Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
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A Word from Jay...
My career as a nonprofit advocate began some 35 years ago in Washington, DC. There, I worked for a national HIV/AIDS advocacy organization representing community – based agencies from across the country, such as the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. These organizations were on the front lines of the epidemic, taking care of people who faced a health system and a government that failed them due to stigma and discrimination. Through this work, I learned the importance of community engagement and that coming up with solutions and government programs had to involve the people who were affected by and fighting against HIV as equal partners and respected experts.
These early lessons have served me well over the past ten years leading the Community Development Partnership. These key principles of community engagement and empowerment are also key values held by practitioners of community development. Engaging the community being served and empowering that community to advocate for change is critical to ensuring that our government and social service institutions truly work for the people being served.
You can see this value reflected in much of the work we do at the CDP. Our Board of Directors is comprised of community members who are connected to the towns and the people we serve. Over the years, we have had several residents of our affordable housing units and clients of our small business programs serve on the Board. Every three years, we engage the Board, Advisory Council and key community stakeholders in developing a Community Investment Plan. This plan guides our goals and activities to fulfill our mission.
CDP staff are also engaged in advocating for the interests and needs of our community. Chief Program Officer Andrea Aldana serves on the Board of AHMA- Abundant Housing Massachusetts and CHAPA – one of the lead housing advocacy organizations in the Commonwealth. I serve on the Board of the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, chair MACDC’s Policy Committee and serve as Vice-Chair of the Massachusetts Rural Policy Advisory Commission.
In this issue, you can read all about a number of community engagement initiatives in our Lower Cape towns that are building support for solutions to our region’s affordable housing crisis. Listening to and empowering the voices of our neighbors who have been left behind is critical to the work we do. Thanks for supporting this important work as we lead the Lower Cape in building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.
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Jay Coburn
President & Chief Executive Officer
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Supporting Local Business |
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The CDP Helps Cycling Business Build a Permanent Home |
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“Pam is so knowledgeable and takes into account the needs of each business to provide individualized support.”
–Bob Henchy, Owner, On the Trail E-Bikes
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Outdoor recreation has always been one of the biggest draws to the Lower and Outer Cape. While the first thing most people think of is the pristine beaches, the Cape is also a hot spot for cyclists like Bob Henchy. Bob is the founder of On the Trail E-Bike Rental in Brewster. He received a CDP loan in 2022 to expand his bike rental business.
Bob grew up in Sudbury Massachusetts and first moved to the Cape in 1985 to work in a family restaurant. After seven years he left the Cape, returning for good in 2013 to be closer to his aging parents. “It kept drawing me back in,” he says, “I love it here so much.”
Bob first got the idea for On the Trail in 2019. After a hip replacement surgery, he had the chance to try out an e-bike, like the ones he would later buy for the business. The bikes can be peddled like a traditional bike but include a rechargeable electric motor that can power the cycle up to 45 miles.
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Lower and Outer Cape Towns Emphasize Community Engagement |
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“When engagement is successful, we can have the right kind of housing in the right place and meet our communities’ needs.”
–Andrea Aldana, Chief Program Officer, Community Development Partnership
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Building new affordable housing is a large undertaking for towns and developers. The process, from land acquisition to breaking ground, takes many years. One of the biggest obstacles projects face during the early stages of development is pushback from community members. Because of this opposition, many projects have been delayed or even left on the drawing board. To combat this, towns, developers, and organizations like the CDP have emphasized the importance of community engagement alongside these projects.
Currently, all eight towns across the Lower and Outer Cape have affordable housing projects in some stage of development. Many have been proactive engaging the public in the planning from the beginning, hoping to prevent setbacks later in the process. According to Andrea Aldana, the CDP’s Chief Program Officer, “Towns need to work together with developers of affordable housing to deliver clear and accurate information so that communities can make informed decisions and support housing in their communities based on facts.”
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Supporter Spotlight: Jeanne Cole |
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“I was always taught by my parents to give back. I think it’s important for all of us to do our part, whether it’s volunteering or donating.”
–Jeanne Cole, CDP Supporter
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Longtime residents of the Outer Cape, like Jeanne Cole, have seen the community undergo many transformations over the years. A change that troubles Jeanne greatly is that there are fewer opportunities for younger generations to make a life here. Thirty to forty years ago the low cost of housing made it possible for young people to move or return to the Cape and make a sustainable living – something that is no longer achievable for most. Jeanne, and others, recognize the work the CDP does to create a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work, and thrive here.
Jeanne grew up in Corning, New York where her father, Lester, and two business partners owned a building company. In 1970, Lester sold his share of the business and moved the family to Eastham, where the family often spent summers. Jeanne was in college at the time and was excited about the move. “Eastham really was a quaint little town back then,” she recalls. After relocating, Lester founded Cape Associates a full-service custom home-building company. The business is still family-owned today.
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Join us for our 31st Annual Meeting! |
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Join us as we acknowledge the organization’s achievements, elect new Board members and Officers, recognize important community partners, and share plans for the future contained in our new three-year Community Investment Plan.
We will honor exceptional members of our community with our two annual awards, the Gwen Pelletier Award for Excellence in Community Service and the Norm Edinberg Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship.
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Thursday, April 13, 2023
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Wellfleet Preservation Hall
335 Main Street, Wellfleet
A $25 per person donation is suggested to help cover meeting expenses.
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Save the Date for our 9th Annual
Summer Evening on the Farm
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Mark your calendars! The Community Development Partnership is excited to announce our annual Summer Evening on the Farm will be held on August 24th at Greenhouse by the Sea in Orleans.
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Housing Resources Program Manager
The Housing Resources Program Manager is responsible for the administration and management of the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Resource Center, part of the Lower Cape Housing & ADU Resource Center. The Program Manager provides program implementation support to the Director of Program Resources and is also responsible for outreach to homeowners in targeted areas.
The Program Manager will work from the CDP’s office located at 240 Cranberry Highway, Suite 1, Orleans, Massachusetts and there is an opportunity to work remotely up to 3 days per week. This is a Part-Time Exempt Position (30 hours/week) and is eligible for benefits.
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Check out the Lower Cape Housing and ADU Resource Center |
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Join us for a free virtual information session on March 15th from 10:30 - 11:30 AM. Learn more about the services offered by the Lower Cape Housing & ADU Resource Center and see if building an Accessory Dwelling Unit is right for you.
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Free Small Business Assistance
The CDP's Business & Credit program team is available for one-on-one technical assistance. Get the resources you need to help your business succeed!
Small Business Technical Assistance is available:
- Remotely via phone or video conference
- In-person at the Provincetown Commons, The 204 (Harwich Cultural Center), and Chatham Works
Click the link below to schedule a 30 or 60-minute appointment!
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Follow the CDP on Social Media |
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Additional Resources for Businesses |
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If you or someone you know is interested in receiving monthly updates from our Business and Credit Program, please sign up for our Inside Scoop. We'll send you useful tips targeted to small businesses.
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