Good news about

The Good Doctor

On Saturday evening, April 18th at 8 PM and again on Sunday afternoon April 19th at 2 PM, the Old Wharf Players presented Neil Simon's The Good Doctor

as a fundraiser for the Council.

This production which eminated at The Harwich Junior Theatre was staged at

The Chatham Drama Guild on its way to a New York production later this Spring.

We thank Lou Maloof and all the members of his company for donating their talents to help us feed the growing number of local people who are depending on us

during this economuic downturn.

Performance yielded 200 bags of groceries and over $800!

Bravo!

It's A Done Deal.

The Council is Expanding.

The rumors you've been hearing are now fact. The Lower Cape Outreach Council has signed a lease and on May 1st we will officially be the tenants of our current ground floor as well as the floor above us at 19 Brewster Cross Road in Orleans.

For some time now, the board and special committees have been looking at the possibilities of expanding our services and programs for lower Cape residents in need.

Over and over again, it became clear that expanded services require expanded space.

We have already launched our case worker program which demands additional office space to insure client privacy. Additionally, we are looking at a variety of pilot programs in such areas as health & nutrition, job skills, financial management, and possibly areas like literacy and ESL.

With a conference room that seats up to 30, we anticipate holding committee meetings, monthly board meetings and, of course, workshops and programs and, hopefully, collaborative programs with other not for profits in the area.

As for our current ground floor space, it will allow for an expanded Katy's Korner and for a long desired central food storage area.

It's a new day for the Council. Our supporters have remained loyal and generous to us even in these tough times and the Council wants to put that generositry to work in new and productive ways.

CURVES Comes Through

for the Hungry

On Thursday, April 2nd, CURVES delivered their annual collection of food for LCOC's pantries, only this time they did it with a flair. Braving a chilly, rainy day, a parade of a dozen fit and fun CURVES ladies (and husbands) walked with full grocery carts from the Shaw's shopping plaze to our headquarters at 19 Brewster Cross Road here in Orleans.

Altogether, they delivered over 1,700 pounds of food at a time when our cupboards were feeling pretty bare.

Thanks to CURVES for being such a good friend to this organization and such good neighbors to everyone on the lower Cape. And, thanks to Friend's Market for donating the use of their grocery carts.

Assistance Levels Reach Record Highs

During the first two months of 2008, the Council gave out $27,949 in Rent/Mortage/Shelter assistance to local families and individuals in need. During the same time period in 2009, that number has jumped to $43,097.

Help with electric bills went from $3,124 in Jan/Feb. 2008 to $9,023 in Jan/Feb. 2009.

Transportation assistance went from $5,311 to $10,743 during this same Jan/Feb. comparative period.

Our food pantries' figures  are even more stratling.

For the same Jan/Feb. time period, the number of people using our pantries has risen 48%.

The number of seniors coming to us for food has risen 145%.

Children fed by our pantries have risen 31%.

The total number of households depending on our pantries is up 40% and the total volume of food we are giving out  has risen by 46%.

In just the past two months, the value of the food we have provided to our neighbors in need comes to $69,375...up 44% from this time last year.

LCOC Pantries Are in Need of the following items...

cold cereals

corned beef hash

tuna fish

paper towels and toilet paper

dish and laundry detergent

mayonnaise

ketchup

mustard

If you can donate items from the above list (or any other items) bring them to your local LCOC pantry or drop them off at 19 Brewster Cross Road in Orleans.

We're located on the ground floor, around back.

LCOC Pantries Call for Pet Food

In bad economies, it's not just humans who suffer. Often beloved household pets are put up for adotion because their food, etc is an added burden to budgets that are already strained. If you can spare some cat or dog food, cat littler, etc, please bring them by LCOC headquarters and we'll make sure they get into the hands of pet lovers who want to keep their friends with them at home.

HOPE CHEST Ads Create a Buzz!

It's not everyday that shoppers come into a store and make a point of commenting on the quality of that business' advertsing. For that matter, it's not everyday that media reps call to compliment an advertiser on the creativity of their marketing efforts.

Still, that's just what's been happening to the Hope Chest thanks to the clever and entertaining ads created by our own Richard Kirk.

Richard is a Native American artist, illustrator and marketing pro whose special abilities are paying off handsomely for Lower Cape Outreach Council and the Hope Chest.

If you haven't seen these ads in our local papers, here are the two that are currently making the rounds. More are coming so keep your eye peeled.