EASTHAM – The Cape Cod Children’s Place has announced that it will be transitioning its Wish Upon A Star event, sponsored by Seamen’s Bank, into a virtual format.
Many of the Cape Cod Children’s Place services have pivoted to a virtual format, including parent and child activities like story time, yoga, and support groups.
Executive Director Cindy Horgan said that the move has had great success.
“What happened on March 13, when the world stopped turning so to speak, Cape Cod Children’s Place kept going. We immediately pivoted to the virtual world and we started to see some real generosity in the community of people calling up and saying ‘I want to do something, how can I help?’ So we started to take the donations and put them towards a response to what families needed during COVID,” said Horgan.
The organization says it receives an average of ten to fifteen calls a week from families with physical needs, most related to food and diapers.
The Children’s Place has delivered more than 200 food items and diapers to the homes of families in need in response.
Horgan said that for families whose needs they cannot meet, the Children’s Place will at the least refer the caller to the appropriate resource for the issue.
“If we don’t have it, we’ll find out who does and be able to bring it to you. So not only concrete supports like food and diapers and things like that, but a lot emotional support for families who were really struggling at that moment,” said Horgan.
Governor Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 restrictions have also led to challenges for the organization, particularly for their childcare services.
The state’s public safe mandates has reduced capacity for children in the Children’s Place childcare programs by 50 percent.
This has led to 50 percent less revenue to buy new toys that are easily cleaned, cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment for employees and professional cleanings of facilities, said the organization.
Horgan said that the childcare program is looking at an $8,000 to $12,000 loss a month because of changes to the program.
“Anybody that’s serving families throughout all of Cape Cod and the islands, their work is really critical to survive during this time,” said Horgan.
A date has not yet been set for the Wish Upon A Star event, though interested sponsors or those looking to donate can visit the Cape Cod Children’s Place website.
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