OUR MISSION
The mission of Preble Street is 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.
Our Programs
From a nutritious meal to crisis intervention, from clean clothes to healthcare, from shelters to a permanent home, Preble Street programs not only meet urgent needs but also create solutions to homelessness and hunger.
Who We Serve
The people we meet come from every background. Some were born into abject poverty and abuse. Others were born into a loving and stable family, but life’s circumstances dictated a wildly unanticipated course.
OUR ANNUAL IMPACT
Preble Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that depends on the generosity of friends who lend their time and their resources. Every gift you make, every hour you spend, helps those most in need.
LATEST NEWS
New Preble Street Board: Ready for the road ahead
Preble Street is excited to share its new elected officers for its Board of Directors for 2026-2028 (fiscal year beginning on July 1, not calendar year). The new officers are: Chip Leighton, President Yemaya St. Clair, Vice President Joann Bautista, Secretary Justin Rosner, Treasurer “Preble Street has really smart and committed people serving on our
Staff Highlight: Caitlin Tobin – “I learn so much from our clients”
Preble Street staff are #CompassionInAction, and we want you to get to know them! This month we’re introducing you to Caitlin Tobin, 1st Shift Case Manager at the Recuperative Care Program. Name, title, and program: Cait Tobin, Case Manager, Recuperative Care Program (RCP) How long have you worked at Preble Street? I’ve been here for
Funding cuts endanger unsheltered youth
Much like the Street Outreach Collaborative but with a focus on youth, Preble Street’s Teen Outreach Specialists provide resources and basic needs to young people living outside. Though Preble Street is exploring ways to continue this lifesaving program, it is likely coming to an end or will have its services dramatically cut. On July 9,
5 years of “social work without walls”
When someone is focused on day-to-day survival, there is little time to attend to long-term goals. Accessing the limited available resources requires sorting through a convoluted web of systems and can be impossible to navigate alone. Every day for the past 5 years, the small but mighty Street Outreach Collaborative (SOC) at Preble Street works
Statement on White House Executive Order on Homelessness
We are angry today. Angry and pissed off at this awful executive order from the White House that will criminalize homelessness and incentivize communities, states, and agencies to stop doing the things that we are doing and have already proven to work to end homelessness. Housing First with 24-hour supportive services works. Harm reduction approaches
Statement on elimination of funding for Youth Street Outreach
On Wednesday night, we received the awful news that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decided to consolidate funding for street outreach to unsheltered youth into other awards, which we know effectively destroys this vital resource to prevent youth homelessness, abuse, and trafficking. Our youth Street Outreach Program (SOP) serves young people who
FEATURED STORIES
Brian’s story
Brian Hester is a proud Marine Corps Veteran. If you ask, he’ll tell you he “loved every minute” of his two-and-a-half years of service with the Marines. But, like many Veterans in Maine and all over the U.S., Brian cycled in and out
Peter’s Story
Peter was homeless for eight months, sleeping on the street and in different shelters in Augusta and Lewiston. He’s an Air Force Veteran, originally from Madawaska, Maine, who lost housing when his landlord increased his rent with only a month’s notice. “I had
Ron’s Story
“I’ll say it 1000 times over, the VA saved my life,” shares Ron. Ron is a former U.S. Marine. He currently lives at a residential facility in Lewiston, Maine, operated by Veteran’s Inc., a nonprofit that provides support services to Veterans and Veteran families
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every week 350 community volunteers lend a hand at Preble Street and almost 100% of the food and clothing we distribute is donated. We welcome — we depend on — your time, financial support, and in-kind donations. Volunteering at one meal a year, once in a while, or every week; donating work boots for someone trying to turn their life around, or organizing a fundraiser — every gift you give helps those most in need.
