Update 2/2/2023: Warming shelters will be available in the Portland area from Friday February 3 to Sunday February 5. The City of Portland, along with community partners and volunteers, will staff a temporary overnight shelter at the Salvation Army’s gymnasium at 297 Cumberland Avenue. The overnight warming shelter will be available from 3pm on Friday, … Read more
For anyone paying attention over these last few years, it’s become abundantly clear that emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness are an important part of the public health infrastructure. Shelters didn’t close during the pandemic. Shelter staff and our partners in the healthcare industry did not work remotely. We stayed open, and, in many cases, … Read more
Hunger in Maine has grown substantially since the pandemic began and Preble Street is on track to provide over 1 million hot and pantry meals for the third year in a row. Because of this drastic increase in demand for food, Preble Street launched its new Food Security Hub in South Portland, a sustainable, comprehensive, … Read more
A vigil to remember friends from the Greater Portland homeless community who have died will take place December 21 at 4:30pm. A crowd will gather in front of the MMC-Preble Street Learning Collaborative at 20 Portland Street and proceed by candlelight to Monument Square. Every year on the Winter Solstice — the longest night of homelessness … Read more
Today, the Biden-Harris administration released a federal plan for ending homelessness in America that includes an ambitious goal of reducing homelessness 25% by 2025. All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness outlines new strategies to prevent homelessness and increase the supply of housing with supportive services. “We have a homelessness crisis … Read more
“There are days it can feel like we’re alone in this work, it’s nice to come together like this and remember that we’re not.”– Conference on Homelessness attendee Last week, over 200 political, social services, business, and faith leaders from across the state of Maine came together for the first-ever Preble Street Conference on Homelessness. … Read more
“I friggin’ love it here!” – Elena’s Way Wellness Shelter client On a Tuesday in early October, the first guests entered the long-awaited Elena’s Way Wellness Shelter. They were greeted by a wide-open space filled with natural light, soothing colors and art on the walls, and their very own bed. Preble Street caseworkers gave them … Read more
By Sam Chamberlain (he/him), Managing Director of Preble Street Quarantine Shelters Note: With funding from MaineHousing, Preble Street operated a Quarantine & Isolation (Q&I) Shelter in Scarborough from May 2020 through March 31, 2022. Because of decreased need, the state consolidated this service to Lewiston as of April 1, 2022. As social workers — and … Read more
BY MARK SWANN SPECIAL TO THE PRESS HERALD Doing anti-poverty work is tough and has become even more challenging as the pandemic has led to unprecedented economic instability, social isolation and increased polarization in society. The mission of Preble Street has always been to care for people who have nowhere else to turn and to … Read more
“In my time working here, I’ve been able to provide people with many things. I’ve given people vouchers, I’ve helped people move into apartments, I’ve helped somebody repair their vehicle. I’ve provided all of these material things. But time and time again, when people talk to me about what was most important to them, it’s been … Read more
