Every week, Hope Squad Maine's volunteer team shows up with food, supplies, and care for Portland's unhoused neighbors.  We stretch every dollar to cover essential expenses - but the needs keep growing.  This year's Keep Hope Rolling campaign is extra special as it coincides with our three-year anniversary of serving the community.  We're seeking to raise $35,000 to keep us rolling strong through 2026.  We're so fortunate to kick off this campaign with a generous $20,000 gift from the Margo and Bill Bell Family Foundation and now we're counting on our amazing community to help us cross the finish line and raise the remaining $15,000.  This is our once-a-year campaign - so your gift today truly carries us forward. 

Keep reading to see how Hope Squad Maine began, how far we've come, and the incredible impact your support continues to make.

Where It All Began (November 2022)

Hope Squad Maine was born from Founder Matt Brown's dream to bring mobile support - and a message of radical acceptance, compassion and unconditional love - to Portland's unhoused community through the use of a repurposed ambulance and a small band of devoted volunteers.  

Matt’s dream was based on the belief that the deep physical and emotional wounds so many of our unhoused friends carry deserve a chance to heal, and that true healing can only begin when people feel a sense of safety, feel seen, and experience a sense of true belonging. 

Before it ever hit the road, Matt and his wife, Nancy, began with simple acts of care - sharing hot cocoa, love & blankets through a harsh winter.  From those humble beginnings, the outreach grew into a devoted volunteer team serving hundreds each week.  Many ask, "Why an ambulance?'  In addition to its many practical advantages, our friends say it's a beacon of hope - easy to spot on the streets and a comforting sign that "help" is on the way.

👉Click here to DONATE now!

Where We Are Now

Since 2022, Hope Squad Maine has grown into a community of 40+ volunteers dedicated to consistent, compassionate outreach.  When Portland's encampments were shut down by the city in late 2023, we adapted - and our mission kept rolling.  Currently we serve over 250 unhoused each week by:

• Serving both the residents of the Homeless Services Center and the unsheltered on the city streets
• Operating a "mobile clothing closet" 
• Providing hot meals, hygiene and snack items in collaboration with community partners like Preble Street, Wayside Food Programs and Partners for World Health.
• Showing Up EVERY Friday - rain, shine, bitter cold or blazing heat.

Our neighbors know they can count on Hope Squad Maine to be there, week after week.

Your Impact In Action (January - October, 2025)

• 10,118 Individual Contacts with Portland's Homeless
• 1,452 Distributions of Gently Used Clothing
• 414 Transports to treatment centers, shelter & other essential appointments
• 1,817 Volunteer Outreach Hours

👉Click here to DONATE now!

New in 2025...

• Thursday Outreach - Targeted mobile effort for the most vulnerable living on the streets, providing compassion, beverages, and snacks.
• Thursday Group at Shelter - Invitation for residents to share in a positive dialogue, building community, connection, and care.
• Friday AM Transports - Transport to daily medication-assisted treatment programs, a critical support for recovery and stability.
• Partnership with the City of Portland - A seven-day-a-week meal distribution program, working with Preble Street and Milestone Recovery.

Our True Impact Extends Beyond the Resources We Provide

It's our consistent presence, connection, acceptance and compassion that mean the most - our unhoused friends say it often, and our volunteers embody it at every outreach.

“I was struck by a sense of need—seeing the relief on people’s faces when they made eye contact with a familiar Hope Squad face or got a hug.  It wasn’t just about the coffee and food; it was about creating a community—a safe place for our homeless friends to connect.”  ~ Volunteer, Laura S.

"A woman approached to thank me for the hug we shared the previous week, saying "I'd forgotten what human touch felt like."" ~ Volunteer, Karen P.

"It's so great to see you, Buddy."  Our unsheltered friend responded, "It's so great to be seen."

Your Donation Makes a Difference

Your donation supplements the generosity of our community.  It allows our resourceful volunteers to stretch every gift to provide clothing, beverages, sandwiches, snacks and outdoor essentials - while also covering the costs of keeping our ambulance rolling - a key symbol of the hope we bring to Portland's unhoused community.  Every dollar goes directly to program needs, making a direct and meaningful impact and helping us stay fully funded for 2026.

👉Click here to donate now!

Celebrating Every Step Forward

We don't measure success by who seeks recovery or finds housing, but we celebrate every step toward health, healing and growth, knowing that often people just need to feel valued and loved before they take that next step.  

Privileged to walk alongside Amber & Sarah on their journey from unsheltered homelessness towards health & healing

DONATE NOW

website: Hope Squad Maine

email: [email protected] 

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P.O Box 7454 Ocean Park, ME  04063

A 501(c)(3) Public Charity/EIN# 93-4484634