About us.

We believe...

             all people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Our goal is not only to help people secure housing stability, but also to reach their fullest potential. We believe we can resolve homelessness, hunger, and help people recover from addiction and the other causes that have led them to YCSP. We have emergency shelters for individuals, families, and children. There is 24 hours staff at our shelters and treatment programs. We offer multiple in-house educational groups that are focused on increasing one's ability to live healthy, fulfilling, and productive lives. Our purpose is to assist people avoid the pitfalls of becoming homeless continuously, promoting recovery, and instilling a sense of community.  

We offer medical care through the support and collaboration of Nasson Health Care, in Springvale, as well as psychiatric care and counseling services for those interested.  In addition to the homeless services that happen in Alfred, we also offer addiction services for people in the community. YCSP also has two Residential Treatment houses, Ray Anger's Farm (West Newfield) and in Layman's Way (Alfred). Homelessness is not a requirement to enter our Substance Abuse programs.    

YCSP also encourages people, in all of our programs, to participate in community service through our Bakery, Food Pantry, community events, the shelter itself, or the community in which they are residing. Clients are expected to volunteer and participate regularly while residing with YCSP, and may even work towards becoming part of our Job Training programs. In this same vein, we work with the Springvale Career Center, the Veterans Administration (VA), and the Dept. of Corrections to help our residents pursue their economic and employment goals. 

In addition to clinical services, medical care, and Job training, there is a housing department on the campus in Alfred that helps our client’s complete applications for different housing assistance programs, as well as manages our properties in the surrounding communities, all of which are occupied by previously homeless families and individuals. All total, on any given night, YCSP houses approximately 350 - 400 people.

On a final note, we operate one of the largest food pantries in southern Maine. Last year the YCSP Food Pantry distributed approximately 20,000 boxes of food to our hungry neighbors in York County. Each box represents an average of 3 people --- over 70,000 units of service!