There are important steps communities and the state and federal government can take to help prevent Mainers from having to live in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, on sidewalks and in emergency shelters. They include developing enough supportive housing, providing clear access to available services, following up with people over time and expanding prevention efforts. Homelessness … Read more
DOVER —On a recent cloudy afternoon, a man dressed in jean shorts and a blue graphic tee carried a cardboard sign. He was walking back and forth across Route 108 near Chili’s at Weeks Crossing, then toward the intersection which heads to Route 16. He said he is homeless in Rochester, and identified himself only … Read more
PORTLAND – About a year ago, Rob Parritt began keeping a three-ring binder in his office at the Oxford Street Shelter to hold the growing stack of doctors’ notes asking the homeless shelter to provide special accommodations for clients with medical issues. The binder covers now strain to contain the 3 inches of papers that … Read more
PORTLAND – More than 400 people on average sought overnight shelter in the city last month – the highest number since the city began keeping records in 1987. Last year, the city started using the Preble Street Resource Center as an emergency overflow location for an additional 75 people. But now the numbers are overwhelming … Read more
For the second year in a row, Preble Street Resource Center in Portland will receive a $750,000 grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs to shield veterans from homelessness. Judging by the first year, the money is making a difference, officials reported. "We’re seeing a decrease in the number of homeless veteran families that are … Read more
WINDHAM – Laura Smith knows how hard it can be to stretch a fixed budget during the summer. Mason Stoddard, 11, and Nickolas Keene, 3, picnic outside Little Falls Landing senior housing in Windham on Friday. This is the first summer that free lunches have been provided every weekday at the Windham site for children … Read more
PORTLAND – In response to a surge in the number of young homeless people in the city, the Preble Street Resource Center has an outreach team roaming streets and parks, connecting homeless youths to social services. The four-member team visits popular hangouts, such as Tommy’s Park and the camp sites in the woods along West … Read more
PORTLAND – On the wall behind city Health and Human Services Director Doug Gardner’s desk is a classroom-sized whiteboard. On Monday, there were 10 high-priority projects, issues, and initiatives written on it. Five of them – emergency shelter overflow, a veteran’s affairs case worker at the Oxford Street shelter, the Homeless Task Force, a meeting … Read more
PORTLAND – More than 50 people turned out Thursday night for a public hearing on homelessness as a city task force works toward a strategic plan that reflects “the heart of the community.” The hearing in the Portland Public Library’s Rines Auditorium was the first held by the city’s Task Force on Homelessness, which was … Read more
Foreclosures and unemployment are pushing middle class and low-income Americans out of their homes, and emergency shelters and food pantries are seeing record increases in demand for their services. Yet some recent reports suggest that homelessness is not increasing significantly. This is due to both flaws in the data they rely on and the narrow … Read more