Helping Neighbors Tops Campaign Goal

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of people will enjoy free, healthy meals this winter thanks to Chronicle readers who donated to this season’s Helping Neighbors campaign.

The holiday campaign benefiting the Family Pantry of Cape Cod smashed its goal, bringing in $117,773 in donations over the past six weeks. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming generosity of the Cape community,” said Pantry Executive Director Christine Menard. The funds raised during the campaign will buy 460,000 meals and help the Pantry ensure that its ever-growing list of clients have enough to eat through the winter, she said.

In 2024, the Pantry saw a 15 percent increase in families seeking help with groceries, with a record 165,000 bags of food — more than four million pounds — being distributed. This winter the increase is expected to jump to 20 percent, Menard said. 

This year’s fundraising goal of $115,000 seemed like a stretch at first, said Chronicle Publisher Henry C. Hyora. Last year’s effort raised $110,000, which was lower than the 2022 total of $138,000 (which remains the record). The totals owe much to generous matching grants by donors whom Menard said wish to remain anonymous. 

It’s been an amazing 20-year journey from the campaign’s first year in 2004, when the season total was just over $11,265, said Hyora.

“We were a little uncertain going into this year’s holiday campaign,” he said. “People are struggling with prices continuing to rise. But we should have known that Chronicle readers always come through.”

This year’s total puts the overall fundraising for the Pantry from the Helping Neighbors campaigns past the $2 million mark.

“We can’t thank our readers enough,” Hyora said. “This means that many of our neighbors will have healthy, fresh food on the table through what can often be a lean winter season. Exceeding this year’s goal shows both the generosity and sense of community of our readers.”

The money also helps the Pantry spread its wings. Along with the main facility on Queen Anne Road in Harwich, it operates a satellite pantry at Cape Cod Community College as well as Healthy Meals in Motion, a mobile pantry that focuses on seniors and works with councils on aging in Brewster, Orleans, Chatham, Eastham, Dennis and Provincetown. It also provides gently used clothing to clients and operates the Second Glance Thrift Boutique in West Harwich, which generates additional income for the Pantry.

While the winter is the time the Pantry is busiest thanks to the Cape’s still seasonal economy, the need doesn’t stop when the warm weather arrives. Donations are welcome, and needed, year-round, said Menard. Tax-deductible donations can be made anytime by visiting the Pantry website at thefamilypantry.com/, sending a check to The Family Pantry, 133 Queen Anne Rd., Harwich, MA 02645, or calling 508-432-6519 to donate by credit card. 

And Helping Neighbors will be back with our annual summer appeal, which aims to enlist our summer residents and visitors in assisting those most in need in the community.