Hunger and homelessness are on the rise in our state this winter, leaving thousands of our fellow Mainers without enough food and without shelter or housing. As unsheltered homelessness grows, so does the rise of police interactions as these neighbors of ours are penalized for conducting activities essential to daily living, like sleeping, sitting, or … 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
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8 and we want you to get out and vote! Advocacy is key to our mission and one of the most important aspects of the Preble Street Advocacy Team’s work this time of year is ensuring that Mainers experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty know their voting rights and are registered to vote. Preble … Read more
The City of Portland is giving YOU a voice in how they spend millions of dollars in Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Participate in their poll and tell them that shelter and food security need to be priorities! The lack of supportive shelters and a shortage of affordable housing have created a crisis … Read more
The affordable housing crisis, inflation in the cost of basic necessities, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have created a homelessness and eviction crisis in Maine and across the United States. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado has introduced a bill to address this growing issue. Join us in asking Senator Susan Collins and Senator … Read more
On Tuesday, April 26, homelessness and housing advocates are preparing an unprecedented Congressional advocacy push around the federal budget. Please call your Representative and both Senators on that day to request increased funding for homelessness and housing! More specifically, you can ask them to join the “Dear Colleague” letter supporting $3.6 billion for homeless assistance … Read more
(Image from Wabanaki Alliance) Oppressive state and federal regulation of Native tribes, as well as a lack of sovereignty for those tribes, has resulted in worse health and economic outcomes for Indigenous communities in Maine. Exercising control over Indigenous people and land while simultaneously not investing in equitable resources for those communities is the sordid … Read more
People experiencing homelessness describe experiencing discrimination from landlords, employers, and in their daily routines. LD 1871 helps them document those discriminatory acts with the Maine Human Rights Commission to formally lodge discrimination complaints. This bill extends the original Dignity Pilot, a program to document discrimination against people who are unhoused, by two years. The hearing … Read more
In commemoration of Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative’s 14th anniversary and its long history of collaborating with partners to end hunger in Maine, please lend your voice and support to ensure the passage of significant anti-hunger legislation! LD 174: An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Ending Hunger by 2030 Advisory Group will help ensure all Mainers have consistent access … Read more
In light of the anniversary of the assault on U.S. democracy on January 6, 2020 and the upcoming celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, please write or call Senator Susan Collins and urge her to support the Freedom to Vote Act! This critical legislation will address voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, … Read more
