Preble Street

What Preble Street does

Preble Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization founded in 1975 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, providing accessible barrier-free services to people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty. The organization operates a comprehensive suite of programs including Site-Based Housing First apartment communities (Logan Place, Florence House, Huston Commons — 85 efficiency apartments total), emergency shelters (Elena's Way, Hope House in Bangor, Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter), Rapid Re-Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, Veterans Housing Services statewide, Teen Services, Anti-Trafficking Services, healthcare partnerships, and emergency food programs. The Food Security Hub, a 5,000-square-foot industrial kitchen capable of producing 10,000 meals daily with 50,000-meal frozen storage, anchors the food distribution network serving 300+ pantries statewide.

The organization's core technology infrastructure is the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), used for client tracking and coordinated entry assessments across programs. Its proprietary approach is the Site-Based Housing First model, developed over 20+ years in partnership with Avesta Housing and Portland Housing Authority, which combines permanent supportive housing with 24/7 on-site social work services. Preble Street also operates Maine's first Recuperative Care Program (launched September 2022) with Maine Medical Center and Greater Portland Health, providing medical respite for homeless patients post-hospitalization. Advocacy is delivered through Homeless Voices for Justice, a grassroots movement organized by people with lived experience of homelessness.

As a nonprofit, Preble Street does not generate commercial revenue from clients — all services are provided free of charge. The organization is funded through a diversified mix of private foundation grants (Howard G. Buffett Foundation, KeyBank Foundation, John T. Gorman Foundation, Hannaford Charitable Foundation), federal grants (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, HUD, HHS/ACF), state agency contracts (Maine DHHS, MaineHousing, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Maine DOC), and individual donations. Recent strategic moves include the February 2025 acquisition of Hope House operations in Bangor (first 24/7 program outside Portland), the October 2025 launch of The NEST for pregnant and parenting youth, and continued scaling of the Food Security Hub. Preble Street serves 11,000+ vulnerable people annually across Maine, with offices in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor.

Name

Preble Street

Legal name

Preble Street

Website

https://preblestreet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Preble Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1975 that provides accessible barrier-free services addressing homelessness, hunger, and poverty across Maine, operating housing programs, emergency shelters, food security infrastructure, veteran services, teen services, and anti-trafficking programs statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food Services (62421), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Housing first programs
• Emergency food programs
• Veterans housing support
• Anti-trafficking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Preble Street provides accessible barrier-free social services to people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty across Maine. The organization operates permanent supportive housing through Site-based Housing First programs, multiple emergency shelters, rapid re-housing, food security programs, veterans housing services, teen services, anti-trafficking services, low-barrier healthcare, recuperative care, street outreach, and statewide policy advocacy through Homeless Voices for Justice. All services are delivered free of charge to clients.

Product overview

Preble Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization providing a comprehensive suite of programs to address homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty in Maine. The organization operates multiple interconnected programs including: Site-Based Housing First housing programs (Logan Place, Florence House, Huston Commons) providing permanent supportive housing; emergency shelters (Elena's Way Wellness Shelter, Hope House in Bangor, Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter); Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing programs; Veterans Housing Services statewide; Teen Services including shelter, housing, outreach, and the Teen Center; Anti-Trafficking Services with a Healing Center; Health Services including the MaineHealth-Preble Street Learning Collaborative and Recuperative Care Program; and Emergency Food Programs including the Food Security Hub, Food Pantry, and Soup Kitchens. Preble Street also runs advocacy programs including Homeless Voices for Justice and the Maine Hunger Initiative. The organization serves all of Maine with offices in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Logan Place First Site-based Housing First program in Maine, providing efficiency apartments and 24-hour on-site support for 30 adults who have experienced chronic homelessness. Opened March 24, 2005.
• Florence House Site-based Housing First program providing efficiency apartments and 24-hour support for 25 adult women who have experienced chronic homelessness, plus 25 emergency shelter beds for women. Named for Florence Young.
• Huston Commons Third Site-based Housing First program providing efficiency apartments and essential 24-hour support services for 30 chronically homeless adults with disabilities. Completed in 2017.
• Elena's Way Wellness Shelter A 24/7 wellness shelter providing warmth, safety, and intensive services to up to 40 people of all genders experiencing homelessness and complex physical and behavioral health needs who cannot access any other shelter. Opened October 2022.
• Hope House (Bangor) A 56-bed low-barrier emergency shelter and the only one north of Waterville. First 24/7 Preble Street program outside of Portland, located in Bangor. Preble Street assumed operations February 2, 2025.
• Rapid Re-Housing Evidence-based intervention using casework and financial assistance to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness return to housing quickly. Currently serves Cumberland and Androscoggin County.
• Veterans Housing Services Statewide services assisting Veterans and their families in finding and maintaining stable housing. Offices in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor covering all 16 Maine counties. Partnership with Pine Tree Legal Assistance, funded by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Teen Services Comprehensive services for youth experiencing homelessness between ages 12-24 including shelter, food, basic needs, casework, mental health supports, education and employment services, and housing options.
• Anti-Trafficking Services Services for survivors of human trafficking including intensive case management, basic needs, shelter and housing support, medical and mental health referrals, legal referrals, justice system advocacy, and survivor leadership opportunities. Healing Center opened summer 2021.
• Health Services (MaineHealth-Preble Street Learning Collaborative) Low-barrier healthcare services serving as the hook and hub location for health services, care-coordination services and education. Partnership with MaineHealth Maine Medical Center.
• Recuperative Care Program Maine's first medical respite care program providing 15 beds for people experiencing homelessness to recover after hospital stays. Partnership with Maine Medical Center and Greater Portland Health. Launched September 2022.
• Food Security Hub 5,000 square foot industrial kitchen facility with capacity to cook up to 10,000 meals per day and store 50,000 frozen prepared meals. Located at 75 Darling Avenue, South Portland, ME. Partners include Good Shepherd Food Bank.
• Street Outreach Collaborative Provides social work services and meals daily to meet basic needs of hundreds of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Portland. Over the last year served 290 clients with 4-person team.
• Advocacy / Homeless Voices for Justice (HVJ) Grassroots advocacy including community organizing, policy advocacy, and systems advocacy. HVJ is a statewide social change movement organized and led by people with lived experience of homelessness, celebrating 30th anniversary in 2025.
• Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000 shelter nights avoided through Site-based Housing First programs
• +5 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Avesta HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Site-based Housing First programs: Avesta builds, owns, and maintains buildings (Logan Place, Florence House, Huston Commons); Preble Street provides 24-hour support services. Partnership spans over 20 years.
• Maine Bureau of Veterans ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency working with advocates on veterans housing funding and addressing procurement rules affecting rapid funding disbursements for veterans housing programs.
• Good Shepherd Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner sourcing and distributing food to 500+ community-based organizations statewide. Partnership supports 'meals-to-go' model and collaboration on strategies to end hunger in Maine. Frozen prepared meals from Food Security Hub distributed through GSFB network.
• Cumberland County Food Security CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiates and facilitates collaborative action toward a just, resilient, and sustainable food system. Includes people with lived experience of poverty, community leaders, and food security organizations.
• MaineHealth / Maine Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for MaineHealth-Preble Street Learning Collaborative (MH-PSLC) providing low-barrier healthcare access. Also partners on Recuperative Care Program launched September 2022.
• Greater Portland HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in Maine's first Recuperative Care Program (launched September 2022) providing safe place for homeless patients to recover after hospital stays. Also partners at MH-PSLC.
• Pine Tree Legal AssistancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans Housing Services partnership funded by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Supportive Services for Veteran Families. Provides legal assistance to veterans seeking housing.
• No Homeless Veterans CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of local nonprofits, community partners, and government agencies united by goal of ensuring veteran homelessness episodes are brief and non-recurring in Maine.
• Day OnesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstance abuse and mental health services partner at Teen Center. Part of collaborative providing integral services for homeless youth.
• Portland Adult Education / Street AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational services partner at Teen Center providing educational programming for homeless youth.
• City of Portland Public HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth services partner at Teen Center providing public health services to homeless youth.
• YMCAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner receiving meal distribution from Food Security Hub as part of collaborative food insecurity response.
• Frances Warde at Mercy HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner receiving meal distribution for children and families through Food Security Hub partnership.
• Maine Department of CorrectionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for Transitional Living Program serving youth ages 18-24 involved with or at risk of juvenile justice system involvement.
• MaineHousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState housing agency partner for Rapid Re-Housing program demonstrating model replicable across Maine. Director Daniel Brennan quoted in support.
• York Community ActionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency working with Preble Street in The NEST program for pregnant and parenting youth.
• Maine FamiliessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency working with Preble Street in The NEST program for pregnant and parenting youth.
• Maine Department of Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally funded Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP) administered in partnership. Preble Street provides services for households across Cumberland, Lincoln, Knox, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York counties.
• Common TiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Administrative Agency for PSHP covering Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties.
• Community Health and Counseling ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Administrative Agency for PSHP covering Aroostook, Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Washington counties.
• Kennebec Behavioral HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Administrative Agency for PSHP covering Kennebec and Somerset counties.
• Portland Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner in Site-based Housing First programs providing project-based rental assistance for Logan Place, Florence House, and other housing programs since 2005.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pine Street Inn: Boston-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and workforce services for people experiencing homelessness. Closest direct analog in terms of comprehensive barrier-free services and Housing First model in New England.
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: Provides integrated healthcare, respite, and supportive housing for homeless individuals in Boston. Comparable in operating MaineHealth-Preble Street Learning Collaborative-style healthcare partnerships and recuperative care.
• PATH (People Assisting the Homeless): Los Angeles nonprofit providing Housing First, interim housing, and employment services. Comparable in operating site-based supportive housing and serving veterans and chronically homeless populations at significant scale.
• Coalition for the Homeless: New York City-based services and advocacy organization providing shelter, housing, and policy work for homeless individuals. Comparable in combining direct service with strong Homeless Voices for Justice-style advocacy mission.

Broad incumbents

• MaineHousing: State housing finance agency and Preble Street partner funding Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing. Comparable as a Maine housing-services ecosystem player, though as a quasi-governmental agency rather than a direct service provider.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National advocacy and research organization focused on ending homelessness. Comparable in policy-advocacy orientation but operates as a national thought leader rather than a direct service provider.
• Catholic Charities USA: Large national nonprofit network providing shelter, food, housing, and social services across the country. Comparable in scope of services offered (housing, food, anti-trafficking, veterans) but at much larger and broader scale.
• Salvation Army: International nonprofit providing shelter, food, and social services. Comparable in operating emergency shelters, soup kitchens, and veteran services but with broader scope and religious affiliation.

Others

• Avesta Housing: Preble Street's 20+ year Site-based Housing First partner in Maine. Avesta builds, owns, and maintains the buildings (Logan Place, Florence House, Huston Commons); Preble Street provides 24/7 support services. Closely intertwined peer in the housing-delivery value chain.
• Good Shepherd Food Bank: Maine's largest hunger-relief organization and Preble Street Food Security Hub distribution partner. Comparable in food-security mission and statewide Maine footprint but operates as the upstream food sourcing/distribution partner rather than direct meal service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/preblestreet.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PrebleStreetMaine
• Facebookfacebook.com/PrebleStreet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1232885
• Instagraminstagram.com/preblestreet

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Preble Street