BIDDEFORD — As a continued effort to better connect with the “new Mainers” in Biddeford, the Biddeford School Department is hosting a second Biddeford Rising gathering from 5 to 6 p.m.  Wednesday, March 7 at Biddeford Middle School, 25 Tiger Way in Biddeford. 

The event is open to the public and will include a community meal in which participants will bring a dish to share.

“Based on our first gathering last November with over 100 participants, we heard from families that they lack access to certain resources,” said Jeremy Ray, Biddeford Schools Superintendent. “To address their concerns, we have representatives from twelve organizations attending for one-on-one access following the community meal. We understand our students’ success is directly tied to supporting their parents’ basic needs and want to ensure they feel heard.

“This is a great opportunity to celebrate the culinary art of families’ native country and interact with local resources in an informal manner,” Ray said. “We hope the community will rally around this effort and join us to learn more about the 200 plus students from nearly twenty countries that call Biddeford home.”

Ray said that the Biddeford School Department believes that strengthened relationships with the EL community will reap positive benefits for all.

Some of the goals include improved school-to-home communication; improved cultural understanding for administrators and staff; increased support for summer programs, with an eye towards full-year programming; connecting our refugee, migrant, and immigrant populations with much-needed community services to increase access to medical and dental care, legal support, financial help, housing and nutrition services, and more; and fostering a sense of trust between skeptical refugees, migrants, and immigrants (especially the large number of asylum-seekers in Maine).

Biddeford Rising is mirrored after Portland Empowered, a successful school-to-home program for non-native speakers. Meetings will continue to be held on a bi-annual basis with translators available and free transportation provided. The event is subsidized by a grant from Catholic Charities of Maine in partnership with Spurwink Services, Inc. 

For more information, visit biddefordschools.me or contact Christopher Indorf at 282-8280.