The Biddeford municipal budget could include a larger-than-normal donation to Seeds of Hope, a local overnight shelter that aids those experiencing homelessness.

At a City Council meeting last week, Seeds of Hope Executive Director Vassie Fowler asked the council for a contribution of $180,000.

Last year, Seeds of Hope only asked for $50,000. Since then, the organization’s budget has increased from $340,000 to $1.1 million.

“I can barely say that out loud,” Fowler said.

The dramatic increase is due to an ever-growing number of people utilizing the services provided by Seeds of Hope, including free meals and an overnight shelter.

In the last year, Seeds of Hope served over 36,000 meals, Fowler said, and increased grocery costs have had an impact on their budget.

“We find solutions to do the impossible, some days,” Fowler said.

Seeds of Hope is also hoping to install a sprinkler system in the newly-renovated overnight shelter, where up to 50 people sleep each night.

“It’s a life safety item that we feel is pretty necessary for our building,” Fowler said.

The sprinkler system is expected to cost up to $150,000. The rest of the council’s donation, if approved, would primarily go towards meal costs for those experiencing homelessness.

At last week’s meeting, the council also heard donation requests from other Biddeford organizations, including LaKermesse and Heart of Biddeford.

But what Seeds of Hope does is “different,” Fowler said.

“We have so many organizations in our community doing great, inspiring work, and that is wonderful,” Fowler said. “Without what we do, the most vulnerable members of our community would go hungry, and they would be sleeping on the streets.”

Councilor Marc Lessard expressed concerns about a large donation to Seeds of Hope, noting that the city does not have a permanent plan for unhoused residents, despite investing $1.3 million last year to create one.

Lessard also pointed out that Seeds of Hope was intended to be a temporary solution to the city’s homelessness crisis, and the overnight shelter is only contracted to be open until November 2025.

“We have no guarantees about what your operation will look like or how it will function after November,” Lessard said.

Fowler disagreed, stating that Seeds of Hope is “working.”

“We are housing people, and we are finding permanent solutions to homelessness in our community,” Fowler said. “It doesn’t make sense to change what isn’t broken.”

The Biddeford municipal budget has not yet been finalized by the council.