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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Mark Swann’s remarks from the Preble Street 50th Anniversary Celebration Thank you to every single person who is here tonight. I am so blown away by seeing how many of you came out tonight to help us celebrate 50 years. I am really proud of all of the work that we’ve done at Preble Street. … Read more
On June 17, 2025, hundreds of people who share in our mission and values gathered to celebrate Preble Street’s 50th Anniversary! We knew it would be special, and the amount of hope, joy, and compassion swirling through the event was truly something to behold. Every person present brought an energy that added to the magic … Read more
How did you first get involved with Preble Street? I had heard great things about Preble Street, the critical nature of the work, and admired the mission. My former boss Elaine Rosen was on the board, and I knew a few others and wanted to see if I could help out. In my first assignment, … Read more
50 years ago, Joe Kreisler founded Preble Street as a real-world training ground for his students at the University of Southern Maine and a place for Portland’s most vulnerable residents to receive basic services—meals, clothing, bathrooms, etc.—and to connect to resources for healthcare, mental health treatment, employment, and more. “I am a human being. Part … Read more
Please join us to honor and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Preble Street! GATHER with supporters, former and current staff, volunteers, partner organizations, and community members to CELEBRATE all that we have accomplished in the last 50 years to find solutions for homelessness and hunger in Maine. This event is free to attend. Advance registration is requested. EVERYONE … Read more
General Assistance is a statewide program that helps Mainers in crisis meet basic needs. This temporary, emergency relief program is administered by municipalities across the state, and serves as a last resort for people facing extreme hardship, allowing them to afford food, diapers, medicine, rent, heat, electricity, or other necessities. TAKE ACTION This Monday, April 7, … Read more
During our 50 years in operation, Preble Street has had to adapt to changing needs and a shifting landscape many times. Never was this truer than in the days, months, and years that followed March 16, 2020. Five years ago this month, while the world was urged to stay home, a question loomed over staff … Read more
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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.
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