After a year of field research, the creators of "Off the Cuff," an improv theater group for the homeless, will present their findings at an upcoming college conference. Tommy Waltz, a student at the University of Southern Maine’s School of Social Work, came up with the idea of bringing weekly acting classes to clients of … Read more
"I was driving back from Boston, gripping the wheel, thinking to myself, ‘Be careful what you wish for’," Mark Swann ’84 said, describing the advent of his remarkable career to a roomful of students at the McKeen Center. While Swann dreamed of being able to make an impact on the most needy, he also knew … Read more
PORTLAND – People who are homeless will soon not have to also be lawyer-less. Volunteer attorneys, in partnership with Preble Street, are launching a free legal clinic for homeless individuals. The Maine Homeless Legal Project, announced at a press conference Jan. 9, is expected to be serving clients by April. Lawyers will meet with the … Read more
When Ed Page found himself on the streets one cold night in Portland, Maine, the city had few services for the homeless. He found his way to an air vent, and spent the night there trying to keep warm. That was 20 years ago. As the homeless population rose in Portland, service organizations created soup … Read more
This year’s Maine Marathon wasn’t just another race for Rob McKann. Rob raced on Oct. 6 to honor the memory and service of his friend Kyle Coutu, who was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2010. Kyle’s family traveled to Maine to watch and support Rob. On top of completing the 26-mile-long dedication to the … Read more
The Obama administration’s top official dedicated to ending homelessness is in Portland this week to meet with administrators of shelters and speak at a conference on homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. As executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Barbara Poppe is responsible for administering Opening Doors, the nation’s first comprehensive … Read more
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Portland’s Preble Street Resources Center is getting a $400,000 grant to help young women escape from sex trafficking. The social services agency will begin receiving the first $200,000 installment of the two-year grant from the Department of Justice this fall. Part of it will be used to develop a statewide network … Read more
Preble Street will use a $400,000 federal grant to establish services for prostitution victims in Maine. Daniella Cameron, supervisor of Preble Street Teen Services, said sex trafficking – usually involving homeless girls coerced by men into prostitution – isn’t something that the victims will talk about unless asked the right questions in the right way. … Read more
Advocates for homeless teenagers and young people with disabilities in southern Maine say a $400,000 federal grant will help dedicate resources for young people who have been coerced into trading sex for money or a place to sleep. The two-year grant from the Department of Justice to Preble Street allocates funds directly to help victims … Read more
PORTLAND – You don’t need a home to vote. That was the message at a candidates forum held Oct. 11 by Homeless Voices for Justice, the advocacy campaign affiliated with Preble Street Resource Center. Four of the seven candidates for City Council participated to answer questions from about two dozen people, including individuals who described … Read more