Grant History: Cumulative Grant Impact $106,000
2025 Grants $30,000
Behavioral Health Innovators, Inc., $3,000
The PASS program (Positive Alternatives for Student Support) is an intervention model created to serve students who face in-school or out-of-school suspension. Through PASS, students develop positive coping skills, reduce or abstain from drug use, gain tools to effectively self-regulate, manage their anger, set goals, maintain their physical health, and communicate family concerns all while forming healthy peer connections. Behavioral Health Innovators anticipates serving 40 Harwich students and their families during the 2025-2026 school year.
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, $2,500
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History offers ongoing programs that engage minds and ignite wonder for children. This grant will help fund The Coastal Explorer Science Program which brings STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) programming directly to 465 Harwich Elementary K-4th grade students with its mobile classroom.
Cape Kid Meals, $3,000
This grant helps reduce the number of hungry children over the weekends and vacation weeks, so they can return to school ready to learn, and to provide nutritious snacks to help sustain children’s energy levels during their school day. CKM anticipates serving 57 Harwich children and their families every week through the Cape Kid Meals’ Childhood Hunger Relief Program of the 2025-26 school year.
Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center, $1,500
For some veterans, reliable transportation means the difference between regular preventive healthcare and only discovering a condition once it has become acute. This grant will go towards providing free, round-trip transportation to life-sustaining medical appointments for veterans. Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center anticipates providing 50 rides to 40 Harwich veterans in 2026.
Harwich Children’s Fund/Friends of Harwich Youth, $5,000
This grant will help fund the 2025-26 “We Have You Covered” Clothing Drive. The Harwich Children’s Fund helps children in the Monomoy Regional School District with essential needs and referrals for services. They expect to help 300+ Harwich residents this year.
Harwich’s Old Bank Street Firehouse, $2,000
In 2022, The Harwich Fire Association and the Harwich Conservation Trust purchased the 2.2 acres of land at 203 Bank Street which housed the town’s first firehouse. This grant will help fund new kitchen appliances for the venue, which will now host events, such as educational seminars, dinners, and local club events. The Firehouse will be open to all members of the community.
Homeless Prevention Council, $3,000
Each year, HPC helps about 500 Harwich residents who are at risk of losing their housing, whether rented or owned. This grant will support HPC’s Personalized Case Management program for Harwich residents. The program provides long-term, professional, and comprehensive support to individuals and families who are unstably housed, struggling with finances, and/or at risk of homelessness.
Lower Cape Outreach Council, Inc. $2,500
As a result of the rising cost of living index in Barnstable County, many of LCOC clients in Harwich have found it even more difficult to manage basic human needs expenses, including the purchase of new, seasonal clothing. Partnering with Operation Warm, a national nonprofit, these funds will help supply approximately 110 Harwich youth and seniors in need with winter coats this holiday season.
Pleasant Bay Community Boating – 2026 School Programming, $2,500
PBCB provides school programing to Harwich Elementary School students every May and June through Pleasant Bay Community Boating’s (PBCB) First Sail. This grant will give on-the-water experience to 25 Harwich Elementary School children who would not necessarily have the opportunity otherwise. The curriculum includes an introduction to boat safety, proper lifejacket use, understanding the parts of the boat, how wind and waves affect the course, and the opportunity to take the tiller and “drive”.
The Family Table Collaborative – Meals for The Harwich Community Fridge, $2,500
These funds will provide prepared, nutritious meals to the Harwich Community fridge twice a week, every week for a year. Harwich residents in need of a prepared meal can come into the Community Center and take home a prepared meal whenever the Community Center is open with no registration or qualification concerns. They estimate this program helps 200 Harwich residents, mainly seniors, per year.
YMCA Cape Cod – Non-Summer Food for Harwich Early Education Center and After School Programs, $2,500
This grant will help fund the non-summer food expenses for the YMCA’s Harwich Early Education Center (EEC) and Harwich After School Program. From October 2024 through September 2025, they served 29 children at their Harwich EEC and 40 children through the Harwich After School Program. This year, they expect to serve approximately 70 Harwich residents again.
2024 Grants $21,500
Alzheimer’s Family Support Center, $2,000
For No-Cost In-Person Caregiver Support Group and Activity Group for People living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia-Related Disorders
An estimated 300 Harwich residents are living with a diagnosable dementia disease; another 600 residents are living with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The Alzheimer’s Family Support Center serves that population by offering a twice-monthly caregiver support group and companion activity group at the Harwich Community Center. These groups offer social interaction and support for those living with memory
conditions, as well as respite and support for caregivers. The grant will pay the cost of these programs for 2025, serving 20 to 30 Harwich residents.
Behavioral Health Innovators, $2,500
For Positive Alternatives for Student Support (PASS) In Harwich
This grant continues The Harwich Fund’s support of the PASS program for students in the Monomoy School District. PASS serves vulnerable students living with substance use disorder and related mental health conditions by offering them the option of an alternative before a school suspension goes into effect. BHI launched PASS in 2022, with support from a grant from The Harwich Fund. Since launching, 15 Monomoy and 33 Cape Cod Regional Technical High School students in Harwich have attended and successfully completed the PASS program. BHI reports that every student who participated in PASS last year found the program to be a positive experience. BHI anticipates serving 20 Harwich resident students in 2024-25. The Harwich Fund’s grant this year will help to support the high school program and expansion of the program to Monomoy Middle School students.
Cape Kid Meals, $2,500
For the Childhood Hunger Relief Program in Harwich
The primary objective of Cape Kid Meals is to reduce the number of hungry children over the weekends and during vacation weeks, so they can return to school ready to learn. Key programs include a weekend backpack supplied with food for students from age 2 through 6th grade, as well as an enhanced program for high school students, a school snack program, a school pantry program, and an expanding summer backpack program. Approximately 40 Harwich children and their families will benefit from Cape Kid Meals’ Childhood Hunger Relief Program every week of the 2024-25 school year. The Harwich Elementary school nurse recently provided a testimonial for the program: “So many of our families depend on these backpack meals. I have one child who comes in when he sees the bags have been delivered and asks if he can have his ‘right now’.”
Grateful Mug Cafe, $1,000
For the Grateful Mug Cafe
Grateful Mug Café is a new nonprofit organization founded by two teachers from the Monomoy School District, with initial support from the Harwich Chamber of Commerce Charitable Foundation. Its mission is to open and operate a cafe within Harwich to provide employment opportunities for students and alumni of the school district with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. The plan is to employ 5-10 adults and 10 interns from Monomoy to support daily café operations. A standing collaboration with CORD (Cape Organization for the Rights of the Disabled) will help provide vocational training and follow up.
Harwich Children’s Fund, $5,000
Winter Outerwear Drive
This grant continues The Harwich Fund’s support of the Harwich Children’s Fund’s Winter Outerwear Drive, which provides new winter coats, boots, mittens, and hats to Harwich youth ages 1-18 in need during the holiday season. In past years, the Fund distributed over 240 pieces of outerwear to Harwich youth. The Children’s Fund expects to exceed that amount this year.
Harwich Conservation Trust, $2,000
For the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve Wheelchair Accessible Trailhead and Public Access
The wheelchair accessible trailhead and public access project will enable people of all physical abilities to access the preserve property. By establishing public access, including an accessible trailhead connecting to the half mile All Person’s Trail, the Trust is ensuring access to the scenic site and environmental education for all. The Harwich Fund’s grant will be the final piece of the funding for completion of the public access project. The Harwich Conservation Trust estimates that the project will be used by more than 10,000 people annually.
Harwich Jr. Theater/Cape Cod Theater Company, $2,000
For “From Page to Stage: An Early Reader Theater Experience”
This grant will help fund a town-read of a well-known children’s book and production of a play based on the book. The theatre company will partner with Brooks Free Library and other local libraries, bookstores, and public schools to offer the town read. It will then partner with Harwich Elementary schools to bring cast members and teaching artists from the theatre into the classroom to introduce students to the process of putting on a production and engage them in that process by teaching them one of the songs from the show. The project will culminate with welcoming both the general public and school-group audiences to the play, which will be geared towards young audiences and their educators and caregivers. The project will serve approximately 254 Harwich elementary school students through classroom visits and school field trips to the theatre and will reach approximately 100 young readers and their caregivers through the town-read activities. Public performances of the play are anticipated to serve upwards of 1200 patrons from Harwich and beyond. The Harwich Fund’s grant will subsidize the fee for hiring a musical director and the musicians for the play.
Homeless Prevention Council, $2,500
For Supporting Housing and Financial Stability for Harwich Residents through Personalized Case Management
This grant will continue The Harwich Fund’s support of the Case Management Program, which provides personalized and long-term support for Harwich individuals and families, empowering them to attainfinancial stability, stay in their homes, or find stable and affordable housing. The program assists Harwich residents with locating safe, affordable, year-round housing or staying in current housing, accessing programs that will allow them to stretch their income and cover their housing costs, identifying and addressing underlying issues that are impeding their success in attaining sustained financial self-sufficiency, and breaking the cycle of repeated financial and housing crises. Over the next year, the Homeless Prevention Council expects to help 475 Harwich residents attain financial stability, stay in their homes, or find stable, affordable housing.
Lower Cape Outreach Council, $2,000
For providing winter coats to Harwich youth and
seniors in need this winter season
With this grant, LCOC will purchase 80 coats from
partners at Operation Warm, a national nonprofit.
Recipients will be current clients of LCOC’s Food
Pantry and financial assistance programs. Last year,
LCOC provided 65 coats to Harwich residents under
this program; LCOC expects that demand for the coats
will increase to 80 coats this year.
2023 Grants $18,500
Behavioral Health Innovators, $2,500
To continue support of the Positive Alternative to School Suspension (PASS) Program at Monomoy High School, which offers students an opportunity to experience a productive, safe, and supportive alternative to suspension so that they can return to the classroom and find success. The program will have the capacity to serve 25 Monomoy High School students in 2024.
Colorful Kidz, $500
To support room makeovers for Harwich children in need. Children are identified by referrals from foster agencies. Volunteers work with the children and their parent(s)/guardian to determine their needs, which could include, paint, flooring, lighting, furniture, and other décor.
Friends of the Harwich Council on Aging, $2,500
For the Cultural Arts Program, designed to enrich the lives of Harwich seniors through creative expression and foster meaningful interaction and connection with other community members. The series of five programs, inspired by the mission and work of the renowned organization Arts for the Aging, showcases a diverse array of disciplines and artistic styles. It includes artists of different ages, genders, and cultural influences and features an intergenerational program with children from Harwich Junior Theatre.
Harwich Chamber of Commerce, $1,500
To support the inaugural production of A Cape Cod Christmas Carol in Harwich. The Chamber has partnered with New Latitude Event Solutions and Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre to produce a community-wide event during its Annual Holiday Stroll. The project will transform Harwich Center into a Dickensian Village, featuring ongoing live performances, improvisation, and audience interaction.
Harwich Children’s Fund, $5,000
To continue to support the Winter Outerwear Drive, which provides new winter coats, boots, mittens, and hats to Harwich youth ages 1-18 in need during the holiday season. Last year, the program distributed 241 pieces of outerwear to Harwich youth. The Children’s Fund expects to exceed that amount this year.
Homeless Prevention Council, $2,500
To continue support of the Case Management Program, which provides personalized and long-term support for Harwich individuals and families, empowering them to attain financial stability, stay in their homes, or find stable and affordable housing. Over the next year, the Homeless Prevention Council expects to help 400 Harwich residents attain financial stability, stay in their homes, or find stable, affordable housing.
Pleasant Bay Community Boating, $1,500
To continue support for Harwich Elementary and Middle School students’ participation in the Floating Classroom Field Trips and First Sail Program, which empower students to experience the joys, beauty, and freedom of exploring Pleasant Bay while learning about marine environments and sailing. At least 198 students from Harwich Elementary and Monomoy Middle Schools are expected to participate in these programs during the 2024 school year.
The Cape Cod Theater Company $2,500
For The Town Read Project, uniting the Harwich Junior Theatre, Brooks Library, The 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building, and the Harwich Elementary School. The multi-faceted February 2024 event is based on the Elephant and Piggie series of books for early readers by Mo Willems and will feature live performances, in-school drama workshops, themed exhibits, and programs for children and caregivers.
2022 Grants $17,750
Behavioral Health Innovators, $1,250
To support Harwich participation in the PASS (Positive Alternative to School Suspension) Program, which offers high school students an opportunity to experience a productive, safe, and supportive alternative to suspension so that they can return to the classroom and find success.
Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, $750
To support the Orchestra’s final program of the 2022/2023 season, Toward the Sea, which depicts the Pilgrim voyage and its implications for the Native American population on Cape Cod.
Friends of the Harwich Council on Aging, $1,000
To support the “Don’t Forget! What You Need to Know About Dementia” program, an educational program for Harwich patients, families, and caregivers which also builds awareness of the signs of cognitive decline and early dementia.
Friends of the Harwich Youth Center, $5,000
To support The Harwich Children’s Fund 2022 Outerwear and Clothing Drive, which provides new, winter coats, boots, mittens, and hats to Harwich youth ages 1-18 during the holiday season.
Lower Cape Outreach Council: $1,000
To support a partnership between Lower Cape Outreach Council, the Harwich Children’s Fund, and Operation Warm to provide new, warm sneakers to Harwich elementary school children in need.
Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, $4,500
Habitat Cape Cod partners with local families in need
of affordable housing and, with the help of
volunteers and donors, helps them build their own
homes across Cape Cod. This grant supports the
purchase of major appliances for the newly built homes
on Murray Lane in West Harwich.
Harwich Junior Theatre: $1,500
To support a planning grant for the Harwich Junior
Theatre to explore and plan a Harwich community read
in 2023. This initiative would bring families, students,
and organizations from across the 7 villages of Harwich
together for workshops, performances, and educational
events centered around one work of literature.
Homeless Prevention Council: $1,250
To support the case management program, which
provides personalized and long-term support for
Harwich individuals and families, empowering them to
attain financial stability, stay in their homes, or find
stable and affordable housing.
Pleasant Bay Community Boating: $1,500
To support Harwich children participation in the First
Sail Program and Floating Classroom Field Trips,
which empower students to experience the joys,
beauty, and freedom of exploring Pleasant Bay while
learning about marine environments and sailing.
2021 Grants $11,750
Homeless Prevention Council, $1,000
This grant supports personalized case management for Harwich residents to access financial resources, housing preservation, and other programs that promote stability.
Friends of Harwich Early Childhood
Advisory Council, $1,000
The Friends of Harwich Early Childhood Advisory Council, in partnership with Cape Cod Children’s Place, received a $1,000 grant to support its “Science Arts!” in-home, discovery-based learning program for children. The grant was funded, in part, with a generous donation from the Guild of Harwich Artists to encourage the arts in any form within the Harwich community.
Friends of the Harwich Youth Center, $5,000
This $5,000 grant for the Harwich Children’s Fund supported its 2021 Outerwear Drive Program. The funds will be used to purchase warm, winter coats, and boots for about 100 Harwich students ages 5-18 in need of winter clothing.
Harwich Elementary School $1,500
Fourth grade is the first opportunity for students to learn to play a musical instrument. They can take a free lesson every week during the school day. However, some families have not been able to afford the instrument rental fee which can cost as much as $300 per year. With help from The Harwich Fund, more students will be able to participate in the program.
Behavioral Health Innovators, $1,250
To support the RecoveryBUILD Alternative Peer Group Program for Monomoy High School (up to 625 students). The program is designed to help students understand and circumvent addiction through a three-speaker series. This grant will fund the speaking events which promote exploring the pros and cons of using substances to handle depression, anxiety, and other stressors.
Friends of Harwich Council on Aging (COA), $2,000
The pandemic has increased anxiety and isolation among Harwich residents- especially seniors who face the highest health and mortality risks. This grant supported the development and deployment of The Harwich COA’s “Living YOUR Best Life” program, a 10-week, evidence-based course designed to help participants build their resiliency so they can adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, or significant sources of stress.
2020 Grants $6,585
The Children’s Center (of Harwich Ecumenical Council for Housing), $535
This grant helped purchase items for the 2020 Playground Equipment project in support of re-opening the day care center. Due to COVID-19, children are not able to play with the same equipment at the same time. This grant provided multiple sets of the same, easy-to-clean toys so children were safe while working on gross motor skills and having fun on the playground.
Friends of the Harwich Youth Center, $4,300
For the Harwich Children’s Fund to support the 2020 Outwear Drive program that helped purchase almost 200 coats and boots for Harwich students ages 5-18 in need of winter clothing.
Friends of Harwich Early Childhood Advisory Council $1,750
More than 100 Monomoy Families received Family Activity Kits for a virtual program designed for 3-5-year-olds in Harwich. The children did projects at home which they would ordinarily do in a classroom or daycare setting (prior to COVID-19 restrictions).
Together, we have invested more than $106 million in grants and scholarships in the Cape Cod Community. For good.
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