There are many ways to describe Preble Street
We are a community at Preble Street. The “We” means everyone involved: staff, board, volunteers, donors, and especially those who use our services. Everyone is welcome at Preble Street, everyone is respected and treated with dignity, and everyone is invited to contribute to the effort of meeting our mission.
OUR MISSION
To provide accessible barrier-free services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty, and to advocate for solutions to these problems.
PREBLE STREET IS ABOUT PEOPLE
Passionate and generous people who say with our founder, Joe Kreisler, “I am a human being. Part of my job, part of being alive, is making sure that other people are too.”
People who believe that families living in poverty should not have to go hungry, that no one should have to be on the street when they are tired or sick or cold, that youth who have no home should not have to live in fear and danger.
People who see their neighbors experiencing homelessness as having dignity, worth, and potential.
And most of all, the courageous people who come to Preble Street seeking help to overcome unimaginably difficult circumstances — disabilities, abuse, unemployment, substance use disorder, isolation, language barriers.
People working together to turn hunger and homelessness into opportunity and hope through programs that operate 24/7/365 to meet the needs of Mainers each day.
FEATURED PREBLE STREET STORIES
Austin’s Story
When he first shared his story in the fall of 2022, Austin was spending his nights at the Preble Street Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter or outside on the streets. But for the past six months, Austin has been living in a one-bedroom apartment in Portland with a roommate and working
Larry’s Story
Larry, a U.S. Navy Veteran, has lived in Maine since junior high. Unfortunately, due to rising housing, utility, and food costs, he found himself facing homelessness at age 63. After hearing about Preble Street Veterans Housing Services from a fellow Veteran and friend, he decided to reach out. “I got
Mark’s Story
Sitting at his kitchen table in the apartment he’s been living in since Spring 2023, 27-year-old Mark is hopeful. “I just have a lot more peace of mind and feel more at peace with myself. I can relax and work on maintaining my mental health. I feel like I’m actually
