Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
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A Word from Jay...
Adapt and persevere are the two words I find myself constantly repeating as we enter our seventh week of physical distancing and working from home. I miss seeing my colleagues each day and the informal conversations that are so often the fertile ground of innovation. However, I love the fact that a tank of gas now lasts three weeks. And I can conduct meetings via video conference dressed in a dress shirt and sweat pants!
For the past two Board meetings, each of our Directors has been able to attend our monthly meeting via Zoom. Our state association of community development corporations held our annual Lobby Day virtually. We were able to meet with our representatives on Beacon Hill from the comfort of our living rooms.
Our small business team has done an amazing job adapting our programming and helping small business owners find ways to survive this crisis. From assessing and applying for the various state and federal programs, to developing strategies to re-open, our team has been assisting small business owners with information and support.
We have also been reaching out every other week to the 80+ families living in our affordable homes with offers of help and referrals to programs that can assist them in paying their rent and keeping food on the table. What has been most heart-warming to us is the tremendous outpouring of support from donors and community members. A local restaurant donated gift certificates to our residents, while many donors have increased their support with special gifts.
For me, the greatest challenge of this period has been the uncertainty about what the future holds. What will our summer season be like? When will we be able to gather with friends and colleagues? There is, however, one thing about which I am quite certain: we live in an amazingly resilient community and we will emerge from this crisis committed
more than ever
to building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here. Thanks for your commitment to our mission and support for our work – our community needs you now more than ever.
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Jay Coburn
Chief Executive Officer
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Helping our residents in times of crisis
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“There's a lot of anxiety, but a lot of optimism”
Pelinda Deegan
Housing Advocacy Program Manager, CDP
The corona virus pandemic has had a profound effect on the lives of members of the Lower and Outer Cape communities. First and foremost, the CDP is committed to keeping our residents and staff safe and healthy and to connecting residents with assistance during these difficult times.
Beginning March 11
th
, the CDP has responded to the public health emergency by taking extra measures to protect our residents and staff. On March 17
th
, the CDP instituted a moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent and began to make bi-weekly contact with the more than 80 families who reside in the CDP’s affordable and community housing apartments. Residents have been connected with resources should they need further support.
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Supporting Local Business
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The New Normal: Running a business during a global pandemic
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“We want to have a successful business, but we also want to
be there for the community.”
Patti McGraw
Owner, Good Eats on 6
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As the weeks go by, it is clear that the business slow-downs and closures related COVID-19 are having a tremendously negative impact on small businesses, particularly small seasonal businesses on the Lower and Outer Cape.
While the Federal Government's Payroll Protection Program has provided forgivable loans to many medium sized and year-round businesses, the program is difficult for businesses with a highly seasonal payroll to use. Pam Andersen, the CDP’s Director of Business and Credit Programs, has been working tirelessly to support our business clients and help them adjust to “the new normal” we are all experiencing.
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Supporter Spotlight: Brett Tolley
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“Chatham is where I’m from, these are the families I’ve known and who helped raise me. I felt an obligation to give back.”
Brett Tolley
National Program Coordinator, NAMA and CDP Board Member
Community organizing around housing is in Brett Tolley’s blood. So when CDP CEO Jay Coburn invited him to join our Board of Directors, Brett knew it was the right fit.
Brett is the National Program Coordinator for the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) -- a fisherman led organization committed to building a movement towards healthier fisheries and fishing communities. The COVID19 pandemic has caused NAMA to pivot and assist fishermen in weathering the collapse of demand for their catch. “Through my work” Brett reflects, “I have been involved with organizing the fishing community- focusing on long-term policy and strategic planning. We don’t typically get involved in emergency response but because of the trust we have built over the years, and our national network of values-based seafood businesses, we find ourselves getting pulled into this. There is a lot of deep-seated fear and pain and a lot of questions.”
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Business & Credit Workshops
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n response to the evolving impacts of the Coronavirus, the CDP has canceled all in-person trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and walk-in appointments until May 31st. 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.
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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.
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If you or someone you know is interested in receiving weekly updates from our Business and Credit Program that is targeted to small businesses, please sign up for our
Inside Scoop
.
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Mass Association of Community Development Corporations
Lobby Day
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Earlier this week the CDP participated in MACDC's lobby day with nearly 200 other organizations across Massachusetts. We are advocating for three urgent priorities with our elected officials: Governor Charlie Baker, State Senator Julian Cyr, and State Representative Sarah Peake.
- Small business assistance - We are calling for a $150M Economic Relief and Recovery program to help micro and small businesses weather the pandemic to help businesses on the Lower and Outer Cape,
- Housing assistance - We are advocating for an additional $50M in RAFT emergency funding. RAFT provides financial assistance to income eligible families who need help with rent, mortgage or utility payments. We are asking that eligibility for the program should be expanded to households up to 80% of the AMI and that the cap be increased from $4K to $10K.
- Neighborhood stabilization - Weak housing markets & aging housing stock in lower income neighborhoods in rural communities are being exacerbated by the current crisis. The Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative will help to stabilize neighborhoods for the long-term.
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Staying Connected During a Time of Social Distancing
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In early April CDP CEO Jay Coburn hosted our second virtual chat, “Community Conversation and Pub Night”, via zoom meeting. With input from supporters and members of the community we had an engaging conversation, and were able to cover a wide range of topics including:
- What we are learning from our small businesses
- The results of our resident surveys
- the MACDC (Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations) Call to Action
- and the status of the CDP’s operations and finances.
If you missed it, you can watch the conversation in its entirety by clicking
here
. Keep an eye out for the CDP's next virtual chat, we look forward to your participation.
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Thank you
for supporting our efforts to support the Lower Cape community during this crisis.
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