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At Vigil, Portland Remembers And Honors Homeless Members Of The Community Who Have Died

Ed Morin
/
Maine Public
Among those at the vigil was Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling

For the 24th year in a row people gathered in Portland Friday on the longest night of the year to remember those from greater Portland's homeless community who have died during the past 12 months. Thirty-six people were remembered, 26 men and 10 women, with an average age of 47.

Credit Ed Morin / Maine Public
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Maine Public
After the vigil speakers finished, participants said the name of someone to be remembered and lit a votive candle that was placed with others.

Among those speaking at the vigil was homeless advocate Bonnie Guerette. She told the 150 or so people who had gathered at the Preble Street Resource Center that she's the mother of three, the grandmother of two and a medical professional. Although she now has a place to live, she said that she's been homeless for the past five years.

“Now that I have a place to stay on my own, I dread Mondays even more so for who I might not see,” Guerette said. “I feel panic and start the week hunting for my friends and my family to make sure they're okay.”

Guerette says she has seen what people have to go through on a daily basis just to eat, sleep, to shower, have a warm place to sleep and to feel safe and acknowledged as a human being.

Dr. Renee Fay-Leblanc is chief medical officer with Greater Portland Health, a federally qualified health center that cares for many people who are experiencing homelessness.

Credit Ed Morin / Maine Public
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Maine Public
Dr. Renee Fay-Leblanc, chief medical officer Greater Portland Health, one of the speakers

She said that homelessness is not just about housing, but that it also involves childhood trauma, lack of affordable higher education and a lack of jobs.

“Mental illness, physical illness. including substance-use disorder, lack of economic security and the criminalization of the social issues that come with poverty,” she added. Fay-Leblanc said that across the nation the life expectancy of people experiencing homelessness is almost 3 decades shorter than average.

Ed is a Maine native who spent his early childhood in Livermore Falls before moving to Farmington. He graduated from Mount Blue High School in 1970 before going to the University of Maine at Orono where he received his BA in speech in 1974 with a broadcast concentration. It was during that time that he first became involved with public broadcasting. He served as an intern for what was then called MPBN TV and also did volunteer work for MPBN Radio.