History

The mission of Preble Street is to provide accessible barrier-free services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty, and to advocate for solutions to these problems. In 1975, Preble Street was founded as a neighborhood center to involve and empower homeless and low-income residents in Portland. Today, Preble Street is a … Read more

50th Anniversary
Event Sponsorship

Join us as a sponsor for the 50th Anniversary Event! Over its history, Preble Street has impacted tens of thousands of people in Maine and led with solutions on some of the biggest issues facing our communities, including hunger, homelessness, human trafficking, equity, and poverty.  This event will reflect on 50 years of service and look to the … Read more

Preble Street in Bangor

Since its start as a small social work agency in Portland, Maine, Preble Street has been guided by its commitment to mission and empowering vulnerable Mainers. Earlier this year, this commitment led Preble Street to assume operations of Hope House, a 56-bed emergency low-barrier shelter in Bangor, after Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) announced the shelter … Read more

Hope House

Preble Street Hope House is one of only five privately operated adult low-barrier shelters in Maine and the only one north of Waterville. Hope House, located in Bangor, Maine, is the first 24/7, 365 day a year Preble Street program outside of Portland and joins Preble Street’s Veterans Housing and Anti-Trafficking Services in providing services … Read more

Compassion in action: Preble Street at 50

“If you can’t get what you need, we’re here,” was the message Joe Kreisler wanted people experiencing poverty to hear when he founded High Street Resource Center (the organization that evolved into Preble Street) in 1975. For 50 years, Preble Street has been here – expanding far beyond a handful of social work interns in … Read more

50 years
of Compassion in Action

50 years of helping others! In 2025, Preble Street celebrates 50 years of Compassion in Action; providing a voice for marginalized and underserved populations, advocating for and investing in solutions, and providing people not only with food, clothing, and shelter, but also with dignity. For 50 years, our work has been about making Maine a … Read more

The first 24/7 Preble Street program in Bangor

A sad reality of emergency shelters is that they are always at risk of closing their doors. Over the past fifteen years, at least nine shelters in Maine have closed due to funding issues.  Site-based Housing First is the long-term permanent housing solution for many of the people in Maine experiencing chronic homelessness, but until the … Read more

A look back at 2024

2024 was a year full of many difficult challenges and lessons but also a year full of progress on important issues. After 50 years, Preble Street understands how important it is to recognize the positive while still holding space to learn from the obstacles we’ve faced.  As 2024 comes to a close, Preble Street looks … Read more

Self-identification Form

To access this form in other languages or formats, please click the “Accessibility and Language” on the top right of your screen. Then click the icon, to select a language. Pour accéder à ce formulaire dans d’autres langues ou formats, veuillez cliquer sur « Accessibilité et langue » en haut à droite de votre écran. Cliquez … Read more