Advocates: Loss of Eastland apartments is blow to homeless community

With burgeoning developments, inflating rents and increased competition over housing in Portland, it’s the city’s homeless population who stand to suffer, according to some affordable housing advocates. Since 2006, downtown Portland has lost over 100 affordable, rental homes without replacement, including 60 homes for women at the YWCA, seven apartments at 660 Congress St., and … Read more

Maine Voices: Florence House gives the homeless hope along with shelter

PORTLAND – Will I ever find a home? Is there any way to end homelessness? This month marked the first anniversary of an event that answered those questions with a resounding "Yes!" It was the anniversary of the day Preble Street welcomed homeless women home for good to Florence House, the comprehensive woman’s center on … Read more

Finding the homeless on Portland's streets

PORTLAND – At the far end of the city’s industrial waterfront, over a 7-foot-tall snowbank, across the railroad tracks and behind a patch of trees and frozen brush, Susie Whittington and Sandy Brown saw footprints heading along the riverbank. "Hello!" Whittington called out as she trudged through knee-deep snow. "Homeless outreach. Anyone out here?" About … Read more

Preble Street Director honored for social justice work.

MCC is delighted to honor Donna Yellen, Board Member and long time parishioner of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Portland. Donna is the Director of the Maine Hunger Initiative and Advocacy at Preble Street, a social service agency whose mission is to provide services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger and poverty and … Read more

Homelessness is a daily battle

PORTLAND – As people began to gather in the twilight in the courtyard outside the Preble Street Resource Center, Dee Clarke lit a candle in honor of homeless people who have died in Portland. “No one should have to die on the street,” said Clarke, who once was homeless and now is an advocate leader … Read more

Summer solstice marked as the longest day of the year to be homeless

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Advocates for Maine’s homeless held a noontime rally in Portland to increase awareness and gain support. Members of Homeless Voices For Justice, many of whom have experienced homelessness first-hand, called on Mainers to work to provide more affordable housing and eliminate poverty. “Homelessness is alive and well in urban cities, rural … Read more

Officials celebrate opening of Florence House

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Dozens turned out for the grand opening celebration of long-awaited housing for homeless women in Portland. Florence House, named for a long time social worker at the Preble Street Resource Center, actually opened its doors in April. On Friday, people got a chance to tour the three story building, which … Read more

Florence House to open doors for homeless women

PORTLAND – For the past three years, the closest thing to home for Shellie Duncan has been a folding cot in a corner of the community room at Preble Street, a social service agency in downtown Portland. And that was a step up from her previous “home,” a floor mat at the city’s Oxford Street … Read more

In the cruel fact of homelessness, kindness is welcome

During the last two weeks, we have used this space to highlight organizations that serve animals and children, respectively, as a way to show people how they can help the less fortunate during the holiday season. This week, the focus falls on homelessness, which becomes an even more urgent problem in the winter months. The … Read more

Here's hoping…

Ask a dozen Mainers what they want as a holiday gift, and you’ll get a dozen different answers, right? Well, not this year. In this season of hope, we asked a wide variety of Mainers – a sheep farmer, a museum director, a member of Congress and others – what they would put at the … Read more