Beyond the Line Item: Biddeford’s Social and Municipal Services Budget

Each year, Biddeford’s budget process spans weeks of presentations, data, and difficult decisions. Yet the Social and Municipal Services Budget presentations stand apart. They focus not on departments or capital infrastructure but on the organizations that fill the gaps between what government provides and what residents still need—often quietly and without enough.

In the weeks ahead, the Council will review department operations, revenue forecasts, and policy tradeoffs. But this portion of the process offers a rare view into Biddeford’s human landscape—where support systems run on thin margins and public dollars are stretched to meet growing demand.

These presentations are an educational crash course in the resources that sustain Biddeford year-round. Some of these organizations are well-known; others operate more quietly. Taken together, they show how much of our social infrastructure exists outside City Hall—and how critical that infrastructure is to our collective well-being.

This part of the budget also reveals a familiar tension: growing need and dwindling funds. This year’s requests come as Maine faces another tight state budget and federal social programs see continued cuts. The result is a painful paradox—more people in need, fewer resources to meet them.

It is a part of the budget process that simultaneously makes one most proud to live in and serve Biddeford—because of the compassion, ingenuity, and perseverance on full display—and most deeply heartbroken, knowing how the scale of the need outpaces our capacity to respond.

The list of needs is immeasurable. Yet, every organization that stepped forward brought not just statistics but lived experience, illustrating the impact of their work.

What stood out this year was the diversity of missions and the depth of the need. Bon Appétit Community Café served over 26,000 free meals last year. Seeds of Hope provided more than 18,000 overnight stays and thousands of showers for those with nowhere else to turn. My Place Teen Center served over 9,000 meals to local youth. Apex Youth Connection distributed 148 bicycles, offering young people not just transportation but freedom and confidence. Age-Friendly Biddeford completed 388 rides covering nearly 7,000 miles, helping older residents access critical medical care. York County Community Action served over 2,500 Biddeford households last year—about a quarter of all households—providing transportation, heating aid, housing support, and case management.

Beyond crisis response, many of these organizations build connection, belonging, and civic identity. McArthur Library remains a constant across generations. Heart of Biddeford organized sixteen events last year that brought people together and reminded them they have a stake in the city’s future. La Kermesse, the Biddeford Historical Society, and the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center enrich us by honoring our past and preserving our shared story.

Not every request can be funded at the level it deserves. But it’s worth pausing to consider what these requests represent: they are more than a line item—they represent a collective effort to hold one another up, meet people where they are, and care for those who might otherwise go without.

Equally striking is how many of these organizations are powered by volunteers and staff working long hours with limited resources and little certainty about future funding. They continue to show up—not because it is easy, but because the work matters. And if they stopped—if the meals went unserved, the rides unoffered, the doors unopened—the consequences would be immediate and deeply felt across Biddeford.

That level of commitment is sustained not only by passion but also by financial support—however modest—from the public institutions that recognize its value.

Some stretch small grants into citywide impact. Others rely on municipal support to keep their lights on. All are part of the fabric of our city. Their work reminds us that municipal government cannot meet every need—and was never meant to. The health of a city depends on partnerships between public institutions and those who serve in the gaps, on the margins, and after hours.

It is easy to become consumed by the transactional parts of government—budgets, taxes, disputes, and votes. The Social and Municipal Services Budget presentations offer a reminder that behind every dollar requested is a person served—and often, someone whose needs are otherwise unmet.

To watch the full Social and Municipal Services Budget meeting and learn more about these organizations and their work, visit: https://biddefordme.portal.civicclerk.com/event/760/media .

To follow the broader municipal and school budget process, including upcoming meetings and materials, visit https://biddefordmaine.org/fy26budget .

Liam LaFountain is serving his second term on the Biddeford City Council and works as a healthcare analyst at the non-profit Healthcare Purchaser Alliance. He welcomes questions, comments, and ideas and can be contacted directly at liam.lafountain@biddefordmaine.org.

The views and opinions herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints and opinions of Saco Bay News, its employees, publisher, or advertisers.