Preble Street Workers (MSEA-SEIU 1989) House 270 Veterans in One Year

PHOTO: Dan Donahue (MSEA-SEIU 1989)

It’s estimated that on a single night in January, 2023, there were 35,574 military veterans in the U.S. experiencing homelessness, including 15,507 without shelter. Workers at Preble Street’s Veteran Housing Services (VHS) have been working hard to ensure former servicemen and women have a roof over their heads. In the past year, they have housed over 270 veterans who were either unhoused or at risk of losing their homes. This past September, VHS housed more Veterans than ever before in one month, connecting 28 Veterans to housing, according to the social service nonprofit.

Dan Donahue (MSEA-SEIU 1989) is one of Preble Street’s veterans housing liaisons and has worked at the organization for nearly six years out of its Bangor office. An US Army combat veteran who served a tour in Iraq from 2003 to 2004, Donahue says his experience has helped him connect with other veterans facing difficulties.

“I was attracted to this job because it’s about helping people and that’s my calling,” said Donahue. “When I was a case manager it gave me that little bit of extra connection with them, especially if they served in combat. I tell them, “I’ve been there. I know what you’re going through.”

Preble Street Veterans Housing Services is part of No Homeless Veterans, a coalition of local non-profits, community partners, and government agencies working to end Veteran homelessness in Maine. Preble Street covers all sixteen counties in the state and has offices in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor.

Often veterans who are either unhoused or at risk of homelessness contact their Senator or Congressman because they don’t know where else to go. The Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services has a whole list of agencies it works with to assist veterans find resources from health care and suicide prevention to career counseling and housing.

When a veteran reaches out to his office, Donahue says it usually takes a few days to assign the person a caseworker who can help them secure emergency housing, stop an eviction or assist them with home payments, rent and security deposits. It can take a bit of time to get housing vouchers processed, but Preble Street can pay their rent while they are waiting. Donahue works with landlords from Waterville to the northern half of the state to help veterans find housing in their communities.

“We’ll assess what they’re looking for, what their income is. Maybe we need to raise their income,” he said. “There’s always a plan to help them out while they wait.”

While veterans are moved to the top of the list for housing in Maine, it can be very challenging to find affordable apartments in the state’s overheated housing market. As of this month, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment Maine is $1605, which is far more than many veterans on fixed incomes are able to afford.

“I love my job but I’m not going to lie, it is hard sometimes with what we’re dealing with like rent prices that don’t match a lot of our clients’ income,” said Donahue. “Many of them are just living off of Social Security or minimal VA disability, so it’s hard.”

Despite these barriers, it can be a very rewarding job and on Tuesday he was overjoyed that a landlord called to say he could accommodate two veterans.

“It’s awesome to hear that, especially if they’ve been on the streets for a while and are struggling,” said Donahue.

Recently, the Portland Press Herald profiled Marine Corps veteran Brian Hester, 55, who struggled with substance use disorder and homelessness after leaving the service. Now 18 months sober, Preble Street got him placed in an apartment in Westbrook this past June.

“My ultimate goal is to help other people, take my experience to help other people dealing with the same demons I dealt with,” Hester said.

Donahue encourages landlords who are interested in working with Preble Street to house veterans to reach out to the organization.