Grant Program

Each year, The Chapel of St. James the Fisherman seeks to donate fifty percent of our annual giving to relief organizations on the outer Cape. For 2023, total donations to grant recipients will exceed $49,000. As we are a summer parish, these meaningful contributions serve as an extension of our fellowship to help sustain the many wonderful organizations who bring their own energy, generosity, and hope twelve months out of the year to communities that matter to all of us.

Our Grant Recipients

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Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod

AFSC helps families, caregivers and people living with cognitive disease to navigate the complexities and challenges they face across the span of Alzheimer’s and dementia-related diseases. Recognized throughout the country as a model for community-based dementia services, they offer in-person and virtual support groups, care consultations, insurance advice, social and cultural programming, and connections to available resources from pre-diagnosis to bereavement and all of life that happens in between. All of AFSC’s services are offered free of charge, regardless of ability to pay.

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Cape Abilities

The mission of Cape Abilities is to serve individuals with disabilities on Cape Cod by educating, counseling, and providing residential, therapeutic, social and employment supports that empower them to achieve meaningful and valued roles in the community. They operate structured and community-based day programs and employment training, as well as providing transportation and residential support to people with disabilities.

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Community Development Partnership

The Community Development Partnership works to build a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive on the Lower Cape. They promote, develop and manage affordable housing; nurture the launch and growth of small businesses; and facilitate collaboration with business, non-profit, and government partners. CDP operates 100+ units of affordable housing, and a sober living facility. They also provide business assistance, loans and micro-loans to over 2500 local businesses including direct assistance to the Cape’s local day boat fishing fleet.

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Dexter Keezer Fund

The Dexter Keezer Fund was created in 1999 for the purpose of assisting the individuals and families of Truro in meeting genuine crises in a timely manner via individual grants.DKF assists with expenses such as rent/mortgage payments, car repairs, home heating fuel and new eyeglasses. The fund also responds to the needs of school children whose families are experiencing financial difficulties by assisting with costs related to after-school activities, recreational sports, and musical instrument rentals.

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Fleet Fund

A community-based effort in Wellfleet to help residents when an unexpected event or personal difficulty brings them to a place of serious financial hardship, the Fleet Fund partners with social service agencies, educational institutions and other organizations to provide an additional, flexible and confidential source of assistance.

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Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Codhas developed over 150 affordable homes. Local families help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Homes are deed-restricted to remain affordable in perpetuity. Through the work of Habitat and community contributors, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better life for themselves and their families. Two Habitat ReStores, in Falmouth and Yarmouth, that take in and resell gently used building materials.

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Massachusetts Audubon, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

WBWS holds a core mission of conservation science, land protection and educational outreach. The sanctuary features five miles of trails and an award-winning “green” nature center. Their conservation science work focuses on threatened wildlife including the monitoring of horseshoe crabs, endangered shorebirds, and Diamondback Terrapins. The Chapel of St. James the Fisherman supports scholarships for local children to attend an annual summer camp that is designed to instill awareness and appreciation of nature.

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Helping Our Women

Helping Our Women educates, empowers and supports women living with a chronic or serious health condition in the Outer Cape towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. They carry out their mission by providing the following free, direct services focused on improving access to healthcare and well-being: Transportation to healthcare and wellness appointments; financial assistance to off-set the economic burden of living with a chronic health condition for women with limited income; tablet & internet programs; Food & Personal Products Pantry; as well as programs promoting wellness and social engagement.

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Homeless Prevention Council

For 30 years, HPC has been on the frontline of assisting and empowering low-to-moderate income individuals and families by helping them to attain financial stability, stay in their homes, or find stable, affordable housing. Our early intervention and community outreach
connect us with clients before they reach crisis situations. HPC has served over 41,000 residents of the Lower and Outer Cape since 1991.

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Lower Cape Outreach Council

The Mission of Lower Cape Outreach Council is, “to provide comprehensive assistance to those in need of immediate support and to encourage long-term self-sufficiency.” LCOC offers housing assistance, financial aid for utilities, rent and medical bills. They sponsor 8 food pantries and make monthly food distributions to local Councils on Aging, WIC and Cape Cod Children’s Place. They operate Katy’s Korner in Orleans which accepts and distributes clothing, linens, books and small housewares. They also offer support for small businesses including micro-loans for equipment and supplies.

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Cape Cod MASS Appeal

Cape Cod MASS Appeal operates its Share Shop at the corner of Cove Rd. and Route 6 in Wellfleet, just behind the Dunkin’ Donuts. Everything in the shop is offered at no cost. Volunteer staff can assist people in need of clothing and accessories for adults and children, books, linens, towels and bedding as well as books and toys for children.

Mustard Seed Kitchen

Home-delivered meals provided on a temporary basis to ill, troubled, grieving or unemployed people. Prior to the COVID pandemic, MSK served three meals a week.

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Outer Cape Health Services

OCHS provides a full range of healthcare and supportive social services that promote the health and well-being of all who live in or visit the ten outermost towns of Cape Cod. They care for nearly 18,000 patients a year, and no one is denied access to services due to an inability to pay.

Wellfleet in Need

A fund administered by the Wellfleet Council on Aging, Wellfleet In Need provides immediate assistance with medicine, food, and basic needs.

Website: www.wellfleet-ma.gov/council-on-aging

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246 Kitchen

The 246 Community Kitchen at the Wellfleet United Methodist Church cooks free, weekly dinners throughout the winter. The ingredients are donated, sometimes from local fisherman and bakeries. The kitchen has historically offered a community sit-down dinner on Tuesday nights, but during the pandemic shutdown, it became a drive-through take-out. Participants receive a quart of soup, loaf of bread and a bag of salad. Leftover soup is shared with Wellfleet’s Common Table food delivery program. (Summarized from an article in the Provincetown Independent)

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Wellfleet Affordable Housing Trust

The mission of the Wellfleet Affordable Housing Trust is to create, preserve, and support an adequate supply of quality affordable year-round homes. The Trust works to expand rental and ownership housing opportunities available to people at all stages of their lives to support an inclusive and welcoming community.

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Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund

The Chamber Scholarship Fund (CSF) annually awards financial aid to deserving high school graduates & college students from Wellfleet who are pursuing a higher education. Applicants must be pursuing some form of higher education, be it college or university, cooking school, art school or the maritime academy- and be a year-round resident of Wellfleet.

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Nauset Interfaith Association

The Nauset Interfaith Association represents some 25 congregations on the lower and outer cape.  It sponsors several annual interfaith events and other educational and advocacy efforts that work on issues of racism, at-risk youth, immigrants and refugees.

The Chapel of St. James the Fisherman
2317 US-6, Wellfleet, MA 02667
The Chapel is located on the west side of Route 6 on the hill just south of the Post Office and WHAT Theatre Company.

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