We’re celebrating some good news this Youth Homelessness Awareness Month! Preble Street Teen Services was recently awarded a grant from the Family and Youth Service Bureau to fund a Maternity Group Home and Street Outreach Program. This 3-year grant allows us to expand our housing options to specifically serve pregnant and parenting youth and fulfills a longtime goal of the agency. We are excited to begin building this new program and to expand our capacity to meet the needs of more young people in our community. Volunteers have been helping us prepare the home with furniture and supplies over the last month.
Volunteers moving furniture into the new maternity program
In addition to providing housing and support for young families, this grant also includes funding that will enable us to continue street outreach to youth. Though standalone funding for youth outreach programs was eliminated by the federal government earlier this year, this new grant ensures the continuation of our vital Teen Outreach services which help us prevent and rapidly respond to youth homelessness, abuse, and trafficking. Our youth street outreach program serves young people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, couch surfing, or are otherwise difficult to find or engage. Outreach workers meet youth where they are — camping on the periphery of towns and cities, sleeping on the beach during the tourist season, or sleeping in their car in a Walmart parking lot. They build trust to connect them to safety and services. Outreach is one important part of the system of care that has been developed to support young people experiencing difficult, unsafe, or unstable situations.
Along with the start on construction of Joe’s Place, which will bring the Preble Street Teen Center and overnight shelter under one roof, we are beyond thankful to celebrate good news for these critical programs. Consisting of the Teen Shelter and Center, Teen Outreach, and Teen Housing programs, Preble Street Teen Services supported 248 Maine youth last year. This year, just between July 1 and September 30, the programs have provided services to 124 youth, including 27 minors and 97 individuals aged 18-24.
Images from the 2025 Friendsgiving celebration and this summer’s kayaking trip.
Preble Street Teen Services provides low-barrier access to shelter, food, basic needs, casework, mental health supports, education and employment services, and a variety of housing options for youth experiencing homelessness between the ages of 12-24 in Maine. Teen Services staff also strive to create positive opportunities for community building and fun for youth in our programs, like a day of sea kayaking this summer, or the yearly Friendsgiving meal program staff and clients create and enjoy together.
Staff highlight: Rich Tucker – Helping clients move forward
Preble Street staff are #CompassionInAction, and we want you to get to know them! This month we’re introducing you to Rich Tucker, Housing Support Worker, Teen Services How long have you worked at Preble Street? And in your current program? I’ve been at Preble Street since November 2005, and with Teen Services for almost 4 years. What do you
30 years of Homeless Voices for Justice
This month we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Homeless Voices for Justice (HVJ)! Since 1995, HVJ has ensured that the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness are heard by people in power. Preble Street Founder Joe Kreisler knew that true change can only occur when people who are experiencing a problem are part of
The Preble Street response to the SNAP crisis
Donate here to help Preble Street provide emergency food to people in need in Maine! Volunteer with Preble Street to help produce up to 10,000 meals a day. Update: December 3, 2025 While last month’s SNAP benefit emergency was resolved, the ongoing SNAP crisis is not. The massive cuts to SNAP and Medicaid made in this