Outreach Report
There is nothing like good neighbors. When I was sick with COVID, my neighbor went out of her way to bring me my favorite cup of coffee each day. Sometimes her husband would get into the act, driving her to COMPASS several blocks away and back. Now that my neighbor is going through a health crisis of her own, I am trying to think of ways to make her days more cheerful. My neighbor began this circle of giving, which permeates our block in Georgetown, making it so very special.
Nantucket, as an island, is very much like that. We all depend on each other for friendship, for support, for services that beautify our island, educate, entertain us, and make Nantucket singular in its appeal. We also strive to give back.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chapel’s Outreach Committee. Over the years, committee members have tried their best to identify ways to fulfill the Committee’s mission, which is to provide support for “health and human services on Nantucket Island and beyond.” The generosity of this Chapel is unsurpassed for a community of our size, allowing gifts to non-profits on the island to double in size from a few years ago. Committee members do their research by interviewing executive directors of island non-profits about the use of Chapel funds and future needs, checking websites, and by seeking advice and guidance from members of the community, such as The Community Foundation.
This year again, the Chapel has set an ambitious goal of distributing $150,000 to island non-profits, matching what we have done for the past two years. This is only possible through the generosity of so many who worship here . Funds for Outreach come from collections on two Outreach Sundays – one in July and one in August – and from special solicitations, such as the raffle of a needlepoint rug, which luckily will happen again this coming summer. The Chapel is likely the fourth or fifth largest donor to the Nantucket community and that is something to celebrate.
In 2023, we funded 18 island non-profits, providing money for addiction help, behavioral support, housing, food, fuel and rental assistance, scholarships for small learners, helping the homeless, safety from abuse, travel expenses for health reasons, after-school resources for teens, and assisting those with special needs. We are so proud of the work they do: A Safe Place, Addictions Solutions, Boston Med Flight, Community School – Summer Boost Program, Fairwinds, Habitat for Humanity, Marla Ceely Lamb Fund, Nantucket Boys and Girls Club, Nantucket Food Fuel and Rental Assistance, Nantucket Housing, Nantucket Star, Our House, PASCON, Rising Tide, Small Friends, St. Paul’s Meals Mission, The Community Foundation, and The Warming Place.
In his thoughtful sermon last August on ways to do God’s work on earth, Carr spoke of a commitment to addressing “raw need,” through acts of “generosity and kindness.” We cannot thank you enough for your deep understanding of the needs of others and recognizing that by giving, we all receive so much in return.
Eileen Shield- West,
Chair, Outreach Committee
