Read the series: How homelessness impacts Maine

Tyler Asselin, 30, scratches the chin of his dog, Meechy, while his other dog, Penny Lane, peeks out from behind Thursday. Asselin said he has been living in his car since June and has been parked at the David Rancourt Preserve in Lewiston for the last 10 days. He recently had to take a week off from work to be with his dogs full time while Penny was under quarantine for nipping at a child who startled the dog. The Lewiston native and former Leavitt Area High School student said he keeps himself busy at the preserve by picking up trash and collecting broken glass from the paths.

Local advocates say the number of adults, families and children experiencing homelessness has rapidly increased in the last year as Maine’s housing crisis persists.

There are more people in search of places to live than available units. As demand has grown, so too have prices and evictions.

Homelessness comes in all forms. There are those who are widely visible, living in camps and walking the streets of downtown Lewiston and Auburn with all of their possessions in hand.

But more often, people, especially families, struggle with homelessness quietly, away from the public eye. They stay with friends and family, live in hotels or create unconventional shelters – anything which puts a roof over their children’s heads.

The Sun Journal spoke with three homeless families in Lewiston-Auburn to share their stories of heartache and resilience.

One family lives in a retrofitted school bus. Another spends each night in a shelter. The third has moved half a dozen times in the past 16 months.

These are their stories.

Homelessness in Maine: In search of solutions

Cities, towns and the state are struggling to find answers. Some may already exist.

Meeting the needs of the fastest growing homeless population: seniors

People age 65 and older represent the fastest growing group of homeless. ‘We’ve had people in their late 80s, early 90s who are living in their car.’

Resources: How to help homeless people in the region

List of local service agencies accepting donations to help the homeless and at-risk populations in Maine.

Lewiston police, mental health workers take on homeless problem

Lewiston police have been employing various programs to keep the peace between business owners and the homeless. Their efforts have been paying off, according to most, although many business owners remain wary.

‘Quality of life’ or homeless crackdown in Lewiston?

Homeless say they are feeling the heat as the city presses its Neighborhood First initiative.

Homeless in Maine: A new policing protocol shifts focus to assisting homeless people who need help

Local police agencies are grappling with a new protocol established by the Office of the Maine Attorney General that calls on authorities to not charge homeless people with minor crimes but instead focus on connecting them with service providers who may be able to help.

Photos: A homeless woman’s journey from overdosing to recovery

Over the past year, Sarah Juliano has gone from living at a homeless encampment in Waterville to now recovering at a sober house in Winthrop. All photos by Morning Sentinel staff photographer Michael G. Seamans.

Alex Southworth, right, walks with a friend to a pawn shop on Feb.18 with a vacuum cleaner and a tent that had been donated to them in hopes of pawning them. Southworth is recently homeless and struggling to figure out how to get back into a better living situation.

Homeless in Maine: Rising number of homeless teens face grim future

Many of them lack a stable, supportive family, and end up creating their own ‘family’ on the street with other homeless youths.

Housing crisis drives rise in youth homelessness

Educators and homeless advocates are growing increasingly alarmed by a surge in the number of homeless youth.

‘All of us are so much more than what you see on the surface’

In her own words, a Lewiston homeless woman who helps other homeless people talks about life on the street.

How to help homeless youth and families in the region

Many organizations help support homeless children, teenagers and families in central and western Maine. New Beginnings’ 24-hour emergency shelter, as well as its supportive housing and outreach team, help youth throughout Maine find safety off the streets. The organization has transitional housing programs in Lewiston, Farmington and Augusta. For more information, go to newbeginmaine.org or call…

What is the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act?

The law is intended to provide homeless students the same educational opportunities as housed students by removing any barriers to learning.

Search the statewide database of school districts reporting homeless youths

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines homeless youths as ‘individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.’

Shawn Stanford builds a fire Oct. 10 near the door to the tent he shared with his girlfriend, Amanda Frasier, at a homeless encampment in Waterville.

Homeless but working: ‘That can be any person’

Unforeseen circumstances, and suddenly a Lewiston couple find themselves without a secure place for themselves and their child.

Homeless in Maine: Struggling to survive even with a paying job

Those who interact most closely with the homeless say it’s a misconception that they don’t want to work or try to help themselves.

Michael G. Seamans: Life on Waterville island featured hard living, and comfort to those in need

Over the course of several months, Morning Sentinel photographer Michael G. Seamans captured images of people living at a homeless encampment along the Kennebec River, and came to learn his assumptions about them were wrong.

Photos: Homeless people work jobs, return home to tents pitched by river

Morning Sentinel photographer Michael G. Seamans captured the photographic journey of homeless people living at an encampment in Waterville, some of whom also work jobs, over the past several months. All photos are by Seamans.

Everyone wants a warm home. Here’s how you can help.

While officials sit around tables discussing what to do, the homeless are living it. These are people who, for whatever reason, are now living on the street, are desperate for warmth, food and safety. The same things we all want. The things we all should have, but don’t.