Hope Squad Maine

06/17/2026

Summer is here! While we're all breathing a sigh of relief that our friends on the street are not battling frigid temperatures, the threats to their health and safety during the summer months (heat stroke, dehydration, fungal infections and disease carrying insects) are equally life threatening as during the winter months.

A snippet that says it all (written by Hope Squad Maine volunteer, Michelle):

“Through rain, heat, uncertainty, and hardship, one thing remains constant: this community continues to show up for one another. and that is a beautiful thing to witness.”

We hope that you will consider supporting our mission -- to see those that are invisible; to hear those that have no voice, and to reinforce the infinite value and worth of each person we meet -- by helping us with our top needs for the week. If you do not have the ability to give it this time, that's okay too. Sharing and commenting on this post to help spread the word is another (free) way to help!

TOP NEEDS 6/17/26

1. MEN'S JEANS! (Men 30 - 36 gently used welcomed.) - Jeans in the right size and in good condition are a challenge to find for our unhoused friends, especially the men. If you're ever wondering what to donate, men's jeans are ALWAYS needed. A good pair of jeans goes a long way to keeping our friends comfortable and safe.

2. DEODORANT -. (New only) - Good hygiene while experiencing homelessness is challenging, especially for those who are unsheltered. Deodorant is something that we are asked for constantly, but we are currently out of stock! Everybody wants and deserves to smell good. Buy locally or order online via our Amazon wish list, https://a.co/5iFfzTD .

3. PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS- Debbie, our food manager extraordinaire, has made a special request for peanut butter crackers! 🙂 Peanut butter crackers are a favorite item and the staple in our to-go bags. With only one meal service a day being consistently provided on the streets of Portland, portable snacks are a critical need.

(For easy ordering visit our Amazon wish list or source locally and mail to the address below. )

🔹Amazon wish list🔹
https://a.co/5iFfzTD

🔹 Updated Seasonal wish list 🔹
https://hopesquadmaine.org/hope-squad-maine-seasonal-wishlist/

👉 Shipping Address
Hope Squad Maine C/o Kristen Archambeault, 362 Hill Street, Biddeford ME 04005.

👉 Donation Drop off:
Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave, South Portland, back of the building.

👉 Make a financial gift:
https://hopesquadmaine.org/donate/
****

06/16/2026

🌦️ Outreach Report – June 12, 2026

HSC served: 87 | Cotton Street: 121 | Clinic Transports: 8

Today’s weather couldn’t decide - pouring rain one minute, sweltering heat the next. A tough reminder that summer brings its own hardships for our friends living outside. 💧☀️

But the day was full of music, laughter, and connection. Debbie even won at bingo! 🎉 By the time we hit Cotton Street, food disappeared fast and over half our clothing found new homes.

Today’s biggest needs: shorts, tank tops, hoodies, ball caps, and backpacks 🎒 (school’s almost out - if you have unused backpacks, we’d love them!)

🙏 Huge thanks to Bernstein Shur’s Day of Service team for scrubbing our ambulance to a shine and donating clothing.

💛 And to our amazing volunteers - Laura, Karen, Matt, Zahira, Debbie, Zach, Mike, and Michele - thank you for showing up week after week.

Through rain or heat, this community keeps showing up for each other. 🚐✨



* donation drop off - 525 Highland Ave. South Portland (bins at back side of the church)

06/12/2026

✨ A huge thank you to Bernstein Shur for dedicating their Service Day to Hope Squad Maine! 🙌💛

Eight staff members deep-cleaned our ambulance, scrubbing off stubborn adhesive from our old EMS stickers until she looked brand new. They also brought clothing donations to sort and stock! 🚑✨

Shoutout to our volunteers Rae and Karen for organizing the day, and to Bernstein Shur for their generous monetary donation as well. This law firm truly walks the walk. 🙏💙

Thank you for showing up for us and for our unhoused neighbors! Please share so they get the recognition they deserve! ❤️ Bernsteinshur

Grateful HomelessOutreach

06/10/2026

🌞 Week of June 5th - and what a week it was! Despite a last-minute location change due to Portland’s half marathon, our volunteers showed up and served 120 friends on the street + 90 at HSC + 9 clinic runs. 💙

A massive shout-out to Elaine for stepping up and covering for Debbie. You were amazing! 👏 And to our Volunteer Coordinator Liz for pivoting locations without missing a beat. That’s Hope Squad magic. ✨

One of our HSC friends announced he’s moving into an apartment AND wants to volunteer with us someday. 🏠❤️ That’s why we do this.

Hydration was key on a warm day. We went through almost all our water. Shorts for men and women are urgently needed as summer arrives! 🩳 We also enjoyed having with us some students from Norway participating in our outreach thanks to UNE!

Each week we serve 200+ of Portland’s unhoused neighbors. None of it happens without YOU. Link in bio!

Clothing Drop Off Location- 525 Highland Ave. South Portland (boxes are located in the back of the church parking lot.)

06/03/2026

May 29th - Outreach Report ❤️

Today was a beautiful reminder of why we show up every week, rain or shine. Whether it’s a simple greeting or a long conversation, connection is at the heart of everything we do. One resident shared that their morning began to “sparkle” when we arrived and that says it all. ✨

Our team was busy in the best ways, coordinating clinic transport, playing a little trashcan basketball with shelter staff 🏀, and of course, Bingo! Everyone walked away with a prize of their choice. We also heard the wonderful news that two residents have secured housing, and while Hope Squad didn’t get them there directly, we’re so proud to have played a role in connecting them to resources along the way. 🏠

Clothing, shoes, blankets, and self-care items were all in high demand, and our friends expressed such sincere gratitude for the chance to choose what they needed. One gentleman was absolutely thrilled to receive a Pink Floyd t-shirt - sometimes it’s the little things. 🎸

A huge thank you to Debbie, who puts in countless hours preparing a beautiful spread of baked goods, savory treats, and fresh fruit. 🧁 And to the Milestones Crew for delivering a hot meal from Preble Street - turkey meatballs, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, vegetables, soup, and rolls. You are all so appreciated. 🙏

This work is a constant reminder that we all need to feel seen and heard. Thank you for cheering us on and making this possible. 💙

05/27/2026

Love to see very successful community events like this!! 💙💙🌭🍔

05/27/2026

So happy to partner with this generous group of people! 💙 They are making sandwiches 🥪 for us to serve to the unhoused several times a month since our veteran sandwich maker is on vacation. 

05/27/2026

Last week we served 89 individuals at the shelter and 138 on the street. This is the highest number of unsheltered individuals that we have ever served. Despite increasing the amount of food provided, we still ran out of meals in under an hour. The line for clothing and other items continued long after our designated outreach time was over.

Working with and getting to know our unhoused neighbors is a privilege that fills us with gratitude.

HSM volunteer, Steve, said it perfectly in last week's outreach report:

“Being part of the Hope Squad Maine is rewarding on so many levels. We share our time and lives with them as they do with us, and nothing is taken for granted. Our friends often give more to us than we give to them without even knowing.”

We hope that you will consider supporting our mission -- to see those that are invisible; to hear those that have no voice, and to reinforce the infinite value and worth of each person we meet -- by helping us with our top needs for the week. If you do not have the ability to give it this time, that's okay too.

Sharing and commenting on this post to help spread the word is another (free) way to help!

TOP NEEDS 5/27/26

1. SHORTS! (women's size 0–10 & men's size 30–38) - It's that time of year again (hooray)! All our friends are asking for shorts, and we have none to give. If you're cleaning out your drawers to make room for new summer clothes, please consider donating your gently used unwanted shorts to us! XL Men's shorts are our biggest need

2. LOLLIPOPS - While this may not be considered an urgent need for some, our volunteer food manager, Debbie, says that we are having another lollipop emergency! 🙂 Our friends both at the shelter and on the street love it when we have lollipops in our treat bucket, but we are almost out! Creature comforts are important when you're at the lowest point of your life. Buy locally or order online via our Amazon wish list, https://a.co/5iFfzTD .

3. SANITARY WIPES - Good hygiene while experiencing homelessness is challenging, especially for those who are unsheltered and have limited access to showers. Wipes are a constant request.

(For easy ordering visit our Amazon wish list or source locally and mail to the address below. )

🔹Amazon wish list🔹
https://a.co/5iFfzTD

🔹 Updated Seasonal wish list 🔹
https://hopesquadmaine.org/hope-squad-maine-seasonal-wishlist/

👉 Shipping Address
Hope Squad Maine C/o Kristen Archambeault, 362 Hill Street, Biddeford ME 04005.

👉 Donation Drop off:
Church of the Nazarene, 525 Highland Ave, South Portland, back of the building.

👉 Make a financial gift:
https://hopesquadmaine.org/donate/
****

05/27/2026

05/26/2026

We love the work you do & enjoy our partnership! 💙

Homelessness is not solved by anger.
And it’s not solved by pretending people aren’t struggling either.

At Milestone Recovery, we believe safety, dignity, recovery, and compassion can all exist at the same time.

The people sleeping outside are still human beings. Many are battling addiction, trauma, mental illness, and impossible housing costs. Many recover. 💪

We’ve watched it happen for decades.

The solution is not giving up on people.
It’s giving people a path forward. 🤍