|
PROVINCETOWN GUIDE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DIRECTORY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Provincetown :: Tuesday, May 21st 2013
|
|
|
|
Community Care
Local Nonprofit Organizations
January 23rd, 2013
The measure of any community is how it cares for its most vulnerable of residents, and here in our little Cape tip town our local nonprofits reflect both its heart and its diversity year-round. Into these worthy groups we devote our spare cash, our free time and our love.
| Prevention workers come into contact with over 100,000 residents and visitors to Provincetown from all over the world, |
|
The Aids Support Group of Cape Cod was founded in 1983 in a response to the emergence HIV/AIDS, to provide compassionate care to gay men who lived in or moved to Provincetown. Since then the group has expanded their geographical service area, and now serve over 465 clients in all 15 Cape Cod towns, Martha's Vineyard and beyond. They provide case management, counseling and peer support, nutrition programs, housing services, transportation and emergency assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS.
In addition, they provide rapid HIV testing, STI & Hepatitis C screening, a needle exchange program, drug overdose prevention, and street team outreach and education. Prevention workers come into contact with over 100,000 residents and visitors to Provincetown from all over the world, and distribute over 50,000 safer sex prevention packets.
Helping Our Women was founded in 1993 to provide direct services that support women with chronic and life threatening illnesses. They provide clients with referrals to health care, social services and benefits programs, help provide transportation to medical appointments on the Cape or to Boston, and provide some limited financial assistance. Their clients include women with cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, heart disease, pulmonary issues, mental illness and other serious conditions, and over 40% of those being served are elderly. They also hold weekly support groups for women with cancer and those suffering chronic illness.
Irene Rabinowitz, celebrating her 18th year as HOW’s Executive Director, says the community has really stepped up to support the agency’s recent move to larger new quarters at 34 Conwell Street, which now includes a food and personal-care items pantry, private space for clients to use computer and phone, a handicapped-accessible lavatory and meeting space. While they have received grants from the Cape and Islands United Way and the Seamen’s Bank Foundation, HOW receives no state or federal funding, so Irene is delighted with donations not only of money which is helping to purchase the space, but donation of goods. “We had somebody from Aerie House bring us bags of groceries to stock the food pantry yesterday, and Snip Salon brought us a bunch of shampoos recently. Marc Jacobs brought us three bags of wool fingerless gloves in different colors! It’s just great that we are able to offer our clients our own food and personal care pantry, thanks to our extra space and everyone making generous donations. Personal care items can especially get expensive, so it’s a big help to our clients,” she noted.
The Soup Kitchen In Provincetown (SKIP) celebrates its 20th year of providing a hot, nourishing lunch to Outer Cape residents, November through April, Monday through Friday. SKIP's goal is to provide nutritious, healthy meals in a welcoming and warm atmosphere for all individuals who are either in need or seek community. The lack of proper nutrition for many in this area is an ongoing challenge, particularly as it relates to the town's seasonally employed and chronically unemployed residents.
According to Amy Howell, SKIP’s newest “head souper,” the Kitchen enjoys great support from the community, including regular Friday bread and baked-good deliveries from both the Portuguese bakery and Stop & Shop. This year, according to Howell, the Kitchen is serving approximately 400 people a week. “We use as many fresh ingredients as we can,” she said. I stopped by on a recent Friday and enjoyed minestrone soup with bowtie pasta, homemade meatloaf with a zesty tomato topping, fresh green salad with baby spinach, mashed potato, roasted beets and squash, pound cake with strawberries or fresh fruit, and beverages. Everyone is welcomed, and you need only donate what you can afford for your meal.
Chris Daniels is a writer, photographer and office-guru-about-town who shares her life with a bossy cat and “Damon, the Dog With the Toy”
Provincetown.com is the longest-standing, independently-owned presence on the web in 02657. Please like us on Facebook
|
|
|
|
|
:: Find Events ::
advanced search
>>
Search for meetings, classes, exhibitions and more
|
|
|
|
Arts & Theater
Join Us on 
Education
