Advocacy Programs

AUGUSTA, Maine – The Senate voted on Tuesday to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a bill that would require schools in poor communities to operate a summer nutrition program for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. The Senate voted 25-10 to override the veto, which constitutes the required two-thirds majority … Read more

AUGUSTA – The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would increase the number of Maine schoolchildren who can get food over the summer through a federal program The bill, L.D. 1353, requires schools that hold summer activities, and where more than half the students qualify … Read more

Maine is now one step closer to ending childhood hunger for 70,000 children. Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative and Share Our Strength worked together this week to ensure passage of LD 1353, An Act to Further Reduce Student Hunger. This bill requires schools with over 50% participation in free and reduced lunch and who have … Read more

When it comes to hunger, Maine has the unfortunate distinction of leading almost every other state: third in the nation for food insecurity. And when it comes to kids, the picture is also stark: More than 84,000 Maine children qualify for free and reduced-price school meals. But nearly 70,000 of them do not have access … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — The city of Portland has announced that it will close its healthcare clinic at the end of March if it does not receive help from the federal government. Last year, the city treated 2,300 people in its clinic for the homeless. Portland applied for a federal grant to fund the … Read more

AUGUSTA, Maine – A bill designed to encourage school districts to host summer nutrition programs for needy students will go into law after the House of Representatives voted Thursday to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage, who called it an " irresponsible unfunded mandate" even though the program is supported with federal funds. The … Read more

Students who participated in this year’s Alternative Winter Break came together recently for a dinner to reflect on their experiences. Each January, student leaders organize AWB trips to take their peers into Maine communities to volunteer during the last week of winter break. Ryan Davis ’15 and Tenzin Tsagong ’16 led a week-long trip that … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Sex trafficking is a growing problem in Maine, as out-of-state pimps target 12- to 24-year-old women, promising them love, money or drugs, and delivering shame, abuse and humiliation. Experts say the crime is difficult to prosecute because victims often are embarrassed or frightened to come forward. They may also have … Read more

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — When you look at sex trafficking in Maine by the numbers, it doesn’t seem like that big an issue. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center reports getting 180 calls from Maine in the past 5 years. 25 of those are known cases of sex trafficking. That is, officials can prove … Read more

Every summer in towns all over Maine, the families of more than 83,000 children who receive free and reduced meals during the school year must find ways to provide those extra meals for their children. Maine’s Summer Food Service Program reaches only 17.5 percent of eligible children, meaning that more than 70,000 qualifying children do … Read more