A sad reality of emergency shelters is that they are always at risk of closing their doors. Over the past fifteen years, at least nine shelters in Maine have closed due to funding issues. Site-based Housing First is the long-term permanent housing solution for many of the people in Maine experiencing chronic homelessness, but until the … Read more
From July to October of this year, the Preble Street Rapid Re-Housing program (RRH) helped to move 18 individuals into permanent housing. This represents ten different households or families, moving from the street or a shelter into a warm, safe, and permanent home. No matter a person’s race, income, or where they’re from, everyone needs a home, and … Read more
“Preble Street is family to me. I don’t have family, and if I didn’t have them, where would I be?” – Teen Services Youth According to the latest data, over 30% of the people experiencing homelessness in Maine were under the age of 24. Young people in Maine experience homelessness for many different reasons… some are victims … Read more
October 2024 marks two years of service to vulnerable community members experiencing unsheltered homelessness at the Elena’s Way Wellness Shelter. Since opening its doors, Elena’s Way has provided over 18,000 bed nights to individuals experiencing homelessness. That represents more than 18,000 times that a person has been able to sleep inside a warm, safe, and dignified shelter environment instead of … Read more
Photo caption: Leanne Pomeroy, Director of Rapid Re-Housing, Preble Street; Zakk Maher, Deputy Director of Business & Community Development, City of Auburn, Maine; Mayor Jeff Harmon, City of Auburn, Maine; and Erin Kelly, Senior Director of Social Work, Preble Street gather to launch Rapid Rehousing in Lewiston-Auburn. On Monday, August 12, 2024, Preble Street officially … Read more
National data from Harvard Medical School show that mobile health clinics are money savers that connect people to preventative care and outpatient services. Across the country, mobile clinics have reduced emergency department visits, returned money to communities, and saved lives. On July 1, MaineHealth launched their very own mobile health clinic, called the CONNECT Outreach Van. The CONNECT … Read more
“What I want you to know about Preble Street is that they have a lot of resources to help you, and they want to help you.” Youth currently being served by Preble Street Teen Services Providing 24-hour services, seven days a week, Preble Street Teen Services operates separate day and night shelters for homeless and runaway … Read more
“I am a human being. Part of my job, part of being alive, is making sure others are, too.” Joe Kreisler, Preble Street Founder Every ten days, a client at one of Preble Street’s programs experiences an overdose. Preble Street staff respond to these overdoses, reversing as many as possible, saving lives, and compassionately utilizing … Read more
Although we don’t have a vaccine for mental health or substance use disorders, we do have practical and effective solutions. They are the effective and evidence-based practices we know work — access to treatment, harm reduction services, mental health support, peer support groups, and perhaps most importantly, educating our community to reduce stigma and promote … Read more
What does a low-barrier shelter look like? At a time when unsheltered homelessness is increasing exponentially in our community and the shortage of low-barrier shelter beds has created a state-wide homelessness crisis, Elena’s Way and Florence House are a model for how we can take care of the most vulnerable people in our community. The … Read more
