745 Central Drive - Presque Isle, Maine

Telephone: (207) 764-4125           [email protected]

About The Homeless Shelter of AroostookOur journey began when the late Sister Mary O’Donnell along with the St. Mary’s Social Action Committee spearheaded the effort to create a place for people who found themselves homeless. We were then called the Temporary Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. and in 1998 after her death, the name was changed to Sister Mary O’Donnell Emergency Homeless Shelter as a legacy for her selfless service to the people of the community.

The shelter, which opened in 1984, has a 43 bed capacity (plus 6 bed overflow) that serves families as well as individuals who are in need of emergency shelter. In addition to a warm place to sleep, shelter residents have access to hot showers, 3 meals a day and a laundry facility. All shelter residents have a Case Manager who works with every individual and household to establish a case plan, providing a road map to independent living. The Case Manager will advocate for and connect shelter residents to the programs and services available to them to meet their specific needs. Compassionate staff make every effort to decrease the stress of homelessness by checking in new clients professionally, taking time to review rules and policies, and answering any questions while ensuring confidentiality at all times.

We remain the only emergency homeless shelter for the general public in Aroostook County, Maine, geographically the largest County east of the Mississippi and approximately the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, serving a population count of around 72,000 from the 2010 census.

As a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we depend on the  generosity of others to help keep our doors open. We’re  grateful for all the working relationships we enjoy in the community, with partnering agencies such as the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP), Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Aroostook Mental Health Center (AMHC), The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), and many others, as we strive to end homelessness in our County.


Sister Mary O’Donnell Emergency Homeless Shelter

  • Our emergency homeless shelter for families and individuals is a program based operation. The program is simple. We facilitate case management services in cooperation with case managers from our sister agencies, establishing a plan to meet each person’s or family’s needs, and then monitor the plan’s progress, holding everyone accountable for the goals mutually set. While progress is being made on each established plan, shelter support staff manage and address the daily needs of the shelter residents.

Transitional Housing at Homeless of Aroostook

Transitional Housing

  • Transitional Housing provides low income subsidized 2 and 3 bedroom units to families with children renewed annually. The goal of transitional housing is to provide temporary affordable housing while families work to become self-sufficient. Parents must employed or taking college courses to improve their financial situation. Families pay only their portion of the rent (determined by Presque Isle Housing Authority, Maine Housing, AMHC, or other rent subsidy agency), cable bill, phone bill, and electricity each year.

      Housing Eligibility Requirements


Non-Discrimination Policy

Homeless Services of Aroostook, Inc. prohibits discrimination of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. Homeless Services of Aroostook, Inc. is firmly committed to a policy of equal opportunity for both the residents of the Sister Mary O’Donnell Homeless Shelter and tenants of our transitional housing program who we serve, as well as all employees of the organization in all aspects of employee relations, including employment, salary administration, employee development, promotion and transfer.


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Administration

PO Box 1753, 1 Midway Drive
Presque Isle, Maine
Telephone:(207) 762-6000

Sister Mary O'Donnell
Emergency Homeless Shelter
Aroostook Bridge

745 Central Drive
Presque Isle, Maine
Telephone:(207) 764-4125