Maine Voices: Homeless veterans have an ally

On any given night in America, more than 63,000 veterans have nowhere to call home and sleep in shelters, on the streets, in abandoned buildings or in the woods. One of them – a man discharged from the Army in the 1980s – spent much of his adult life homeless, sleeping in his truck, in … Read more

First Lady Issues Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness

First lady Michelle Obama announced a new commitment to end veteran homelessness. Part of the Joining Forces Initiative, the commitment includes 77 mayors, four governors, and four county officials to end veteran homelessness by 2015. The first lady was introduced by Chris Fuentes, a war veteran who lived in her car briefly after returning from Iraq. Housing … Read more

Homelessness in the U.S. is a national disgrace

On Wednesday, Phil Allen, who is the veterans housing service manager for the Portland-based Preble Street Resource Center, discovered a man who had been living in his car for the past four months. The man wasn’t found in Portland. He was found in Oxford Hills as Allen and dozens of other social workers and housing … Read more

Portland resource center lands $1.7 million in federal aid to help homeless veterans

PORTLAND, Maine – The Preble Street Resource Center will receive almost $1.7 million in federal funding to work with homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree announced Thursday. The federal funding award is the largest ever received by the organization, which has been providing services to homeless people and … Read more

Preble Street gets big grant to help veterans

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) – Preble Street, the agency that helps the homeless in Portland, has received its largest grant ever. The $1.7 million will go towards expanding its programs that help homeless veterans. It is estimated that there are 1,000 homeless people in Maine who have served in the military. “What we’re going to … Read more

Homelessness is not myth in York County, says social worker

YORK COUNTY – A new method to determine the number of homeless individuals and families in Maine has produced surprisingly good results, according to the local coordinator for the state’s annual point-in-time survey, held Jan. 30. Homeless individuals called in, according to Amy Marcotte, social worker at the Sanford Veterans Center in Springvale. "This is … Read more

Stand down helps many veterans stand up

TOGUS — A few years ago, Mark Seger was living what he describes as an upper-middle-class lifestyle. He had a family, a job and even a little money in the bank. That all changed in 2010, when Seger’s marriage ended in divorce, the company where he worked was sold and closed, and the trailer he … Read more

Homeless veterans shouldn't be abandoned

President Abraham Lincoln vowed in his second inaugural address that it was the obligation of the United States "… to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." But that commitment appears to have an expiration date, at least as it applies to a position established last … Read more

Preble Street getting large federal grant

A Portland shelter is getting a very big grant from the federal government to help homeless vets.  U.S. representative Chellie Pingree says the Preble Street Resource Center is getting $750,000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  The grant is designed to help homeless vets.