A new program is being launched in Biddeford to help find work opportunities for unhoused individuals in the community.

Organizers are calling it the “Biddeford Opportunity Crew,” and it is a collaborative effort between several organizations to help “champion a workforce with purpose.”

The Biddeford Opportunity Crew is a new initiative based on a nationwide model that provides paid, meaningful work for local residents who face barriers to traditional employment. Primary project partners include the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce, Seeds of Hope, the Heart of Biddeford and the city’s General Assistance office.

Organizers say the new program will “give participants purpose, income, job readiness, and a direct way to contribute to the community.”

In a notice released by the Chamber, organizers said that “many people in our city want to work — but are held back by housing instability, a prior record, lack of transportation or work clothes. The Opportunity Crew will give them a path forward.”

From June 1 through Labor Day, a supervised team of five individuals will be hired to complete beautification and maintenance projects throughout the city – from public parks to sidewalks to eligible clean-up tasks for small businesses. Workers will earn minimum wage, receive breakfast and lunch, and be supervised by a city staff member. The program will operate two days a week for the pilot year and be managed through the city of Biddeford’s General Assistance office.

This will be a city-run program, but it’s powered by community partnership, say organizers, hoping area businesses will help support the new program with donations, sponsorships and job opportunities. Participating businesses will be mentioned in press releases and updated social media posts about the initiative if desired.

“I’m really excited about this program,” said Vassie Fowler, executive director of the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center on South Street. “We’ve been talking about this for a few months, and I think it’s going to be a really great opportunity for people trying to put their lives back together.

“We want to help people restore their dignity and self-worth,” she added.

Fowler said the new program will not be mandatory or a requirement to receive benefits. Instead, the new program is intended to give unhoused people an opportunity to begin putting their lives back on track.

To learn more or become a sponsor of the new program, please contact Jake Hammer, Biddeford’s General Assistance Supervisor at | 207.298.3913 or jacob.hammer@biddeformaine.org

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