By Matt Brown, HSM Founder
In the winter of 2025, Hope Squad Maine began to seek ways to expand our outreach efforts. We reached out to our community partners to ask how we might be able to fill in any gaps of service to our unhoused neighbors.
Almost immediately, we received a response from Preble Street Elena’s Way Director, Henry Myer, and Portland Police Department Substance Use Liaison, Bill Burns. They advised that Bill was transporting folks from Elena’s Way and the streets to area Methadone clinics Monday through Thursday, but there was a critical need to get those folks to the clinics on Fridays as well.
Methadone is a prescription drug used to treat individuals living with long-term Opioid Use Disorder. For those being treated with Methadone, missing even a single dose can be medically dangerous, triggering intense withdrawal symptoms including severe pain, nausea, and anxiety. Dosing isn’t a choice; it’s a medical necessity, much like insulin for a diabetic. Without Methadone, it can be nearly impossible to function and the risk of relapse significantly increases.
After assuring ourselves that we could shoulder the increased cost of insurance required to cover transportation, fuel and associated Ambulance expenses, we started Friday transport services in March of 2025.
We reached out to community partners that might be interested in riding along on the “clinic runs.” Pastor Jeff Logan from Grace-Street Ministry and Peggy Lynch from the Preble Street Outreach team responded right away that they would ride along one week a month. Now all the rides are being covered by our dedicated volunteers.
A year later, we have provided 608 transports! While 90% of the transports are to and from the four (4) local Methadone clinics, we have also transported unhoused neighbors to: Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital ER, all area adult shelters, Preble Street Learning Collaborative, Spurwink Living Room Crisis Center, City of Portland Harm Reduction, Commonspace, Maine Probation & Parole, Cotton Street food distribution site, Portland Recovery Community Center and even to DHHS supervised child visitation appointments.
The wide variety reflected above is due to the close relationships we have developed with so many community partners. We are grateful we often have the flexibility to respond to transport requests in a timely fashion.
The most wonderful aspect of these transports is the opportunity they afford for extended conversations on the road, week after week, further strengthening the relationships we have with so many we are blessed to know. Laughter often breaks out in the ambulance, as well as tears of both joy and sadness. Every minute riding together is such a gift. Many have told us they look forward to seeing the ambulance turn down the street to pick them up, and we certainly look forward to each and every opportunity for connection, hopeful conversation and just being together with our friends.