Preble Street

“The loss of Hope House would’ve been felt statewide." Mark Swann, Preble Street Executive Director No matter our race, income, or where we're from, we all need and deserve a safe place to sleep. Accessible, low-barrier shelters are one critical resource that help to make sure everyone in our communities has a safe place to sleep and can access basic needs. They are often the first step in the process for people to exit homelessness and find housing. Starting in 2025, Preble Street is taking over the operations of Hope House, a 56-bed, low-barrier shelter in Bangor. In the fall of 2023, Penobscot Community Health Center (PCHC) announced it would close Hope House in one year unless another provider could take over operations. Preble Street is assuming operations to ensure this critical resource remains available for the Bangor community and its residents. Hope House is the only adult, low-barrier shelter north of Waterville and the largest shelter in Bangor. Continue reading here ?? https://lnkd.in/gJ7G2JtS Or, watch this news coverage about the transition ?? https://lnkd.in/gwTkdddR

It's not Thanksgiving without a warm slice of pie... The volunteers behind #PiesforPrebleStreet baked an incredible 79 pies this year for Preble Street Food Programs!!! The pies were delivered and within minutes, volunteers were slicing and boxing the pies for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinners. Ellen, a local realtor, bakes the pies along with the South Portland Dog Owners Association. This is the 22nd year running that they've organized Pies for Preble Street. Flavors this year included pumpkin, apple, apple cranberry, cherry, chocolate mousse, vanilla cream, coconut mousse, vanilla cream, coconut cream, chocolate cream, and banana cream. Yum! You can tune into NEWS CENTER Maine tonight at 4:30 and 5:30 to see this morning's delivery! Thank you, Ellen and the South Portland Dog Owners Group, for all of your hard work!

“[P]overty is complex, and solutions to poverty and homelessness are complex... People do not disappear when you do not shelter them." - Preble Street Executive Director, Mark Swann The Boston Globe recently spoke with some Preble Street staff about the response to the rise in homelessness in Portland in the wake of COVID-19 and encampment sweeps. Continue reading at the link below: https://lnkd.in/gyi6R84t Photo credit: Lane Turner, Boston Globe.

We had a wonderful and productive this morning at the Preble Street Food Security Hub, thanks to 98.9 WCLZ, Coast 93.1, and 1019por! This morning Preble Street and Portland Media Group combined forces for this year's annual Neighbors in Need donation drive. Together, we raised $24,000 and counting to empower vulnerable people experiencing challenges with homelessness, hunger, and poverty. A BIG Preble Street thank you to the Portland Media Group for making this event possible year after year and to everyone who has donated. You can still donate now by visiting our website below or by texting FOOD to 43414. https://lnkd.in/gzdJUJ5r If you missed any of today's show, you can also catch up on the podcast: https://lnkd.in/g-2tVbTw #NeighborsInNeed #donatetoday #thankyou

Get up early with Preble Street on Monday, November 25, for the #NeighborsinNeed donation drive. Starting at 5am and going through 10am, radio stations Coast 93.1, 98.9 WCLZ, and 1019 Por will be interviewing staff, clients, Preble Street friends, and volunteers, with hosts joining us on-site at the Preble Street Food Security Hub. For more info or to give, please visit https://lnkd.in/gSxBFGzm.

A big congratulations to Preble Street Person of the Month, Bob Avery. In his time at Preble Street, Bob has established himself as a tireless worker, collaborative teammate, and true advocate for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Every day, Bob shows up with a blend of calmness and positivity that lifts his teammates and grounds his clients. When the Street Outreach Collaborative was down 50% of its staff, Bob stepped up and covered the van without question, having to navigate all the immediate needs of Preble Street clients while continuing to work on long-term goals. Bob advocates for the people Preble Street serves in ways that are true to their experiences and in a collaborative and productive manner that creates the possibility for real change to occur. His commitment to the team and to our clients serves as a model for all of us for how to provide client-centered care. Thank you for all you do, Bob! #Personofthemonth #Bob

"Hester, now 18 months sober, lives in an apartment complex in Westbrook, where he was placed in June by Preble Street Veterans Housing Services. He’s committed to his own sobriety and helping others going through the same battle." Read about Veteran Brian Hester's journey from homelessness to housing to now recovery sponsor. Preble Street Veteran's Housing Services helped Brian identify and secure housing, with case management, housing counseling, and financial assistance. Since October 2023, Preble Street has helped to house more than 270 Maine Veterans, like Brian, and has supported more than 550, with case management, housing counseling, financial assistance, and other services. Continue reading: https://lnkd.in/g5EyErT9 #nohomelessVeterans #VeteransDay

“'We’ve had a lot of success over the past few months and have been housing about one veteran each day,' said Laura Clark, the program’s director." Before Veteran's Day next Monday, November 11, take a few minutes to read this timely article from Mainebiz about the amazing work of Preble Street's Veteran Housing Services Team. They've housed over 277 Veterans since October 2023 and are working to end Veteran homelessness in Maine by June 2025.

Preble Street's Food Programs is a 365-day-a-year operation, preparing up to 2,000 nutritious and culturally appropriate meals every day and delivering an average of 1,600 food box meals every month to the most vulnerable people in Southern Maine. Visit our website to learn how Preble Street Food Programs is part of the solution to hunger in Maine: https://lnkd.in/gv6J4MKi #PrebleStreetfoodprograms #foodsecurityhub #PrebleStreetLoveInAction

"Just to have a place like this is life changing. It's a lot of help... it definitely keeps people off the street and helps people live." - Kelley, Preble Street Housing First Tenant Please take a few moments to watch the video linked below that was screened at the second Preble Street Conference on Homelessness. You'll hear directly from Site-based Housing First tenants on why permanent housing with on-site support services is a crucial and necessary resource for people who have experienced chronic homelessness. Follow the link below to understand Site-based Housing First changes lives: https://lnkd.in/g3cJwEZh #housingfirst #Preblestreetloveinaction #together