Disabled, elderly, and homeless, Needy Fund helps Mid-Cape senior secure a home
A Mid-Cape senior’s life was changed forever when he was left disabled after his car was struck by a vehicle driven by a person who was under the influence of an intoxicating substance.
His disability income was not enough to cover rent so he has been homeless for the past five years. He paid friends to sleep on their couch or in a spare room.
With the onset of the pandemic, he was at a great risk of contracting severe illness, since people who are homeless are at the mercy of a confluence of factors. Many are seniors, have underlying health conditions, or are in group living situations, which put them at greater risk of exposure to COVID-19, according to the CDC.
After being on a waitlist for years, an affordable housing voucher became available, as did an apartment. Here was his chance to live independently and safely again.
Unfortunately, he did not have the means to pay his move-in costs. And with time running out, he needed to act quickly.
Thankfully, the Needy Fund stepped in, and took care of his rent for the first month. Now, the disabled senior has a safe place he can call home.
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Many human service agencies offer assistance to those in need, but the Cape Cod Times Needy Fund has been helping with a host of immediate, short-term emergencies such as food, rent, medical costs and other basic expenses since 1936.
No cash is given to Needy Fund recipients. Instead, the agency pays vendors through a voucher program. The case described above was provided by the Needy Fund on the condition of anonymity.
Donations, which are tax-deductible, may be made at needyfund.org. Checks also can be made payable to the Cape Cod Times Needy Fund and mailed to Cape Cod Times Needy Fund, P.O. Box 36, Hyannis, MA 02601.
Those needing assistance may contact the Needy Fund at 508-778-5661 or 800-422-1446.
Questions can be emailed to info@needyfund.org. The Needy Fund is also on Facebook (facebook.com/NeedyFund) and Twitter (@NeedyFund).
Total Contributions To Date: $381,907.37
From the estate of Christine De Liso;$40,000
TD Charitable Foundation;$10,000
The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Charitable Foundation Trust;$7,500
The Bilezikian Family Foundation, Inc.;$5,000
Mears Family Fund of The Cape Cod Foundation;$5,000
Brett and Jessica Erkman;$3,000
Marc and Karla Greenwald;$2,500
Anonymous;$2,000
Donald C. McGraw Foundation Family Fund of The Cape Cod Foundation;$2,000
Centerville Elementary School - 3rd Grade Teachers;$1,837
Ben and Julie Allen;$1,500
Rickey Walters;$1,400
Meghan Taylor;$1,000
Gregory and Bess Goldstein;$1,000
Janet Sisterson;$1,000
Beth and Peter Nolan;$1,000
Anonymous through Network for Good;$665
ASICS Falmouth Road Race;$570
James and Jane Fulton;$500
Nancy and Wilhelmus Vanderhoeven;$500
Delia Flynn;$500
Anonymous;$500
Cornel J. Faucher and Mary Beth Rooney;$500
In memory of Marion E. McManus from Alexander, Aronson, Finning & Company;$500
Golf Course Superintendents Association of Cape Cod;$500
Cathy Pye;$500
Anonymous;$500
In memory of Marlene White from Tom and Kenyon;$500
In Memory of Fran & Hugh Kilmartin;$500
Billy and Kathi Harris;$500
In memory of Paul R. Burkhart from Louis and Nancy Proulx;$500
Thomas Pfund;$500
Anonymous;$500
Cape Cod Needy Fund NCAA Basketball Pool;$474
From the Social Justice Ministries of the First Parish Church UU of Brewster;$420
The Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Chatham;$405
Barry and Johanne Gallus;$400
Dotty and Bob Kreisinger;$400
Nance Lyons;$300
West Parish of Barnstable;$300
Thank you in honor of Mariana Duncan for her time and energy;$270
Richard and Kimberly Alexander;$250
Nancy Ayotte;$250
Dianne Mahoney;$250
Scott and Maryanne Petersen;$250
The Desmarais Family;$250
Anonymous;$250
Anonymous;$250
Anonymous;$250
Nello and Holly Trevisan;$250
In loving memory of Larry Mulaire and with sympathy to Julie Jones and Addison Mulaire from Gary and Kathleen Starr;$200
Jeffrey Beatty;$200
Charles and Lois Kerbel;$200
Anonymous;$200
Ed and Marie Ritchie;$200
Jerilyn Bebrin;$200
Carol and Ralph Bicchieri;$200
Leslie E. Scheer;$200
Mary L. Flynn;$200
Raymond and Audeliz Allain;$30
Nancy Nichols;$100
In memory of Maria Jason;$25
Carol Cichy;$100
Anonymous;$23.62
In memory of Dick Perrin from Linda Pearson;$50
Richard and Judith Knowles;$25
Alison Sargent;$50
Anonymous;$100
Ronald and Mary Makara;$50
In Memory of Marion McManus;$100
Joseph and Edna Holland;$50
Anonymous;$50
In memory of Marion E. McManus;$50
In loving memory of my grandmother Laurie Hayes. Love, Mike, Steph, Jack and Olivia.;$100
Anonymous;$100
Elizabeth Lannon;$25
Jeffry M. Shank;$50
Bruce and Patricia White;$50
Lorraine Pregenzer;$150
Thomas L. Philbrick;$100
In memory of Richard M. O'Keeffe from the Nashoba Brooks School of Concord;$100
Deborah Patellos;$30
JoAnn Heiser;$50
Anonymous;$100
Anonymous;$100
Starkey & Associates;$100
Richard and Joan Coco;$50
Anonymous;$100
In memory of Laurie Hayes, she taught us all to live well, be kind and see the joy in making others happy.;$50
Dorothy DeMeis;$50
In loving memory of Tom Watson's 40th Birthday, forever in our hearts. We love you Tom - your family;$50
Margaret McGarr;$140
Amanda Murphy;$100
The Boyden Family;$103
The Tervis Company Giving Fund;$20
In honor of Marion E. McManus - Mother of Dave and Jane McManus, Shrewsbury, MA ;$50
Rose Tremblay;$50
In memory of Ryan J. Ottino;$20
Bob and Jane Sullivan;$100
In honor of my grandchildren;$25.75
Joel Goldberg;$50
William and Patricia Roberts;$100
Joanne Burdick;$25
In memory of Lawrence Mulaire from Sherry Greene-Starr;$100
Sylvia Vatuk;$50
Mary Steede;$25
Anonymous;$25
David and Cynthia Faszewski;$50
In memory of Stephen Goveia who devoted his life to the children of Barnstable from Gary and Ellen Tratt;$100
Dave, sorry for your loss, your mom was a great person...the boys from 5G;$100
Britt Anderson;$10
Alan Roos Jr.;$25.75
Jeffry M. Shank;$50
Anonymous;$50
William Kirrane;$100
Stanley Knull;$100
Charles and Mary McCarthy;$50
Tom Nee and Jan Delaney;$25
Thomas and Patricia Marmen;$100
Sara and Barrett Nichols;$125
Greta Whelan;$25
In the name of Kathy Everett. Happy Birthday.;$50
Don and Mary Lou Schwinn;$100
Donna Orth;$20
Mr and Mrs Arthur Lindberg;$25
Johnathan Sylvia;$100
In memory of Jonathan A. Segura;$100
Mary Mulveyhill;$25
Anonymous;$25
Ann and Carl Melone;$25.75
Michelle Vodopia and Judith Oset;$125
Kathleen and Ronald Hutcheson;$100
In memory of Larry Mulaire from Kathy and Bill Fisher;$50
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
Anonymous;$100
Vector North America Inc. matching a gift from Don Nelson;$109.85
Dr. Randolph Bartlett;$50
John and Jane Rogovich;$100
Mary E. Hakanson;$100
Bruce and Patricia White;$50
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
Joan Shostak;$100
Edmund and Janet Foley;$75
In memory of Larry Mulaire. May he rest in peace.;$50
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
Carolyn Formalarie;$25
In memory of Laurie Hayes from Rita Hargrave;$100
Anonymous;$15
In Memory of Dr Gary Shapiro
Dave and Susan;$50
In memory of our loved ones from George and Naomi Botelho;$100
Bruce and Patricia White;$50
Erica Waasdorp and Patrick McNamara;$60
Donated by the Breen family In memory of Laurie Hayes;$25
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
In memory of Richard O'Keeffe from Norma E. Sheehan;$50
Vera Renata Yardumian;$25
Norberto Soto;$40
Nancy Rumplik;$50
Richard and Meg Connolly;$25
In honor of the birthday of Kim Wolfe from Judy and Peter Scarafile;$50
Anonymous;$25
Anonymous;$100
In Memory of Marion McManus;$100
Anonymous;$100
Daniel Scholl;$50
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
Citizens Charitable Foundation matching a gift from Katherine Soares;$100
In memory of Gary Lee Shapiro from Jennifer Turner and Kimberly Williams at Cape Cod 5
Trust and Asset Management.;$100
Tracey Murphy;$100
Anonymous;$100
In memory of Chris Lapsley;$100
Anonymous;$50
Anonymous;$103
Paul and Mary Alice Gallant;$150
In memory of John Hopkins and Joseph Langway from William and Lois Hopkins;$100
Charles and Mary McCarthy;$50
Jeffry M. Shank;$50
Peter and Helen M. Owens;$25
Celebrating Peter Scarafile;$51.50
Jan and Joan;$100
In memory of Al Tomlinson of Hyannis from Denise Mattera and Anthony Mattera;$50
Charles E. Andrews;$50
St. Linda;$100
Cynthia Carey;$50
Albert and Barbara Willey;$25
Mary and Robert Parent;$100
John and Helen Robinson;$50
Charles and Mary McCarthy;$100
Anonymous;$100
Joyce Fraser;$50
Bank of America matching a gift from Nicholas Capece;$150
Anonymous;$100
Mary Steede;$25
Andrew and Anita;$25
Norberto Soto;$40
In memory of Dr. Eleanor K. Lemond;$50
Jennifer Rockwell;$60
United Way Of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley;$89.20
Donna Buiso;$30
In memory of Laurie Hayes;$100
Joseph Kaufman;$50
Bruce and Patricia White;$50
Nancy Cook;$100
In memory of Bob Hoey;$25
Anonymous;$100
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod Times Needy Fund helps disabled, homeless senior get a home