Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Shaw House, a non-profit in Bangor that serves homeless and at-risk youth, will receive a total of $145,937 through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The funding will support operations at Shaw House’s Basic Center Program (BCP) for homeless and runaway youth and their families. Senators Collins and King wrote a letter in support of Shaw House’s grant application in August.

“Serving youth from five rural Maine counties, Shaw House has been a critical resource for youth living in high-risk situations, providing an array of services from emergency shelter to comprehensive counseling,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This funding will allow Shaw House to build constructive relationships with youth that aim to improve their overall health and well-being and provide them with the necessary support to succeed as they transition to adulthood.”

Earlier this year, Senator Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, authored the FY18 Transportation and Housing Act, which includes $55 million for grants and technical assistance to test comprehensive efforts to end youth homelessness in urban and rural areas and $20 million for new family unification vouchers to prevent youth exiting foster care from becoming homeless. This bipartisan bill unanimously passed the Appropriations Committee in July.

For 25 years, Shaw House has strived to increase family reunification, provide more secure living arrangements for youth who are unable to return to their homes, and reduce homelessness across Maine. ACF is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that oversees major federal programs that deal with social services, protective services, and adoption for children.

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