“If you can’t get what you need, we’re here,” was the message Joe Kreisler wanted people experiencing poverty to hear when he founded High Street Resource Center (the organization that evolved into Preble Street) in 1975. For 50 years, Preble Street has been here – expanding far beyond a handful of social work interns in … Read more
How did you first get involved with Preble Street? I chaired the Greater Portland United Way Campaign in 1997 and toured every agency. The one that impressed me the most was Preble Street. What do you do when you’re not at Preble Street? I sit on corporate boards and investment committees; I spend time with … Read more
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
Photo: Between 1981-1993, Preble Street operated a day shelter in this Chapel providing breakfast, phones, bathrooms, mail, and links to community services. As we approach this milestone anniversary of 50 years, I’ve been reflecting more and more on Preble Street’s history and its future. When I was hired in 1991, I was one of two employees at Preble Street, alongside Florence … Read more
