Our View: You Did It

Each season, when we launch our “Helping Neighbors” fund drive for the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, we choose a goal to challenge both us and our readers. At the beginning, that goal often seems unattainable. But almost without exception, we end up reaching or exceeding the goal. 

With this year’s Summertime Helping Neighbors campaign, we’ve done it again. Or should we say, you’ve done it again.

Just as the campaign came to an end over the Labor Day weekend, we learned that it had topped the lofty goal of raising $90,000. The final tally was $100,662, an astounding figure reached thanks to a $45,000 grant from the Karen Campbell family of Chatham that matched every donation up to that $90,000 figure. That brings the total raised through Helping Neighbors since its launch in 2004 close to $2 million.

More importantly, the summertime donations come just in the nick of time, as the Family Pantry gears up for an increase in demand now that the fall has arrived. The money will literally pay for thousands of meals for our neighbors and help the pantry combat food insecurity throughout the Cape. 

Thank you, readers, for contributing to the Summertime Helping Neighbors campaign. As we’ve discovered over the years, your generosity knows no bounds. Helping Neighbors will be back at Thanksgiving for our annual holiday appeal. In the meantime, know that folks you know — from your favorite restaurant, shop, or just to wave to around town — are that much better off because of your donation.