
The elements that led Delilah to her successful role as the Heart of Biddeford’s Executive Director could not have been better scripted. Her family heritage includes French Canadians who emigrated to Minnesota, where she was born. College in Vermont was followed by work in New York City and California, where she met her husband,originally from Sanford. They settled in the Biddeford-Saco area, where she was drawn to our industrial brick city reminiscent of her youth. When Heart of Biddeford was looking for a part-time Director, she was gradually getting back into the workforce after spending time with their young child.
Her career as a mediator and passion for truly listening led her to harness some of our community’s strengths: valuing the people who built this place, getting past the stigma of manufacturing decline and creating a welcoming environment for the future. The result is an evolution to being recognized with the Great American Main Street Award and a role model for other communities.
“It is a great decision to be here!”
DELILAH POUPORE
INTERVIEW DETAILS
Date of Interview: December 5, 2024
Location: JR Martin Community Center Biddeford, Maine
Interviewer: Nicole Morin-Scribner
Transcriber: Nicole Morin-Scribner
SELECTED INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
- Her paternal grandparents were both of French Canadian heritage. Her maternal grandmother came from Hungary, her grandfather from Ireland.
- The very unusual story about her birth certificate
- Insights into life growing up in Minnesota
- Competitive cross-country skiing
- Life in New York City and California
- Experiences as a singer-songwriter,recording and touring as part of a folk singing duo
- The spark created by the storytelling tent at la Kermesse
- From 27 Main Street business vacancies to a downtown exceeding her dreams
- Thoughts on the 3 things that turned things around: Heart and Soul process, MERC closure and community visioning activities
- Role of downtown businesses in closure of MERC
- Main Street Challenge competition
- Challenges of being a grant-funded organization
- Programs she is particularly proud of
- Creative responses during the COVID pandemic
- The important role of volunteers and newcomers in our community
- The draw of our physical environment and the river
DEMOGRAPHICS
Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota
Education: Middlebury College, Vermont (Philosophy); University of Vermont (MS Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration)
Ethnic Identification: French Canadian, Irish, Hungarian, German