June 2018

Dear Neighbor,

After we thought winter would never end, the warmer weather is finally here. That means hurricane season is around the corner.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your past support, update you on some of our initiatives, and request your help once again.

The MCRF two-year anniversary is in mid-June, and a lot has happened since we launched in 2016. While we witnessed epic hurricanes off-Cape last year, this year we survived a bitterly cold storm in January and three major local storms in March. The end of this winter was wild, with high tides, flooding, parts of 6A closed by a river of seawater, and more than 50% of Cape Codders without power.

In March, I had the extraordinary opportunity of spending three days in the MACC (Multi-Agency Command Center) at Barnstable County, observing the unbelievably coordinated effort of many agencies, including the Red Cross, MEMA, Eversource, National Grid, Americorp, and of course, the Barnstable County management team. During this time, three shelters were opened and thankfully accommodated many of our elderly, vulnerable neighbors who needed the most care. Yes, we are hearty Cape Codders, and we managed. But what will be next?

Although the MCRF was not “called into action” for specific financial assistance, it was a close call. This once again reminded us that we need to be prepared because, when it comes to the next disaster—natural or man-made—it’s a matter of when, not if.

Today, as part of our mission, we are speaking at community events and accelerating our fund-raising activities. I’ve enclosed the annual report of the Needy Fund, which manages the MCRF. Please note our message, fund-raising totals, and key donors.

While corporate donors have become the financial backbone of our Fund, we rely on individual donors to sustain us. So, please consider a tax-deductible donation of any amount.

Please visit www.majorcrisisrelieffund.com and donate online or by mailing us a check.

Thank you for your continued support of this critical program.

Best wishes,

Judy Walden Scarafile
MCRF Managing Director