-income, veterans and the homeless turned out in Augusta to express their strong opposition to a proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services to cut off food stamps or SNAP benefits to able-bodied, childless adults after three months unless they work 20 hours a week, volunteer or … Read more

Advocates for the poor are urging Governor LePage’s administration to scrap a plan that would require people to have a job to receive food stamps. LePage’s administration announced last month that it will no longer seek a federal waiver that has allowed jobless people to continue receiving benefits in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Non-elderly, … Read more