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HPC NEWS | Fall 2022

Hello Homeless Prevention,

HPC is delighted to announce that we have purchased a new home on 8 Main Street in Orleans! With an ever-rising flow of individuals and families who seek the help of our expert case managers, HPC's new location will be easier for the community to access and more suited to our expanding program needs. We had been considering a larger space for nearly two years and were thrilled when this property surfaced during the summer. This is a transformational move for HPC and we look forward to seeing all that this more centrally located and visible location will offer for our community!

HPC's new home!

Old Tote Road—the office space we outgrew and our home for nearly 20 years—is being sold to buyers who are adding workforce housing to our community. HPC’s current tenants, who reside in an affordable unit, will retain their housing. We’re true to our goal of homeless prevention—and proud of it.

We are grateful to have raised $525,500 from generous individuals, foundations and supporters to date and we hope to raise an additional $312,500 toward our New Home Fund. Our goal is to raise the full amount needed to make sure that HPC doesn’t have mortgage. Being mortgage free will allow us to focus on our goal to keep people housed!

Please consider a one-time special gift to this project and reach out to us for more information. We hope to hear from you.

Thank you for your continued support of our mission. Enjoy this issue of HPC NEWS and the stories of people and programs that make a positive difference in our community.

Best and be well,

Hadley Luddy, CEO

Multi-Generation Cape Codder

Follows Her Dreams

A multi-generation outer Cape Codder, HPC client Evelyn, has the strength, fortitude, and positive outlook that keeps her anchored despite her temporary housing situation. Evelyn currently resides in Champ Homes in Hyannis, transitional housing for adults who are homeless or near homeless. Although she is on multiple waitlists for affordable housing, she faced a daunting dilemma. While waiting for housing, Evelyn was working and going to school full-time to better her prospects. However, her student status made her ineligible for affordable housing.

But Evelyn is not one to be deterred and, with HPC’s help, she is overcoming that obstacle.

Although she was already juggling so much, Evelyn enrolled in HPC’s REACH Project. Her REACH goal was to finish her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Bridgewater State University. She used her REACH stipend to load up on classes this summer to get her closer to graduation. Soon her student status will no longer be an impediment to housing.

What most attracted Evelyn to REACH was not the stipend at the end of the program but the community-building experience and its everyday mindfulness tools. “My REACH classmates were others just like me who I could identify with, share struggles, discuss strategies and creative solutions,” she said. That community provided to be yet another anchor in a time of need.

As a 52-year-old navigating health, housing, and school challenges, Evelyn said the calming, mindfulness techniques couldn’t have come at a better time. “Taking a breath, listening, focusing on another person is a stress-relieving exercise I will use for the rest of my life,” she explained.

Asked about her positive outlook, she offered a message of hope: “It’s never too late to follow your dreams.”

Learn More About REACH

Community Partners Raise Funds to

Benefit HPC's Work

During its annual September meeting, Nauset Newcomers, founded in 1977 to help forge a community between new and established residents, presented HPC and four other community groups with checks to advance their work. Thank you Nauset Newcomers!

Friends of HPC and Orleans neighbors gathered this summer at a turn-of-the-century cottage overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to raise awareness of HPC’s work. The historic venue was arranged and hosted by Nauset Heights’ Chad Small and Cyndy Myles, who are longtime HPC supporters and volunteers.

HPC was the beneficiary of proceeds from the Lower Cape Ambulance Association’s 11^th Annual Golf Tournament on Sunday, Sept. 25. The Lower Cape Ambulance Association provides the towns of Truro and Provincetown with emergency services and paramedics. Bolstering the fundraising were two HPC golfing teams that participated in the tournament at the historic Highland Links in Truro.

Truro Vineyards was the venue for the Sept. 13 Highland Affordable Housing Trust event that raised funds, including through an art auction, for HPC. The nonprofit citizen organization founded in 1995 develops and supports affordable housing in Truro.

RE/MAX Coastal Properties and realtor Sandra Milano designated HPC as the September 2022 Community Organization of the Month, donating $100 for every transaction closed during the month. As HPC enters the busy holiday season, the funds help it to continue to serve the residents of the Lower and Outer Cape.

On Oct. 21, Nauset Disposal held its wildly popular Trash Bash fundraiser in Orleans. We were thrilled that this year HPC was chosen as a beneficiary along with six other organizations. The Trash Bash brought the community together for a night of great food, dancing, and bidding on auction opportunities.

Adopt A Family for the Holidays

The holidays are fast approaching, which means it is time for HPC’s 2022 Adopt A Family (AAF) program. Volunteers help HPC provide children—from newborns to teens—with new clothing and special gifts matched to each child’s interests and holiday wishes. Now in its 27th year, Adopt A Family is a signature HPC Program that makes sure children and families in need have an opportunity to celebrate the holidays with joy.

How You Can Help

Be matched with (“adopt”) a family to shop for. You can pair up with families with multiple children or a family with just one child. You commit to purchase clothing and gift items from the family’s wish list (about $200 per child);
Make a donation online to HPC and our Holiday Shoppers will make purchases for you;
Donate to the Adopt A Family Bike Fund (about $150 for each bike-and-helmet combo);
Purchase a gift card that can be used to fulfill a child’s gift request and/or buy grocery gift cards to allow families to widen their holiday celebrations.

AAF Important Dates

Nov. 1: The Adopt A Family program begins. Contact Christina Silva, our Special Programs & Volunteer Coordinator, at 508-255-9667 x160, or by email, to discuss ways to get involved. Alternatively, you can kickstart the program by donating online before Nov. 1. Please specify your donation preference—such as AAF Holiday Shopper or AAF Bike Fund—in the “comment” section of the donation page.

Nov. 15 to Dec. 3: The Holiday Workshop will be open to accepting wish-list gifts, gift cards, and financial contributions. The workshop is located at Skaket Corners, 9 West Road, in Orleans (at the former Olympia Sports Store). We look forward to seeing you there along with our volunteer elves who are helping to make this year's Adopt A Family the best ever! The Holiday Workshop Hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Nov. 29 and Dec. 1: The workshop will also be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Please note that during Thanksgiving week, the workshop will be closed from Wednesday to Sunday, Nov. 23-27.)

Contact Christina

Backpack to School Success!

This summer, HPC staff and the community came together to help our youngest residents prepare for their school year. Backpack to School, a need-based program that supports local students, was a success thanks to outreach locations at Seamen’s Bank, Staples, Nauset Marine, Orleans Police Department, and the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. The outpouring from community members and visitors who dropped off needed supplies ensured the success of the annual effort, which fills and provides backpacks with the supplies students need to succeed.

We are grateful to the following organizations for their generous financial contributions to our Backpack to School program: Brewster Baptist Church, JM O’Reilly and Associates, the Rotary Club of Orleans Goodworks, and the St. Peters Gay Ministry in Provincetown. We also want to express our heartfelt thanks for the commitment of Diane and David Weisman, Susan Carlson, and Maryann Campagna, who chaired our program and assembled over 327 backpacks to distribute to students.

Senator Warren Visits HPC

The growing housing crisis and its impact on our workforce and broader community drove the Aug. 23 conversation between HPC leadership and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Representative Sarah Peake, and Massachusetts Senator Julian Cyr. While visiting Warren learned about the federally funded Lower Cape Housing & Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Resource Center, and asked how she could help mitigate the critical housing shortage.

The new center, a collaborative effort by HPC and the Community Development Partnership, supports housing creation, offers stabilization funds for homeowners and renters, and promotes positive strategies for landlords and tenants in the eight towns of the Lower and Outer Cape.

Helping Our Community as

Cold Weather Sets In

Our community outreach hours have expanded.
We are guiding clients through the fuel and utility assistance applications.
We are promoting SNAP food benefits to families on a tight budget. SNAP benefits allow people to hang onto the funds they need to meet rent payments, helping them to stay in their homes and prevent homelessness.

Volunteer With HPC

Want to make a meaningful difference in your community this holiday season? HPC has volunteer opportunities both in our office and for our special programs. Caseloads typically rise around the holiday season, and volunteers are critical to the success of our Adopt A Family program and to help our office run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering in the office or participating in our Adopt A Family program, please contact Christina, our Special Programs & Volunteer Coordinator.

Contact Christina