Key Points
- The Bangor City Council agreed to give $7,000 to the Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center at Monday night’s council meeting.
- The money will be drawn from opioid settlement funds that have been set aside by the city.
- This ends a fundraising drive that has collected $220,000 plus for the organization.
- For almost two months now, the center has had to close down the drop-in center and food program because of insufficient funds.
- Both programs were opened up again last week, while the affordable food program is expected to open shortly.
- The Penobscot County Commissioners had pledged $7,000 as long as the city matched it.
- The council vote passed 6-1, with Councilor Wayne Mallar voting against it.
- Chair Susan Hawes was not in attendance, while Councilor Michael Beck excused himself from the decision due to a conflict of interest.
- The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation donated $50,000 while Together Place asked for $60,000 plus from the city.
Bangor (Wales Times) September 29, 2026 — The uk/local/bangor/">Bangor City Council has approved a $7,000 contribution to the Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center, completing a community fundraising drive that raised more than $220,000 and allowing the centre to secure the future of several core support services.
As reported by the Bangor Daily News, Monday night’s vote finalised an earlier decision by the council’s Government Operations Committee to allocate the money. The city’s contribution was the final portion of the fundraising effort and will be drawn from Bangor’s opioid settlement funds.
The Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center, based at 2 Second Street, had closed its drop-in centre and meals programme for nearly two months after facing a funding shortage. The organisation reopened those programmes last week, restoring a resource used by community members affected by mental illness and addiction.
Why Did Bangor Contribute $7,000?
The contribution followed a condition attached to funding from Penobscot County. As reported by the Bangor Daily News, the Penobscot County Commissioners agreed to give the centre $7,000 only if Bangor matched that amount. The city’s approval therefore allowed Together Place to reach its fundraising target.
The centre offers recovery-support groups and one-on-one peer support from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Its leaders plan to restart the centre’s low-cost meals programme now that the necessary funding has been secured.
People who use the centre have described it as “more like a family,” according to the Bangor Daily News, and members commonly attend daily for peer-support groups and other resources.
What Did Together Place Leaders Say?
Shea Mullaney, the board president of Together Place, said the organisation was “incredibly excited to get back to work” after the committee vote.
As reported by the Bangor Daily News, Mullaney said:
“The way that everybody in the community has stepped up is tremendous. Private donors, foundations, churches, different organizations, Penobscot County, the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, and now the city of Bangor.”
The organisation had initially asked the city for more than $60,000, but raised most of the money it needed through private donations. Those contributions included a $50,000 gift from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.
How Did the City Council Vote?
The Bangor City Council approved the allocation by a vote of 6-1. Councilor Wayne Mallar was the only member to vote against the funding.
Councilor Carolyn Fish supported the allocation. As reported by the Bangor Daily News, Fish pointed to the organisation’s fundraising progress, the community need, and the financial steps taken by Together Place leaders.
“They have taken some accountability. They have hired a financial advisor,” Fish said. “Because of the efforts that they’ve made and the need in our community, I will be voting in favor of this.”
Mallar said he believed external organisations should submit funding requests at the beginning of the city’s budget process. He had also voted against the proposal in committee, saying he objected to the county asking the city to support a matching grant.
Were There Objections to the Funding?
Yes. Community member Hilari Simmons spoke against the allocation at Monday’s meeting. As reported by the Bangor Daily News, she said she did not believe an organisation should receive opioid settlement money outside the established process the city had previously used to distribute that funding. Simmons is Mallar’s daughter.
Council Chair Susan Hawes was absent from Monday’s meeting, while Councilor Michael Beck recused himself because of a conflict of interest.
What Services Will Resume?
The Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center has already reopened its drop-in centre and peer-support services. The centre provides recovery-support groups and one-to-one peer support on weekdays.
The organisation’s leaders also plan to restart its low-cost meals programme soon, now that the fundraising campaign has been completed.
Background of the Development
The Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center is a Bangor-based organisation supporting people experiencing mental illness and addiction. Its services include drop-in access, recovery-support groups and individual peer support.
The organisation temporarily suspended its drop-in centre and meals programme for nearly two months after a funding shortage. It subsequently launched a broader fundraising campaign, receiving support from private donors, foundations, churches, other organisations, Penobscot County and the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.
The county’s $7,000 pledge was tied to a matching contribution from Bangor. The city council’s approval of $7,000 from opioid settlement funds completed that arrangement and enabled Together Place to surpass its broader fundraising requirement.
Prediction: How Could This Affect Bangor Residents?
For Bangor residents who rely on recovery services, the decision is likely to stabilise access to daily peer support and recovery groups at the 2 Second Street centre. The reopening of the drop-in centre and the planned return of the low-cost meals programme may provide consistent practical and emotional support for people managing mental illness or addiction.
For the wider community, the vote may also influence how Bangor handles future requests involving opioid settlement funds. Councilor Mallar’s opposition and Hilari Simmons’s concerns highlight an ongoing question about whether such funding should be allocated through the city’s established budget process or through matching arrangements with other public bodies.
The immediate effect, however, is that Together Place has secured the funding needed to continue operating key services and plans to restore its meals programme, potentially reducing gaps in local recovery support.
