September 2020
Live, Work, Thrive
Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
A Word from Jay...
In this issue of our E-news you will read about the important work we have been doing to increase the supply of housing through the Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership. Creating more housing that is affordable to people who live and work year-round on the Lower Cape is a critical part of the CDP’s mission. And the current boom in home sales only makes our work more important if we are to build a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.

We believe that new rental housing should be managed locally – not by large for-profit management firms based off Cape. One of our strategic priorities is to grow our Property Management Department and position the CDP to create well-paying year-round jobs managing affordable and community housing on the Lower Cape.

Last month, I asked Rob Doane our Chief Fiscal and Operations Officer (CFOO) to lead our efforts to expand our Property Management Department. Rob has proven himself to be an effective and entrepreneurial manager as well as a key member of our leadership team. We are both excited about his taking on this new role as Chief Property Management Officer.
Ronnie Edwards will be joining us as our new CFOO after a 24-year career in the US Foreign Service with the Agency for International Development. Ronnie has worked in posts all over the world managing USAID’s fiscal relationships with non-governmental agencies in Moscow, Indonesia, Uganda and Central America. He and his family are now living in Yarmouth Port and I am pleased to welcome him to our team.

Thanks for your interest and support in the important work we do and enjoy these last weeks of summer!
Jay Coburn
Chief Executive Officer
Supporting Local Business
The Local Scoop: Delivering joy in difficult times
I relish every moment that we get to be open providing our ice cream to the community.”

Mary DeBartolo
Owner, The Local Scoop
CDP loan client Mary DeBartolo had a dream of opening an ice cream shop in her hometown of Orleans. She worked with CDP and launched the Local Scoop in 2012 with a focus on making all their frozen treats using locally sourced ingredients from Cape Cod farms and food artisans.

Mary spent the next eight years experimenting with flavors and building her business which includes homemade ice cream, frozen yogurt and artisan popsicles, with a motto of “delivering joy with a dash of incredible (local) tastes.” The Local Scoop actually incorporates ingredients from other CDP clients such as Chequessett Chocolate and Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters. Unfortunately, this all came grinding to a halt this spring with the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Like many other seasonal businesses across the Cape, Mary was unsure about whether The Local Scoop would even be able to open this summer. “We usually open in February, but this year we pushed that back, and we were unsure of when we
*Photo: Mary at the shop before the outbreak of coronavirus
Housing
An Update from The Lower Cape
Community Housing Partnership
Housing is a complex topic. The work that we do empowers both residents and community leaders to address housing needs on the Lower Cape.”

Pelinda Deegan
CDP, Housing Programs Manager
For twenty-eight years the Community Development Partnership has been at the forefront of housing advocacy on the Lower and Outer Cape. Through our Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership, we work with town elected and appointed officials, and community members to provide the knowledge, skills and resources they need to support the creation of housing that is affordable in their communities.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic our work has become all the more important. With many people still out of work, and a potential eviction crisis in the near future, it is critical for towns and organizations to come together, share resources, and put a plan in place to support residents who find themselves in unable to pay their rent due to unemployment or reduced hours.
*Photo: Outer Cape Winter Peer Group Meeting, January 2020
Supporter Spotlight
Alison Alessi and Jason Stoots: Affordable housing that is
attractive and environmentally sustainable
"With the CDP, we know that our donation is being used on Cape Cod with tangible programs that support important economic sectors as well as affordable housing."

Alison Alessi
Architect and founder, A3 Architects and CDP Supporter
When architect Alison Alessi and construction manager Jason Stoots met in Steamboat, Colorado to work on a development project, little did they know it would be just the first of many collaborations.

Jason and Alison moved to the Cape in 20002 and married in 2004. Today they are raising two kids in their net zero farmhouse in West Barnstable where Jason also serves as a volunteer firefighter.

For the past twelve years this husband and wife team has designed numerous net-energy zero residences, commercial and municipal projects in towns across the Cape. Jason, who first worked as a scuba instructor and waterfront coordinator for a marine resource center in the Caribbean, moved on to energy efficient construction and construction management before founding SunPower by E2 Solar in 2008. Alison is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional and founded the architectural firm A3 Architects, Inc. in 2012. “I have always wanted to be an architect, even as a kid,” says Alison. “I love the combination of math and science, art and design…and we both have a passion for environmental issues. Focusing both our companies on energy efficiency and net zero design seems like a good fit for Cape Cod.” 
Other Important News
A Summer Evening Off the Farm
This year, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we agreed that to keep everyone safe we would take a break. We cannot however, take a break from raising needed funds to support our programs that help to nurture and strengthen our Lower Cape community.

Rather than attempt to hold a virtual, Summer Evening Off the Farm, we are asking that you consider a donation to support the important work we do at the CDP. Could you help us out with a gift of $75.00, the cost of a ticket to the event? If you are feeling generous, please give more if you can.

We know how much everyone enjoys being on the farm together, so we asked Lucas and Sky, the owners of Halcyon Farm, to take us for a little tour and a provide us with a glimpse into what has been happening there this year. 
The GASP goes virtual!
For the third year in a row the CDP has been chosen as a beneficiary for The Gasp charitable bike ride!

Due to the health concerns of the coronavirus , this year's ride is entirely virtual. Participants will have the week of September 13th to ride a total of 62 miles on their own time, at their own pace, through their own neighborhood.

Team CDP will also be meeting for a socially distant team ride to kick off the event on September 13th! There is still time to join our team.

My Local MA
The Mass. Office of Travel & Tourism and the state’s Executive Office of Economic Development & Housing today announced the launch of a $2 million marketing campaign that began last weekend (on sales tax weekend) running through the end of the year.

Urging us to “put our money where our heart is” the campaign will be reinforced by the state’s 16 Regional Tourism Councils, including the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. You can learn more about the initiative by going online to https://www.findmylocalma.com/
Business & Credit Workshops
Update on Business & Credit Workshops
In response to the evolving impacts of the Coronavirus, the CDP has shifted all trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and appointments to a virtual platform until further notice. The status of in-person events may be changed in accordance with guidance from state and local officials.

We remain committed to serving our business clients and our community. Staff is now working remotely and will continue our existing programs and services while also responding to the evolving challenges that this pandemic presents.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please reach out to Pam Andersen at pam@capecdp.org or 508-240-7873 x18.
Business Legal Consultations
Attorney Melanie O'Keefe from the law firm La Tanzi, Spaulding and Landreth will be hosting free 30-minute consultations to answer questions related to small business law including:

  • Best orginizational format for your business
  • Partnership agreements
  • Liability issues

Dates: September 8 and October 13
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Where: Via phone call

To book your FREE 30-minute consultation call or email Marina at WE CAN - 508-430-8111 or marina@wecancenter.org
GROW your business with the CDP and WE CAN
The CDP is once again partnering with WE CAN to bring the GROW (Get Results with Others’ Wisdom) program to the Outer Cape this fall! This program for women business owners offers facilitated peer mentoring, accountability and a safe and confidential setting to work on adapting, stabilizing and/or growing your business in this new economy. The GROW program is facilitated by experienced business owners. 

We have two upcoming info sessions. Join us to learn more about the program and see if it is the right fit for you:

  • September 21 - 9:00 AM
  • September 29 - 5:30 PM

To register for a FREE info sessions call or email Marina at WE CAN - 508-430-8111 or marina@wecancenter.org
Additional COVID19 Resources for Businesses
We have created a separate page on our website that is a compilation of resources for local businesses, including various SBA, unemployment and other federal programs.
If you or someone you know is interested in receiving weekly updates from our Business and Credit Program that are targeted to small businesses, please sign up for our Inside Scoop.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to support the Lower Cape community during this crisis.