Maine Needs and Preble Street Announce Partnership to Help More Mainers Meet their Basic Needs

Preble Street is excited to announce a new partnership with Maine Needs that will support both organizations’ goal to meet the basic needs of Mainers experiencing homelessness or who have recently moved out of homelessness.   As of April 18, 2025, Preble Street will no longer accept individual in-kind, non-food donations. All clothing, hygiene, and household … Read more

TAKE ACTION TODAY: Ensure Mainers stay housed and can access basic needs

General Assistance is a statewide program that helps Mainers in crisis meet basic needs. This temporary, emergency relief program is administered by municipalities across the state, and serves as a last resort for people facing extreme hardship, allowing them to afford food, diapers, medicine, rent, heat, electricity, or other necessities. TAKE ACTION This Monday, April 7, … Read more

Food Is a Human Right: Protecting Access to Nutrition in Maine

In honor of National Nutrition Month, we take a look at the emergency food system in Maine. Food pantries and anti-hunger non-profits like Preble Street play an important role in ensuring people experiencing food insecurity have consistent access to healthy and nutritious food. Since opening in 1975, Preble Street has worked to ensure that everyone … Read more

The power of advocacy

For 50 years, Preble Street has advocated for keeping people in Maine fed, sheltered, and housed. We are deeply committed to lifting up the voices of marginalized and underserved populations, bringing people together to focus on solutions, and ensuring that everyone in our state has food, clothing, and shelter. As a social work agency, we … Read more

Volunteers needed! Summer volunteer opportunities

Preble Street has many rewarding and fun volunteer opportunities that are great for individuals, families, and even groups!  Whether chopping veggies and helping to prepare meals at Preble Street’s Food Security Hub or organizing donations at the Receiving Center, there is a way for everyone to get involved and make a direct impact in the … Read more

Landlords are a part of the solution

To address homelessness and housing insecurity in Maine, the help and support of landlords is critical. Preble Street works closely with landlords to identify and maintain stable housing for clients. Their partnership is crucial to successfully housing people, who are transitioning from shelter or the street. Veteran’s Housing Services (VHS), in particular, frequently works alongside landlords … Read more

Volunteers power the work of Preble Street

The contributions of volunteers are part of the lifeblood of Preble Street, playing a crucial role in fulfilling Preble Street’s mission and making a meaningful impact in the Portland community. They provide invaluable support in various areas across the organization, including event planning, community outreach, meal prep at the Food Security Hub, or sorting donations … Read more

A Busy 131 Legislative Session for Preble Street

Advocacy has been embedded into the Preble Street mission since our founding in 1975. In tandem with our Site-based Housing First programs, the Food Security Hub, Rapid Re-Housing and many other programs, Preble Street conducts advocacy and policy work through multiple channels to address homelessness, hunger, and poverty. Our advocacy includes community organizing, with events … Read more

Get to Know Elisa Fleig, Preble Street’s Volunteer Program Manager

Elisa Fleig, Volunteer Program Manager at Preble Street, is passionate about locally sourced, sustainable food. She feels lucky to have her desk located in the Food Security Hub – Preble Street’s production kitchen and meal distribution center. In fact, Preble Street’s commitment to serving nutritious, and culturally relevant meals to people experiencing food insecurity is what … Read more

Housing People Takes Investment, Not Magic

We have said before that the reasons why people experience homelessness are complex, but the solutions are not. Ensuring that people can access stable and safe housing and maintain that housing is the solution to homelessness. Preble Street created its Rapid Re-Housing program (RRH) in 2020 to move more people from homelessness to permanent housing. … Read more