Category: Advocacy Programs - Page 7

The Impact of Social Work

April 7, 2022March 23, 2022

“In my time working here, I’ve been able to provide people with many things. I’ve given people vouchers, I’ve helped people move into apartments, I’ve helped somebody repair their vehicle. I’ve provided all of these material things. But time and time again, when people talk to me about what was most important to them, it’s been … Read more

Preble Street statement on Ukraine

March 1, 2022

Preble Street stands in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes in Ukraine. This global crisis stands in direct opposition to the work that Preble Street does to eradicate homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty, in Portland, Maine. War of any kind destroys housing and leads to food insecurity and hunger, … Read more

Advocating for Solutions

June 21, 2022February 21, 2022

Advocacy is a key component of social work. Social workers advocate for clients every day as they help them access healthcare, housing, and social services. While this approach is necessary, valuable, and positively impacts individuals, it does not address the systemic issues that lead to hunger, homelessness, and poverty. To truly address these problems, we … Read more

Stop discrimination based on homelessness!

June 21, 2022January 20, 2022

People experiencing homelessness describe experiencing discrimination from landlords, employers, and in their daily routines. LD 1871 helps them document those discriminatory acts with the Maine Human Rights Commission to formally lodge discrimination complaints. This bill extends the original Dignity Pilot, a program to document discrimination against people who are unhoused, by two years. The hearing … Read more

Tell Senator Collins to support the Freedom to Vote Act!

January 20, 2022January 11, 2022

In light of the anniversary of the assault on U.S. democracy on January 6, 2020 and the upcoming celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, please write or call Senator Susan Collins and urge her to support the Freedom to Vote Act! This critical legislation will address voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, … Read more

Solstice vigil honors lives lost in homeless community

December 28, 2021December 22, 2021

Thank you to everyone who joined us on the Winter Solstice to honor the lives of the 51 people in Portland’s homeless community who died this year. Learn more at preblestreet.org/vigil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wfq12bEWhg Solstice vigil honors lives lost in homeless communityBy Rachel Ohm, Portland Press HeraldOn Tuesday night, the crowd lit candles and marched together to … Read more

CURRENT ACTION: Say YES to Build Back Better!

December 2, 2021November 22, 2021

The Senate is set to vote on The Build Back Better package, which includes crucial investments in families, child nutrition, healthcare and affordable housing. Tell Susan Collins to support this critical legislation! Build Back Better will: save most American families more than half of their spending on childcare deliver two years of free preschool for … Read more

CURRENT ACTION: Take action for Mainers experiencing hunger!

November 9, 2021

With hunger on the rise and food prices increasing, we need to ACT NOW to ensure that all Mainers have enough to eat. Tell Representatives Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree to cosponsor the Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2021 and the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health Act of 2021. SNAP, … Read more

CURRENT ACTION: Tell Congress to Prioritize Ending Child Hunger!

October 22, 2021

As Congress nears an agreement on the Build Back Better Act, we are running out of time to ensure that critical funds for child nutrition are included in the final package. With 13 million children in the U.S. experiencing hunger — including 1 in 5 Maine children — we must convince legislators to make critical investments that close the … Read more

Preble Street Position on Shelter Referendum & Right to Food on November 2021 Ballot

October 28, 2021October 22, 2021

Preble Street, a nonprofit human service agency with programs throughout Maine, is taking no position on the shelter referendum on the November 2021 ballot in Portland.

The need now for shelter is greater than ever and emergency shelters play a critical role in supporting vulnerable individuals, meeting acute needs, and in the overall public health of communities. However, this referendum and the rhetoric surrounding it only confuses the already complex issues already on the table in Portland in regards to shelters. After a thorough examination, Preble Street has decided to take no position on the shelter referendum.

Likewise, Preble Street is not taking an official position on Question 3 the Constitutional Right to Food. Empowering people experiencing hunger and providing food for those who need it are key Preble Street priorities – Preble Street served more than 1 million meals last year and the Maine Hunger Initiative’s (MHI) work is focused on short and long-term policy strategies to end hunger in Maine. So, while we support the intent of the amendment to provide all individuals with a right to food, the language in Question 3 is very broad and unspecific and could result in unintended consequences for those experiencing homelessness.