Boston-born singer/songwriter James Taylor pleads with us in his song, “Shower the People” to show love to those around us and that message resonates with the nonprofits we bring you in this issue: “One thing can lead to another; it doesn’t take any sacrifice. Oh, father and mother, sister and brother—if it feels nice, don’t think twice.”  These local organizations play a vital role in showering the Cape with their efforts to offer valuable services, programs, counseling and resources. Read about them and find out how you can get involved in furthering their causes.

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Maureen Wilkens

For many, the intersection between their love for the Cape and Islands and a desire to help others while maintaining everything that is special about this place is a wondrous dream. For Maureen Wilkins it has been a lifelong reality. Wilkens, selected as the 2024 Woman of Impact by the Cape and Islands United Way, has been a longtime supporter of many recognized Cape Cod organizations. Along with her late husband Frank, the Wilkins have had a positive impact through their support of the Cape and Islands United Way as well as many other charities including Cape Cod Community College, Cape Cod Hospital Healthcare Foundation, Housing Assistance Corporation, the Salvation Army, and the Osterville Free Library to name just a few.

Mrs. Wilkens graduated from Emmanuel College where her dedication to healthcare and the importance of serving entire communities first took root. She established the Maureen Murphy Wilkens School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences at her alma mater as a testament to her commitment to education and quality healthcare for all.

“Maureen Wilkens is truly dedicated to supporting this community and to ensuring that all Cape Cod residents and visitors have access to the best possible healthcare,” said Michael Lauf, CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare. “We have been very grateful for the generosity of Maureen and her late husband, Frank, which helped us to enhance access to services and care for all at the Wilkens Outpatient Medical Complex.”

“Over the years, Maureen’s exceptional dedication to Cape Cod Healthcare and our community has continued with her passionate support for local education and training,” Lauf added. “From funding for the Cape Cod Community College/Cape Cod Healthcare Center for Nursing and Allied Health to the creation of the Frank and Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center at Cape Cod Community College, Maureen’s inspiration and vision have positively impacted the lives of so many on Cape Cod.”

The Woman of Impact Award is presented annually at the Power of the Purse event and is hosted by Women United, an affinity group of the Cape and Islands United Way. The award recognizes women leaders who do extraordinary work to positively impact the lives of others in the community, business, cultural, or political sectors.

The recognition of women such as Mrs. Wilkens is an important part of the Cape and Islands United Way’s extension of opportunities to give and make a difference in our local community. 

Text by Julie Wagner

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Helping Our Women (HOW)

More than three decades ago, on the Outer Cape, a group of volunteers gathered to support a female neighbor undergoing breast-cancer treatment. It didn’t take long for these kind-hearted souls to learn that living alone with a chronic, serious or debilitating illness on the rural Outer Cape is no small challenge. 

Seeing a pressing need, this first group of volunteers formed Helping Our Women (HOW) with a mission of educating, empowering and supporting women living with chronic or serious health conditions in the Outer Cape towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. In recent years, the mission has expanded to include non-binary and trans individuals.

In addition to operating a pair of resource centers that “bookend” the Outer Cape—the flagship location in Provincetown and the newly opened Ann Maguire Women’s Wellness Center in Eastham—HOW provides an impressive suite of services to its community members, including transportation to medical/wellness appointments; educational support; customized assistance in accessing benefits; financial assistance to those in need; medical advocacy (on request); and referrals to food-access programs, among other services. 

In 2023 alone, HOW provided more than 884 rides to health-care appointments, completed 5,416 outreach visits and referrals to community partners, recorded 1,442 food-pantry visits, deliveries and gift cards, and provided more than $157,000 in stipends for alternative treatments and household bills. Though the group began with the mission of focusing on the Outer Cape, their health and wellness education programs are open to all women across the Cape who are interested in participating.

“In recent years, as we’ve learned of women’s struggles to gain equitable treatment in our health-care system, I’ve also begun to talk about HOW as a public-health equity initiative,” says Executive Director Gwynne Guzzeau. “We’re trying to level that playing field for women living on the geographically isolated Outer Cape.”  

To learn more, or discover how to get involved, visit helpingourwomen.org, email info@helpingourwomen.org, or call 508-487-4357.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod

“Until there’s a cure, there’s community,” is an adage that the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center (AFSC) of Cape Cod, a Brewster-based organization that provides a wide range of free services to Cape Cod individuals, caregivers, and families living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) truly embraces and lives out every day.  

“We’re able to make a small difference by supporting the families and caregivers who are doing the truly hard work,” says AFSC Co-founder and Executive Director Molly Perdue, Ph.D, whose mother had Alzheimer’s. “We try to ‘show up’ and provide families and caregivers with a sense of community—they’re not in this alone.” 

While an ADRD can be overwhelming for people living with ADRD, their families and caregivers, the AFSC’s team of dementia professionals help them to navigate the complexities, challenges and pitfalls related to any ADRD condition, from pre-diagnosis to bereavement. 

After an initial consultation, the AFSC provides cognitive screenings, care planning, insurance guidance, phone support, educational offerings, dozens of support groups and social and cultural programming, among other services. 

In addition to two offices in Brewster, the AFSC also operates the AFSC Community Center at the Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis, a unique service-delivery location. “I’m not aware of any other program like this, located in the middle of a mall,” adds Perdue, whose dissertation was on Alzheimer’s Disease and its impact. “We’re discovering that there’s a lot of national interest in the work that we’re doing at the mall because it’s so innovative and so different.”  

To find out more, visit alzfamilysupport.org, contact info@capecodalz.org, or call 508-896-5170.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Bay to Sound Neighbors

Bay to Sound Neighbors is an aging-in-place “virtual village” that enables older residents of Dennis and Yarmouth—from Cape Cod Bay to Nantucket Sound—to age on their own terms.

For seniors who wish to stay in their homes and beloved communities, but might need a hand from time to time, these grassroots villages primarily rely on volunteers to provide “neighborly help” to their village members. 

Key services include trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, transportation to health-care appointments, light help around the home or in the garden, tech support, and staging various community engagement initiatives. Sometimes, the activity might even be a shopping trip or a ride to the beach for a cup of coffee and a chat.

“It’s such a rewarding feeling to help others,” says Bay to Sound Neighbors President Carol Donohue, a retiree and volunteer. “But we’ve found that the greatest benefits, for many, are the meaningful social connections that often develop into friendships.”

The “Village Movement” began 20 years ago with Beacon Hill Village and—like many things that start in Boston—the concept sparked a revolutionary national movement that is helping to redefine aging, allowing members to retain their independence and age with dignity. A national “Village-to-Village Network” helps more than 300 villages across the country to manage their aging-in-place initiatives.

In addition to Bay to Sound Neighbors, there are four other “virtual villages” on the Cape and Islands, including Neighborhood Falmouth; Barnstable Neighbor to Neighbor; Nauset Neighbors; and Vineyard Village at Home. 

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit baytosoundneighbors.helpfulvillage.com or call 508-470-0585.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Children’s Cove Child Advocacy Center

The Friends of Children’s Cove, Inc., a volunteer-led 501(c)3, supports Children’s Cove: The Cape & Islands Child Advocacy Center’s mission to provide compassionate, child-friendly responses to child abuse. 

The Friends of Children’s Cove, Inc. (FoCC) provides leadership guidance, additional awareness in the community, and community-focused philanthropic efforts. Funding provided by the FoCC supports a timely response for safety, transportation, basic needs, healing activities and programs for child-victims, siblings and caregivers in our area. 

Serving Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard, Children’s Cove staff ensure a trauma-informed process that reduces retraumatization, preserves evidence, and fosters collaboration between social and legal agencies to protect children and aid in their healing. 

Over 7,000 children and families on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket impacted by sexual abuse, exploitation, and trauma have been supported through Children’s Cove services. In the last four years alone there has been a staggering 50% increase in requests for support.

The Friends of Children’s Cove, Inc. funding supports children and families through immediate resources and supports in time of need providing a pathway to healing and creating a community free of abuse.

Stacy Gallagher, Director of Children’s Cove, states “The critical support and funding we receive from the Friends of Children’s Cove allows us the flexibility to respond to the urgent needs of our most vulnerable children and their non-offending family members at the time where it is most needed. It makes an immense difference.” 

To learn more, visit friendsofchildrenscove.org or call 508-375-0410.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Cape Cod Toy Library

When parents learned that Deb Willsea had once built and nurtured a highly successful children’s toy library—an international model—for more than three decades in Rochester, New York, they pounced and begged her to launch a similar community resource center for families on Cape Cod. 

A few years later, the Cape Cod Toy Library (CCTL) has proven itself and is actively seeking a new, permanent home in which it can grow. 

“Our mission is to foster healthy child development and learning through play experiences,” says CCTL President & Founder Deb Willsea, a lifelong educator with a master’s degree in Development, Learning & Instruction. “We provide enriching, accessible, culturally inclusive educational environments, resources and guidance for children and their families.”

In addition to its flagship toy-lending library, which boasts 2,000 toys in its current, limited space at the First Lutheran Church in West Barnstable, the CCTL also created the Outdoor Play Oasis in the backyard of Hyannis Public Library, where children and families gather for healthy, fresh-air activity. 

In addition to serving children and families of all kinds, the CCTL also welcomes educators, counselors and health-care practitioners with their students and clients.

The CCTL is typically open at the First Lutheran Church on Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and will be hosting a special “Fall Fun – Family Play Day” free event on Saturday, November 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the church. 

“I love seeing his reaction to what he’s learning at the Toy Library,” Denise Magnett says of her son. “It’s a place to come to see his face light up.”  

To find out more, visit capecodtoylibrary.org or call 508-648-3227.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Best Buddies

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization aimed at supporting people with disabilities, but even with its huge global reach, its ties to the Cape are remarkably strong.

The organization’s programs—which are targeted at ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities worldwide—span all 50 states and almost 50 countries and have benefited the Cape for years.

Anthony Shriver, the organization’s founder, grew up summering in Hyannis Port, and still spends time there every year. That’s where the Best Buddies Challenge, the organization’s largest fundraising effort, kicked off in 2000. The challenge has only grown since then, generating some $100 million in funds and drawing around 1,500 riders each spring.

The bike ride—now with options for 100, 55 or 20 miles—starts in the Boston area and stretches along scenic roads to culminate in a lobster clambake celebration and concert at the race’s Craigville Beach finish line. The ride has welcomed the likes of pro-cyclists Alberto Contador and Cam Wurf, as well as athletes like former co-chair Tom Brady and Drake Maye, who now co-chairs the event.

“The energy is just awesome,” the challenge’s senior director Patrick Shaughnessy says. “It’s a super cool blend of an athletic challenge—riding 100 miles isn’t easy for most people—and a great cause, just because everything we do, including this ride, is for our participants. To see them out there cheering, riding or running is just awesome.”

The local support has been crucial, too, he says, adding that there are many local families and schools that start teams every year. This past spring, the challenge even welcomed a team from the Barnstable Police Department.

The organization’s involvement on the Cape goes far beyond the ride with several year-round programs for those with disabilities. The Best Buddies Friendship Programs, which pair program participants with non-disabled peers, kicked off in local high schools on the Cape back in 2010 and grew from there. A similar program started at elementary schools in 2018, and a few middle schools now have programs, too.

More recently, the Best Buddies employment program, which helps participants join the workforce, started on the Cape in 2020 and remains a key focus for the program’s supervisor, Pam Miller, who says it’s a win-win for both participants and employers.

“Hiring someone with a disability is a great thing, not only for the person, but also for your business. It’s just a phenomenal way to change your business,” Miller says, explaining that those in the program have strong work ethics, often boost company morale and frequently become favorites among local Cape business’s customers.

The organization also launched a Family Support program on the Cape back in August, which connects families expecting a child with a disability with others who have been in their shoes.

“We’re growing all the time. Our programs now support from birth to full adult, which is really exciting,” Miller said.  

Head over to bestbuddies.org to find out how to donate, attend an event or shop online.

Text by Kelly Cloonan

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Food from the Heart

Every parent, and most compassionate adults, viscerally understand the heartbreaking realities that sometimes interrupt what should be the carefree and joyful experience of childhood. When the harsh necessities of daily life, find their way into a child’s world, where the responsibilities normally assigned to adults, become an itinerary of priorities for someone so young, it is simply soul crushing to witness. That was the reaction, to unexpected childhood hunger that led Pastor David Johnson and David Byrnes of Grace Church in East Dennis, to initiate incontrovertible action and start Cape Kid Meals.

In 2014, the Pastor’s wife was working at one of the schools in Dennis learned of children who were coming to school hungry on Monday morning after the weekend and not having enough to eat. As soon awareness of the need was evident, Pastor Johnson and David Byrnes enlisted other congregants of Grace Church to create a weekend backpack program where volunteers purchased food and packed food bags in the church basement that were then distributed to children at the end of the school week. In 2016, Barnstable resident Tammy Leone, heard about the program and immediately wanted to volunteer. Today, she is in her third year as the executive director of Cape Kid Meals and says the program has three key initiatives at the core of its mission. “To support children who are facing hunger, we have a weekend bag program with easy-to-prepare shelf-stable food, which we pack in our packing center, and deliver to our participating schools. The schools discreetly distribute them to the children they have identified as having need. Our second initiative is the School Snack program, in which we supply snacks for the schools to distribute. Many students are not able to bring in snacks from home and to prevent them from feeling left out, while their peers would have something, many teachers were buying snacks with their own funds. The schools make the snacks available in creative ways, ensuring they are available without drawing attention to who might need them. .” 

Leone explains the third initiative, the School Pantry Program, which addresses hunger faced by older students by establishing pantries in the high schools. The pantries are located in discreet areas, allowing students to access them for a snack or to take something home for dinner and/or breakfast.”

For many, the spring and summer of 2020, the dawning realization of how local children were suffering from food insecurity since the schools where they had previously received sometimes their only meals of the day, were now closed, illuminated the need that had been growing beneath the surface. Leone says that understanding led to changes in the Cape Kid Meals as well as they found themselves supplying summer meal programs and coming up with solutions for extended support during school vacations. 

In the 10 years since the start of the program, where two elementary schools in Dennis received the benefits, today Cape Kid Meals serves 44 schools across the region including Wareham. Leone and Merry James, a part-time program coordinator are the only two paid employees and each week over 40 volunteers perform countless tasks which through the three initiatives support 1,700 children, including almost 1,000 through the weekend food bag program. Melanie Howell, Director of Marketing and Community Connection at First Citizens’ says the decision to align with Cape Kid Meals was an easy one, “We have a youth saving program that not only teaches children to save and learn about money. It also include a component that teaches them to give. Since the kids, along with an adult get to choose which nonprofit they want to give to, Cape Kid Meals was a perfect partner.” 

In addition to being an appropriate recipient of the financial organization’s charitable efforts, including employees across all of their offices and branches dedicated time and effort to stuffing bags and creating holiday boxes, Howell says she has never seen a group so small do so much for so many. 

There are so many ways to support this worthy organization. Monetary donations are always gratefully accepted—$200 can feed one child for a year. Perhaps your book club is looking to do good, volunteering to stuff bags and witness the dizzying brevity and organization the weekly process of preparing the bags will give you an experience to share for months on end. Leone says when she started as a volunteer, her task of delivering the bags to the schools was always greeted with the happy smiling faces of the children who instinctively understand the power of good will. As the warmer seasons of our seasonal sand bar wane, families find fewer opportunities to provide for their families in the ways they wish they could. Ensuring our Cape kids get meals is the least we can do.

Text by Julie Craven Wagner

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Salt Water Initiative

Growing up, spending a week on the Cape with her family every summer meant the world to Lynne Abbott.

“It just really meant the world that the five of us could be together, and we just had no agenda, no schedule. And being at the ocean, you just see things from a new perspective,” Abbott said.

So when Abbott and her husband bought a vacation home in Orleans seven years ago, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a way for other families to experience the same Cape magic she had as a child.

Flash forward to this past spring, when Abbott kicked off the Salt Water Initiative with seven free vacations for families with children affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program gifts eligible families a free weekend in a hotel, a Stop & Shop gift card, a welcome gift bag and oftentimes a giftcard to the hotel’s restaurant.

Key to Abbott’s strategy is finding hotels with an indoor pool to ensure that even if the Cape’s off-season weather proves chilly, families will have a fun activity to make their stay truly a vacation.

The program is targeted at families living at the 200% poverty level. For a family of five in Massachusetts, that’s an income of under $73,160 annually.

“I really just want the families to have a break,” Abbott said, adding that many of the families she’s worked with may not have otherwise been able to afford a vacation.

Abbott, a preschool teacher and mother of two living in Walpole, has gathered a board of five who have helped connect her with various organizations to facilitate the effort, including the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. Abbott now works with nine hotels across the Cape and finds eligible families through Taunton-based Community Autism Resources.

The response—from both families and hotels—has been amazing thus far, Abbott says. “The testimonials we’re getting, the thank yous we get, are just really heartwarming. It just means the world to them.” Abbott said. A Mom, Lorie,  whose family has benefited from the program shares, “It can be extremely difficult for families with ASD children to find the time, energy, and resources to get a chance to breathe and get a much needed reset.”  

For hotels, it’s a win-win. For every offseason stay a hotel donates, Abbott buys another, helping hotels fill rooms in the Cape’s quieter months. The hotels, for their part, have been supportive. The Holiday Inn in Falmouth even made their own welcome baskets with shovels, pails and toys for the children staying with them back in the spring, and another hotel manager hung a thank you note from one of the families above her desk. Amber, another parent, echoes the same sentiment, “It can be difficult to take family trips as we have 2 daughters with ASD, and finding things both of them enjoy can be tricky. The four of us truly needed a trip like this. Bonding time can be a real game changer for families like ours who don’t get many breaks.” 

Abbott planned 17 vacations for this fall and hopes to continue the momentum into next year with more hotel and restaurant partnerships, and several more fundraisers.

But even with all the planning she’s doing, Abbott is also looking back on how far the organization has already come with the help of family, friends, her board and the initiative’s partners.

“None of it would have been possible without supportive people that believe in me and lifted me up,” she said. 

To find out how you can help families affected by autism enjoy a special Cape Cod experience, visit saltwaterinitiative.org.

Text by Kelly Cloonan

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H.E.L.P. by T. Jazelle

On Cape Cod, and now around the world, Tiffany Narbonne’s iconic jewelry company T. Jazelle has made an impact. The brand that started out as a dream for Narbonne in 2013, has grown substantially with her designs now being carried in 500 retailers across the country. In 2017, T. Jazelle opened the doors of their flagship boutique in West Dennis and today Narbonne has found herself a spot as a signature brand collaborator on QVC! 

With all this momentum and a dedicated following behind her brand, in January of 2020, Narbonne launched her sister brand: H.E.L.P. by T. Jazelle. “I was home and pregnant at the time, and some of my friends were nurses on the front lines during the pandemic. I just wanted to find a way to help,” remembers Narbonne. “So, TJ launched our first ‘give back design,’ and we ended up donating over $50,000 to the COVID relief fund—it felt amazing doing something that we knew was making a difference.” With the help of her team, Narbonne began crafting a new collection of pieces and came up with the name H.E.L.P., which stands for Hope, Encouragement, Love, and Purpose— “Strung together to help make a difference.” 

“We created different designs that give back to causes close to our hearts and that first year The Paper Store reached out asking to carry our new brand,” shares Narbonne. Aligned with the messaging of her original brand, each bracelet from H.E.L.P. holds meaning, with unique stainless-steel charms and stones strung together with love by a team of 10 women right here on Cape Cod— and Narbonne herself writes the important messaging featured on every bracelet’s packaging. “I’m a very meaning, inspirational driven person, so everything that I create needs a meaning behind it.” With every purchase from H.E.L.P., $2 is donated to multiple causes around the world with the help of Global Giving. 

Recently, H.E.L.P. launched a new collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. “Visiting St. Jude was a life changing moment for me,” says Narbonne. “Just seeing what families go through, I knew I wanted to do more to help.” Partnering with St. Jude, Narbonne and her team got to work creating the design, “St. Jude gave us patient artwork to help inspire us, and we were able to use elements from two different patients’ artwork for the charms.” One design features a sun and the other a flower, “They both stand for hope,” she smiles. “It’s worn to remind you to always have that hope and strength.” On the back of each card, you’ll find the detail of that patient and their original artwork. Through each sale, $2 is donated to St. Jude to help fund their mission of finding cures and saving children. This year on December 5th, H.E.L.P. by TJ is even throwing their first gala to benefit St. Jude. “We’re partnering with a bunch of Cape Cod businesses, and Wequassett Resort & Golf Club is hosting the event,” explains Narbonne. “I’m hoping to make it an annual event, giving back to a different cause each year.”

She reminisces, “When I started making bracelets, I never thought it would become what it is today.” Since the launch of H.E.L.P, Narbonne and her team have raised almost $500,000 and counting contributing to causes around the world and locally. “It’s special that we’ve been able to help Cape Cod organizations, and we’ve had so many amazing moments giving back. We’ve donated to the MSPCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and so many more organizations close to our hearts.” She shares, “Being able to create something that brings joy and to have two brands with such a purpose and meaning has been everything to me.”  

To shop, learn more or view all their nonprofit partners, visit tjazellehelpbracelets.com.

Shop Cape Cod Life’s Bracelet Collab with T. Jazelle here!

Text by Christina Galt

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How to Spread Holiday Cheer: Volunteer & Give Back on Cape Cod

As the holiday season approaches, there’s no better time to spread warmth and kindness to our neighbors on Cape Cod. Whether you’re a local or just visiting for the holidays, there are countless ways to give back to the community. From volunteering your time to contributing to donation drives, you and your family can make a real difference while embracing the festive spirit that makes Cape Cod so special. Here are some wonderful opportunities to get involved this season and beyond!

Volunteer Opportunities: Helping Hands on Cape Cod

Volunteering is one of the most impactful ways to give back to the community—and it’s something families can enjoy together. Whether you’re helping at a food pantry, assisting with holiday events, or supporting local veterans, there are plenty of ways to volunteer on Cape Cod, especially during the busy holiday season.

The Falmouth Service Center

The Falmouth Service Center is one of the key organizations helping families on Cape Cod. During the holidays, they run food drives and supply distribution events. They welcome families to come volunteer and help sort and package food for families in need. It’s a great way for kids to see firsthand how their time and effort can make a difference in the lives of others.

Cape Cod Volunteer

If you’re looking for a broader range of opportunities, the Cape Cod Volunteer Center connects individuals and families with organizations that need help all year long. Whether it’s assisting with community gardens, supporting senior citizens, or volunteering at animal shelters, there’s something for every family to get involved in.

Donation Drives: Giving What You Can

Donating essential items is an easy way for families to give back, and there are many seasonal drives on Cape Cod to help those in need. Whether it’s clothing, food, or toys, your family can help provide for others during the holiday season.

YMCA of Cape Cod: Holiday Toy Drive & Food Drives

The YMCA of Cape Cod hosts a variety of seasonal donation drives. This holiday season, you can drop off toys for children in need or donate non-perishable food items to help local families during the holidays. The YMCA also organizes volunteer opportunities where families can help sort donations or deliver food to families in need.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is a national program that ensures children from low-income families receive gifts during the holidays. On Cape Cod, the chapter of Toys for Tots runs a local toy drive. Families can donate new, unwrapped toys at collection locations throughout Cape Cod. It’s a simple way to give joy to a child and make the season brighter for families in need.

Holiday Events for a Cause: Fun & Festive Ways to Give Back

Cape Cod is known for its vibrant community spirit, especially during the holiday season. Many local events offer opportunities to support charitable causes while enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Christmas in Harwich

One of Cape Cod’s most beloved holiday traditions is Christmas in Harwich, a charming holiday stroll through the town center. As you enjoy the holiday lights, festive music, and local shops, you can also donate to various local charities. Several booths at the event collect toys for children, non-perishable food for local food pantries, and warm clothing for those in need.

Falmouth Christmas Parade

The Falmouth Christmas Parade is a festive celebration of the season, featuring floats, marching bands, and community groups. The parade encourages attendees to bring donations of canned goods to support local food banks. This is a great way for families to enjoy the holiday spirit while also giving back to the community.

How Families Can Get Involved Year-Round

The spirit of giving doesn’t have to end when the holidays are over. Cape Cod is home to a variety of charitable organizations that need help year-round. Whether it’s providing meals, supporting education programs, or caring for the environment, there are always ways for families to contribute.

Beach Cleanups & Environmental Volunteer Opportunities

Organizations like the Cape Cod National Seashore often host beach cleanups and environmental preservation programs. These events are perfect for families who want to enjoy the outdoors while doing something good for the planet. Participating in a beach cleanup or donating to environmental causes is a wonderful way to make an impact, especially as part of an active, hands-on family activity.

Local Homeless Shelters & Soup Kitchens

Cape Cod has several homeless shelters and soup kitchens that need volunteers year-round. Organizations like the Homeless Prevention Council provide vital services for individuals and families in need. Your family can volunteer by preparing or serving meals, organizing clothing donations, or assisting with administrative tasks.

Adopt a Family Programs

Some organizations (like Homeless Prevention Council) on Cape Cod offer year-round “adopt a family” programs, where families can provide support for others facing tough times. This could include helping a family with back-to-school supplies, holiday meals, or even sponsoring a birthday for children in need. These programs help foster a sense of community and encourage the spirit of giving all year long.

Whether you’re volunteering at a food pantry, donating toys to children in need, or attending a festive event that supports a good cause, there are plenty of ways for families to give back on Cape Cod this holiday season. The Cape’s community comes alive with generosity and kindness, and by getting involved, you not only make a positive impact on others but also create lasting memories with your family.

As we celebrate the season of giving, let’s remember that kindness has no season—there are always opportunities to give back and make a difference, no matter the time of year. Together, we can spread joy, warmth, and love to everyone on Cape Cod. 

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Cape Cod HELP

It only takes a moment in time for our situations to suddenly change, leaving us in need of how to access specialized medical equipment for a loved one or ourselves. Thankfully, the nonprofit, Cape Cod Help, Inc. exists to help Cape Codders secure new/gently used, durable medical apparatus such as wheelchairs, walkers, rolators, bathroom devices or motorized beds. 

While they rely on and appreciate donations, the organization stresses the importance of “Mom ready” items, meaning, if you wouldn’t allow your own mother to use a particular piece in its current condition, then it probably isn’t safe for others as well. This ensures the equipment shared is quality and helpful to those in need. 

Cape Cod Help, Inc. is run by Freemasons from the 14 local Cape Cod Masonic lodges in the 20th and 21st districts, however no Masonic affiliation is necessary in order to borrow equipment, free of charge, from the organization. Their one simple request? Return what you have borrowed when the items are no longer needed. 

Located at 1989 Falmouth Road (Route 28) in Centerville the nonprofit occupies space in the Fraternal Lodge and is open to the public on Saturdays from 10am-12pm for pickups and donations. Monetary donations are always welcomed, which directly help maintain the equipment and operate the storage facility. 

If you or someone you know, has a need for medical equipment or would like to donate equipment to Cape Cod Help’s worthy cause, their website, capecodhelp.org provides a thorough list of contacts for you to connect with, closest to your location. You can also call them at 774-552-2199.  

Text by Leslie Hatton

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Team Chase Foundation

The loss of a child is one that a family never recovers from. And though some days it’s difficult to even move forward, somehow, together you find the strength. For the DeBarros family, that strength has come in the form of helping others. Brooke and Norman DeBarros oldest son, Chase, passed away in a tragic car accident in 2020 leaving his parents and younger brother Brayden devastated from the loss. Brooke shares that there are days, behind her, and still, that she just can’t function. “What I’ve learned,” she says, “is that the world doesn’t stop for anything. It just keeps going. But my world stopped.”  

To lift themselves up and honor Chase’s memory, the DeBarros family began doing kind, everyday good deeds for others. The concept grew and it wasn’t long until they launched Team Chase Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has contributed not only in large ways, by giving out scholarships for example, but also in smaller ways too, in the form of gift cards or gift baskets. The Foundation has gained national recognition, featured on the cover of People Magazine, The Today Show and several local news outlets. 

Brooke reflects, “I’ve tried everything to help me with my grief and nothing works. But it’s the brief moments when I know that I’ve helped someone that makes me feel better. It doesn’t take the pain away, but it lightens my heart, if only for a moment.”

Kindness, as is often proven, has a ripple effect, and the Team Chase Foundation grows exponentially every day. Chase was an accomplished athlete, playing basketball for Falmouth High School, Southern Maine Community College as well as Plymouth State College. Wherever he was, you could be sure a basketball was within reach. With this love of sports and Chase’s kind nature in mind, The Foundation created palm-sized plastic discs in the shape of a basketball—and most recently, other sports balls/pucks (the latter affectionately named “Pass the Puck”)­—that contain a QR code with clear directions on how to “Receive-Scan-Pass-Track” an act of kindness. The Team Chase Foundation’s website displays an interactive map where you can “see” the path your ball/puck has traveled, and the good deeds following in its wake. These sport balls are available for purchase on the website, and have inspired individuals as well as larger groups such as classrooms, schools and businesses to get involved.

The Foundation has developed a robust following, and through donations and signature events such as The Falmouth Road Race, they are able to continue their efforts to inspire positivity throughout the community. Future plans for Team Chase include speaking engagements at schools and a series of books to promote the spirit of kindness that Chase exhibited. “I’m blessed to have so much support,” Brooke shares. “People have been so kind and generous. Helping others has become my way of surviving this unimaginable loss. Each encounter serves as a reminder of the impact of kindness and the importance of community. We are making a real difference.”  

To learn more about Team Chase Foundation and how your business, classroom or family can participate in the Chase Challenge, go to teamchasefoundation.org. 

Text by Leslie Hatton

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Food 4 Kids

Food insecurity can rear its ugly head in some surprising places, including Cape Cod. Thanks to the skyrocketing cost of living, food insecurity for children and teens is a growing concern on the Cape. 

So, when school is out every summer, the Food 4 Kids Program swings into action, providing free breakfast and lunch for more than 500 children and teens every weekday throughout the Lower and Outer Cape. In addition, the program also feeds the minds of young students, providing 5-7 carefully chosen books for eager readers every day. 

“The rate of food insecurity among children in Barnstable County is 12.4 percent,” says Jenn Gale, program director of Food 4 Kids. “And our food costs on the Cape are 17-20 percent higher than the state average. Families are struggling.” 

Based out of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans, Food 4 Kids’ small army of well-trained volunteers carefully prepare nutritious meals before delivering them to more than 15 locations, from Harwich to Provincetown. This past summer, Food 4 Kids served 51,777 meals and gave away 2,300 books, alleviating childhood hunger while fueling young imaginations.

While Food 4 Kids receives partial funding from—and is monitored by—the Massachusetts Summer EATS Program, private financial support, lightly used book donations and volunteers are critical to the continued growth and success of this critical Cape Cod initiative. 

“We rely on foundations, religious organizations and commercial enterprises on the Cape to fund our work,” adds Gale. “We receive a relatively small amount of financial support from individual donors, but I’m working to change that this year.”  

Find out more about getting involved by visiting food4kidscapecod.org.

Text by Joe O’Shea

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Sampson Fund

The Sampson Fund for Veterinary Care began back in the 80s, when the adoptive owners of a beloved Cape Cod cat named Sampson, made a monetary donation in his memory to their veterinarian. The owners’ wish was simply that the donation would go to someone who had trouble affording the full cost of medical care for his/her own pet—a kind and selfless gesture. 

Now decades later, the concept of community based support for pet owners (and strays) continues. The Sampson Fund’s mission is to provide financial aid to local pet owners, whose furry friends need extensive medical care, through generous donations.

The Fund provides assistance for the owners of critically sick or injured cats and dogs that need substantial veterinary care above and beyond what their owners can afford. The Fund works with thirteen dedicated animal hospitals on Cape Cod & the Islands to provide owners with assistance to pay the fee. 

The all-volunteer nonprofit organization is financed primarily by donations, grants and local fundraising events such as Doxie Day, Barktoberfest, Barks & Brews, Paint & Sip and Pet Photos with Santa. Christopher S. Donner, founder and former president explains, “The Fund serves as a bridge between those in the community who believe in and wish to support the value of the human-animal bond and the veterinarians who provide care when illness and injury threaten to break that bond. We do this because we believe that the relationship, which forms between owner and pet, is mutually beneficial and deserves to be preserved. Our society benefits when children learn responsibility by caring for a pet or when elderly persons are comforted by the unwavering companionship of a four footed friend.” 

To find upcoming events and learn more about The Fund, as well as The Christopher S. Donner Society, for those interested in including The Sampson Fund for Veterinary Care in their long-term plans through bequests or other arrangements, visit their website sampsonfund.org.

Text by Leslie Hatton

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Sandy Paws Rescue

Martha’s Vineyard native Ashley Medeiros was inspired to create an animal rescue after briefly living in Florida and observing the overcrowded shelters that existed. Medeiros founded the 501©3 nonprofit, Sandy Paws Rescue, an organization dedicated to the well-being of pets in need.  

Working independently with shelters across the southern states as well as owner surrender situations here in Massachusetts, Medeiros and her team of volunteers work tirelessly and selflessly to transport and find homes for pets on Cape Cod and the Islands. 

However, because Sandy Paws Rescue doesn’t have a physical location, or any affiliation with local or government agencies, they rely solely on the donations and support of generous and kind animal lovers and people willing to open their homes to foster. Medeiros says, “We are only able to exist on donations since our adoption fees don’t cover the amount that we spend to have the puppies/dogs checked by a vet and transported.”

One of the many special things about the nonprofit, is that they take the careful time to match the right dog to the right home. “We try to get to know each dog in our care,” she shares, “We strongly believe that dogs have a way of finding people who need them.” 

Sandy Paws Rescue  is always in need of foster homes Medeiros pleads, “If people aren’t in a position to adopt, fostering is a great way to help out temporarily without the long term commitment or financial responsibility.”   

Learn more about the tremendous work they do, follow them on social media, @sandypawsrescue or find them online at sandypawsrescue.com MA license #0272.

Text by Leslie Hatton

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