March 2019
Live, Work,Thrive
Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
A Word from Jay...

Two weeks ago I returned to the CDP after a six week sabbatical. My first day was like drinking water out of a fire hose! I spent the day meeting with my colleagues for updates on the past six weeks and wading through my emails -- just 438 of them!

I had anticipated being overwhelmed and feared that I would spend the next several months receiving pay back for unplugging for such a long period of time. 

I’m happy to report that I am overwhelmed -- by the incredible amount of work that has taken place over the past six weeks thanks to the efforts of our great team. My sincere thanks to the entire CDP team for their dedication and commitment to our work -- I’m so lucky to have such talented colleagues.

The six weeks were an amazing gift and I truly did un-plug. I had to call our IT firm my first day back because I forgot the password to get into my computer.

I spent most of my sabbatical in Vermont and took a trip to the Rockies for some amazing skiing. I had the opportunity to read several good books, listen to some great podcasts and think about our mission and programs. 

What I took away from this time of reflection is how difficult the work that we do is to create opportunities for people to live, work and thrive on the Lower Cape. Our community is struggling to respond to needs that are, for the most part, created by larger external forces such as globalization of the economy, income inequality and climate change. I was also able to more fully recognize how blessed we are to have a region with such intellectual and financial riches—clients and supporters deeply committed to creating a healthy and vibrant community.

This time to reflect has led me to be even more confident in the direction in which we continue to move forward -- being aggressive advocates for housing, creating strategic alliances with our partners and being more creative in the programs we offer. I’m excited that we will be focusing on a comprehensive strategic planning process in the coming months and have the opportunity to engage our clients, staff and community leaders in formulating big goals for the future.

My thanks to the Board and Staff of the CDP for this time -- it was exactly what I needed.
Jay Coburn
Chief Executive Officer
Affordable Housing
Housing Rehab: Making a Family Home Accessible
“It was such a good experience and we are forever grateful.”
                                     Avis Kaeselau
           HR Client, South Dennis

When Avis Keaselau called the contractor to pump out her septic last spring, she was totally unprepared for the news that her septic failed and needed to be replaced with a new Title V system. Avis, who is 82, lives in a small ranch in South Dennis with her 50 year old daughter Grethe, her son-in-law Ron, and their two teenage children. The financial implications were more than the family could manage.

Avis and her husband moved into the house with their four children in 1999. Avis recalls that “We were able to afford it because it was a fixer-upper and my husband was going to do all the work.” Less than a year later, Avis’s husband was diagnosed with cancer and died, leaving Avis alone to manage the house and help support her family.  

Supporting Local Business
Partnering in Provincetown:
The CDP Begins Offering Services at Provincetown Commons
When the CDP first began its work to develop and deliver programs that fostered economic sustainability, it opened a business development center in Provincetown so that it could be accessible to the business hub of the Outer Cape. Unfortunately with cuts in state funding, that office was closed in 2005 and our services were delivered from our Eastham office. 

This winter, the CDP has returned to Provincetown as part of our collaboration with the Provincetown Commons.  

Supporter Spotlight
Janet Lesniak and the motto of our lives
“The CDP is the best thing happening on Cape Cod and it has the best tagline ever…it’s the motto of our lives.”

                                                               Janet Lesniak
Executive Director, Wellfleet Preservation Hall
and CDP supporter

Eight years ago, Janet Lesniak became the Executive Director of Wellfleet Preservation Hall – something she had not planned but was instead one of life’s opportunities of coincidence.

Janet and her husband Paul had been living in California where Janet’s family owns a resort in Big Sur and had only moved to Wellfleet two years prior. The move had been precipitated by the fact that her two children had moved to the east coast and were starting families. “I wanted to be involved and couldn’t stand to be 3000 miles away.” Paul had connections to Wellfleet as his family had summered there for years. It was only natural that after Paul and Janet got married, that they began summering in Wellfleet, often staying in the same houses that Paul had stayed in with his family.

When they decided to move east to be closer to their family, “We knew that if we came here the kids would come, and we could build a life.” 

Other News...
CDP Launches Public Education Campaign to Shed Light on Those Who Need Affordable Housing

“Everything is so expensive – for a lot of people my age – it’s horrible, we can’t afford housing…And it’s getting worse as time goes on.”
Amber White
Medical Assistant, Harwic h

This month we launched a new affordable housing public education campaign. Our “We Can’t Afford to Lose the People Who Can’t Afford to Live Here” campaign includes a series of ads that feature three Lower Cape residents and their struggles to secure housing. The goal of the campaign is to dispel myths and stereotypes around who needs affordable housing and is an important part of our efforts to support affordable housing initiatives across the Lower Cape.

We Can't Afford to Lose the People Who Can't Afford to Live Here...
Your Voice and Your Vote can make a difference at Spring Town Meeting!

Town Meeting Schedule with links to Town Meeting Warrants/Websites:

Provincetown: April 1

Wellfleet: April 22

Truro: April 30

Eastham: May 1

Brewster: May 6

Harwich: May 6

Chatham: May 13

Orleans: May 13
Upcoming Events and Workshops
2019 Annual Meeting
Join us for our 28th Annual Meeting
April 25th
5:30- 7:30

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Brewster

Celebrate the achievements of the past year with friends!

We have a great evening planned that will include a moderated panel of women entrepreneurs from the Lower Cape. We will also present Community Awards to Andi Genser, former Executive Director of WE CAN and the Roberts Family of Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod and South Hollow Spirits.


Business & Credit Workshops
Office Hours at Provincetown Commons
April 24th
10:00 - 1:00
46 Bradford Street

The CDP will be hosting regular office hours on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 10:00 - 1:00 pm at Provincetown Commons.

Drop in or make an appointment to talk with CDP staff to address a variety of topics including record keeping, QuickBooks, business planning, cash flow projections, steps to starting a business, setting goals and much more.

Drop-Ins are welcome, but those with a scheduled appointment will be give preference. These sessions are free to Lower Cape small businesses.

Spring Workshops

Networking Like Your Business Depends on It...It Does!
April 10
8:30 - 10:00 AM
Provincetown Commons, 46 Bradford Street
Quick Books Help sessions
April 9 and April 23
3:00 - 5:00 pm
CDP Offices in Eastham
SCORE Workshops

Marketing - It's More Than Advertising
April 2
5:30 - 7:00 pm
CDP Offices, Eastham

This workshop sponsored by:

Setting Goals the Will Chart Your Path to Business Success
April 11
8:30 - 10:00 am
Chatham Community Center

Grow Your Business Through Social Media
April 11
8:30 - 10:00 am
Seamen's Bank, Wellfleet

This Place Matters
 our bi-weekly radio & television show
WOMR
Tune in
 92.1 WOMR & 91.3 WFMR   
 Wednesdays 12:30pm
  Also on  Lower Cape TV
Join host Jay Coburn & guests to learn more 
about activities affecting the people and places on the Lower and Outer Cape Cod.

April 10 : Join Shayna Ferrullo of Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters about starting and growing a business on the Lower Cape.

April 24 : Hear from Chris Clark, Harwich's Town Administrator about the new Housing Consultant hired to serve residents of both Harwich and Chatham.


If you have an idea for a guest or topic -  Contact Britt Beedenbende r
Thank you for supporting the work we do to make the Lower Cape a place where we can all live, work and thrive !