Public Meeting to Discuss Homelessness
Next Thursday, the City of Portland’s Task Force on Homelessness will host a public meeting and conversation on the issue of homelessness within the city and surrounding area. The Task Force will update the community on their work to date as well as seek input from the public on several key topics including an examination of the values of the community and how those values are reflected in the work to end homelessness, the structural and situational causes of homelessness, and ways various groups and members of the community can contribute to solutions.
Created by the Portland City Council last fall the Task Force on Homelessness is chaired by former City Councilor Dory Waxman, President and General Manager for the Maine Red Claws Jon Jennings and President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Portland Suzanne McCormick and comprised of city officials, business leaders, community members, homeless service providers, healthcare leaders, advocates, content experts and representatives from the faith community. The task force has been charged with developing a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness within the community. The task force has been focusing the conversation on four aspects of homelessness; emergency shelters, access to primary and behavioral health services, affordable housing, and the distinct needs of certain populations experiencing homelessness including youth, families and veterans.
Currently more than three hundred and fifty people living in the city are experiencing homelessness. With the beginning of the downturn in the economy four years ago, this number has increased by twenty percent. Men, women and children seek shelter at one of six emergency shelters within the city every night. The City of Portland operates two of these emergency shelters, the Oxford Street Shelter and the Family Shelter, which provide critical serves to the community’s most vulnerable populations. Approximately sixty-five family members and 180 adult men and women will seek emergency refuge at one of these shelters tonight. Due to increasing homelessness and the need for emergency shelter, for the past eighteen months the city in partnership with Preble Street has had to expand shelter capacity by utilizing the day shelter at Preble Street to accommodate the rising numbers.
The city opened its first emergency shelter for homeless adults nearly twenty-five years ago. Since, the city and community have been committed to ensuring that anyone in need of shelter has access to a safe space to warm up or stay overnight. Last year, the Oxford Street Shelter was able to find permanent housing for nearly five hundred men and women, and the Emergency Family Shelter served more than two hundred and fifty families.
When: Thursday, June 14, 2012
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Rines Auditorium
Portland Public Library, Portland
John Hatcher
Keller Williams Realty - The Hatcher Group
6 Deering Street | Portland, Maine 04101
207-775-2121 Office | 207-775-2122 Fax
http://JohnHatcher.us
John@JohnHatcher.us
Next Thursday, the City of Portland’s Task Force on Homelessness will host a public meeting and conversation on the issue of homelessness within the city and surrounding area. The Task Force will update the community on their work to date as well as seek input from the public on several key topics including an examination of the values of the community and how those values are reflected in the work to end homelessness, the structural and situational causes of homelessness, and ways various groups and members of the community can contribute to solutions.
Created by the Portland City Council last fall the Task Force on Homelessness is chaired by former City Councilor Dory Waxman, President and General Manager for the Maine Red Claws Jon Jennings and President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Portland Suzanne McCormick and comprised of city officials, business leaders, community members, homeless service providers, healthcare leaders, advocates, content experts and representatives from the faith community. The task force has been charged with developing a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness within the community. The task force has been focusing the conversation on four aspects of homelessness; emergency shelters, access to primary and behavioral health services, affordable housing, and the distinct needs of certain populations experiencing homelessness including youth, families and veterans.
Currently more than three hundred and fifty people living in the city are experiencing homelessness. With the beginning of the downturn in the economy four years ago, this number has increased by twenty percent. Men, women and children seek shelter at one of six emergency shelters within the city every night. The City of Portland operates two of these emergency shelters, the Oxford Street Shelter and the Family Shelter, which provide critical serves to the community’s most vulnerable populations. Approximately sixty-five family members and 180 adult men and women will seek emergency refuge at one of these shelters tonight. Due to increasing homelessness and the need for emergency shelter, for the past eighteen months the city in partnership with Preble Street has had to expand shelter capacity by utilizing the day shelter at Preble Street to accommodate the rising numbers.
The city opened its first emergency shelter for homeless adults nearly twenty-five years ago. Since, the city and community have been committed to ensuring that anyone in need of shelter has access to a safe space to warm up or stay overnight. Last year, the Oxford Street Shelter was able to find permanent housing for nearly five hundred men and women, and the Emergency Family Shelter served more than two hundred and fifty families.
When: Thursday, June 14, 2012
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Rines Auditorium
Portland Public Library, Portland
John Hatcher
Keller Williams Realty - The Hatcher Group
6 Deering Street | Portland, Maine 04101
207-775-2121 Office | 207-775-2122 Fax
http://JohnHatcher.us
John@JohnHatcher.us
No comments:
Post a Comment