Hyannis, MA – November 16, 2020 - Close to 2,000 individual Thanksgiving meals will be provided this holiday to families in need, thanks to a grant cooperatively funded by the Cape and Islands United Way, The Cape Cod Foundation, and Rockland Trust Bank.
The $7,500 grant will allow The Family Table Collaborative to serve up bountiful meals for some 250 families and 500 individuals in the Barnstable and Sandwich areas. The Family Table Collaborative was founded by Jeni Wheeler of Jeni’s Joy, Harry Henry of the Cape Cod Culinary Incubator, and Michael Pillarella and Joe Ellia, both of the American Culinary Federation, as a response to Covid-19. But in doing so, Wheeler points out they uncovered a much larger need for access to nutritious home cooked meals. As a result, the group has chosen to make the Collaborative a permanent 501(c)3 designed to combat hunger, and more importantly, nutritional security on Cape Cod.
“The Collaborative is honored to have the support of these amazing organizations in order to provide of our neighbors with an outstanding Thanksgiving dinner,” Wheeler said. “Love is always our secret ingredient and this generous collaboration will allow us to provide a supersized helping of love this month.”
Wheeler had contacted Mark Skala, President/CEO of the Cape and Islands United Way, about the growing demand and the pressing need for funds to serve to so many this Thanksgiving.
“We knew this was a challenging undertaking for any one funder at this time, especially as needs arise and there is ever increasing demand for resources,” said Skala. “We are so grateful to be able to connect with other funders to solve a need in the community, in this case with the Cape Cod Foundation and Rockland Trust Bank. That’s what the United Way is all about – connecting, collaborating and helping solve community problems together.”
Noted Kristin O’Malley, Cape Cod Foundation president and CEO, “The Foundation is honored to continue supporting the great work of The Cape Cod Family Table Collaborative through our Strategic Emergency Response Fund. The Collaborative has served thousands of meals since the start of the pandemic and is once again stepping forward, ensuring that our vulnerable residents are able to enjoy a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal.”
“When learning of the shortage of food for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, we of course answered the call and to support those in our community,” said Brian E. Griffin, SVP, Regional Manager at Rockland Trust. “While it is unfortunate that there remains so many families in need of food assistance, we are proud of being able to partner with The Cape Cod Foundation and The United Way of Cape Cod and Islands to help provide meals for over 600 families in Barnstable County.”
