OPEN LETTER

To: Caity Hager Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Portland
      Keith Gautreau, Fire Chief, City of Portland
      Mark Dion, Mayor, City of Portland

The Portland outreach community is struggling to meet the basic needs of our homeless friends, neighbors, and family members. Presently, all city shelters are full, and those who haven't succeeded in getting a bed aren't allowed to shelter in tents or even under tarps.

The city sponsored overnight Warming Shelter will only open when the temperature drops to 15° or we receive 10 inches or more of snow. We know that hypothermia, frostbite, and other adverse heath effects can occur in much less extreme weather, and we fear for those we serve.

This is not OUR Maine. Those of us who've grown up here remember times when our community was strong and lifted each other up. It saddens us to see so many of our friends and neighbors suffering, with no recourse.

We urge the mayor and the City Council to engage state and federal agencies for emergency funds if necessary to immediately open a warming shelter downtown. Other communities have succeeded in supporting their most vulnerable neighbors where Portland is currently stumbling.

Christina Leddy, South Portland
Fran Thomas, Eliot
Shay Dufour, South Portland
Zach Moore, South Portland
Courtney Bass, Standish
Jen Dickstein
Carty Castaldi, Bayside