New teen shelter honors Emeritus Prof. Joseph Kreisler, helps at-risk youth

In January 2013, Preble Street Resource Center will open the Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter, a low-barrier state licensed emergency overnight shelter named for . Kreisler, who passed away in 2002, founded Preble Street Resource Center, an organization that provides drop-in centers, soup kitchens, food pantry, shelters, social work services, and supported housing to those in need.

The Joe Kreisler Teen Center replaces the older and smaller Lighthouse Teen Shelter, which faced difficulties meeting the demand for services as homelessness among 12- to 20-year olds increased over the last year. Offering more beds, more staff, and twice as much space, the new center will create a safe place for homeless and street-involved youth ages 12 through 20, provide access to a full range of services to assist them in making plans to stay off the street, and coordinate policies and individual interventions with the nearby Preble Street Teen Center.

Learn more about the shelter and its namesake at the Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter website and in the Portland Press Herald articles “New teen shelter so much better” and “Portland teen shelter a testament to ‘average’ Joe.”