Your Yarmouth Podcast
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Your Yarmouth Podcast
Episode 3: Supporting Our Neighbors - How the Cape Cod Community Pantry Feeds the Cape
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In this episode of Your Yarmouth, we sit down with Sarah O’Reilly, the Board President for the Cape Cod Community Pantry.
With the holiday season upon us, Sarah sheds light on the sobering reality of food insecurity across the Cape and what a typical day looks like for the volunteers working to meet the rising demand.
Tune in to hear stories of local resilience and learn exactly how you can help ensure every family in our community has a place at the table this year.
Learn more about Cape Cod Community Pantry by clicking here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064328543368
Visit the Town of Yarmouth's website at https://yarmouth.ma.us
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Looking to help a family in need this time of year, where we're shining some light on a local organization that's making a big difference, especially during the holidays. Hear all about the Cape Cod Community Pantry next. Thank you for having me. It's so great to have you here. I know obviously you're the human resources uh director for the town of Yarmouth, but you spend a lot of your free time uh volunteering at the Cape Cod community pantry. How did you get started in that?
SPEAKER_01So my daughter and I helped with food distribution, I guess it was about seven or eight years ago. And then schedules changed. We took a little hiatus, and then about three or four years ago, they were looking for someone who had some human resources experience to join their board. So I've been um a member of the board of directors for a few years now.
SPEAKER_00What drew you to it? Why why a food pantry?
SPEAKER_01Uh the ability to help um the community, and just um I have a lot of respect for the organization and everything that they do.
SPEAKER_00Well, sometimes people think about food insecurities are more prevalent during the holidays, but it's really an ongoing problem that lasts throughout the year. But going into the holidays, how many families do you think that you've serviced uh, you know, in the last couple of months?
SPEAKER_01So we distributed over 3,000 bags of groceries in November. Um we had 38 new households register with the pantry that have never visited before. Um, and we have over 6,000 um households that are registered with the pantry as of right now.
SPEAKER_00Wow, that's incredible.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um, and just another point about 30% of those are children.
SPEAKER_00Wow. So yeah, that definitely hits home. What does a day look like at the food pantry? Are you stocking shelves? Are you packing boxes? Are you making deliveries yourself? How does that work?
SPEAKER_01So there's over 100 uh volunteers that are um volunteering with the food pantry. And it's it's a pretty well-oiled machine, actually. Um in the mornings, there'll be a group of people there restocking the shelves and sorting the food. Um, each item that comes in has to be reviewed for its date, and they're actually um organized by date so that we can distribute those things that are going to expire sooner and then save the ones that are gonna expire later.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so that leads me to my next question. Um, you know, I I like to donate, I'd love to donate, but I don't know what I can donate. Um, are there specific things that you're not allowed to accept? I know you just mentioned um the expiration dates, but what are the big staples that the pantry really needs?
SPEAKER_01So we really focus on non-perishable food as to items that are donated. Items like peanut butter, jelly, cereal, um, canned foods like um stews, um pastas, uh chili, things like that are really helpful and always something that is needed. Is there any paper goods allowed or paper towels or napkins or that sort of thing? Good question. Um, toilet paper and diapers are also always a huge need as well.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay, so that's definitely good to know because I did not know that. Um, volunteering is that a big thing this time of year, or do you have a more volunteers than you usually have? Are you always looking for volunteers? And how can I volunteer if I want to?
SPEAKER_01So we are always in need of help. Um, one thing that is pretty unique as a nonprofit organization, the Cape Cod Community Pantry is fully 100% operated by volunteers. So there's not one paid staff person, which is pretty remarkable. That really is, yeah. And it's one of the things that has drawn me to help out with the pantry. So now, if I want to make a donation, how do I do that? You can stop by the Cape Cod Community Pantry. They're located in the Lighthouse Landing Plaza on Route 28. There's also a number of drop boxes throughout the town. So there's collection boxes at Heatherwood and Kings Way, the two stop-in shops on Long Pond and Station Avenue, Shaw's, Cape and Coast Bank, the Yarmouth Chase. Even here at Town Hall, there's a collection box in the lobby, um, and then Cape Cod 5, Rockland Trust. So there's a lot of different opportunities to drop off a donation.
SPEAKER_00Are gift cards acceptable?
SPEAKER_01Gift cards are acceptable. Um, the the most useful gift cards would be those for um food stores. Yeah. One of the things that we do, we we have people donate non-perishable food so that we're able to use it as we need it, but we often um can purchase um items like meat and produce to supplement that.
SPEAKER_00Do um any local farms or businesses um lend a hand, especially this time of year?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Um almost all the food stores are great partners of the food pantry and make donations of gift cards and also um food as well.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's great to know. What do you think the misconceptions are about food pantries in general, if any?
SPEAKER_01I think the biggest misconception are that the people we serve are not working or not um participating um fully, and really that's not true at all. Many of the clients are, you know, fully employed, but just trying to make ends meet um and having trouble living on Cape Cod, which we know is is expensive. Yeah, yes.
SPEAKER_00So, what is one wish that you have for Yarmouth residents to really know about this particular um pantry?
SPEAKER_01Um the need is year-round. Yeah. And this time of year, we have a lot of support, and we that does carry us through a little bit, but um just I hope that people will think of the Cape Cod Community Pantry at other times of the year when they're able to lend a hand as well.
SPEAKER_00Right. And since you've been spending so much time with a pantry, do you have like a fond memory of it? Um, you know, that just sits with you and you're like, I'm so glad that I do this, and I get to do this with my daughter.
SPEAKER_01So for me, it's seeing the community really come together and working for the town myself. Um we have many different town entities and and individuals that really help out with the pantry. There's a big turkey shoot golf tournament that they just had its 16th year that um Becky White from our golf department um runs and puts together. Homeless for the Holidays, of course, just happened with the Dennis and Yarmouth Fire Department that supports the pantry. Um, and Stuffa Cruiser a couple times a year. Erica Wenberg has been a great partner from the police department, and over the years, different members of the police department have served on the board. So um, right now the building department is collecting, so it's it's just a real um collecting effort. Collaborative effort. And and um, and then of course the community who participates in all of those important events.
SPEAKER_00Well, thank you so much for uh sharing your experience at the pantry and you know hopefully it'll inspire somebody else to get involved. Remember, Yarmouth, every can, every volunteer hour, every gift card um makes a difference. And if you want to get more information on the Cape Cod Community Pantry, be sure to follow their Facebook page. Now, before we let you go, we're gonna end our segment with a little rapid fire questions, holiday style, Cape Cod holiday style.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Are you game? I'm game.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Christmas tree, real or fake? Real. Decorated? Is your house decorated yet?
SPEAKER_01No. Well, outside is not inside yet.
SPEAKER_00Christmas lights, white or multicolor?
SPEAKER_01White, outside, multicolored, inside.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Um, wrapping paper, wrapping presents, good corners, or you do throw it in a bag and and forget about it. Corners. Corners. You're you're okay. So you're one of those neat corners. All right. Um, comfort food for the winter, clam chowder or hot chocolate?
SPEAKER_01Hot chocolate.
SPEAKER_00Oh, definitely.
SPEAKER_01All day long.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I agree. And shopping. Um, are you done or are you not even close?
SPEAKER_01Not even close.
SPEAKER_00All right. Polar bear plunge, yes, or never?
SPEAKER_01Never. I don't even swim in the ocean in the summer.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I did want to mention that Yarmouth has a polar bear plunge and all the proceeds from it go to the senior center and it's at Smuggler's Beach. Um, uh, and it I think it starts at noon. So if anybody has any questions about the polar bear plunge and they're interested interested in doing that, you can just go to their Facebook page and get all those details. So the last, my last question for you is hidden talent. Do you have one?
SPEAKER_01So I have a talent of memorizing phone numbers, which is proving to not be very helpful anymore with cell phones. But that is my hidden talent.
SPEAKER_00That is a good one. Well, Sarah, thank you so much for joining us again. I really appreciate your time. And hopefully, like I said, you've inspired somebody to um to donate. And once again, thank you for listening. Don't forget to follow us on our website, on channel eight, on our YouTube channel, on all of our social media, and you can find us anywhere that you get your podcast. Thanks for joining us, Yarmouth, and happy holidays.