New Effort to Help Local Coast Guard Families Impacted by Shutdown

MASHPEE – A new effort has been launched to collect essential items for Coast Guard service members and their families on Cape Cod affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Heroes In Transition (HIT), The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, Cape Cod Coffee and Marshland Restaurants have organized the Care 4 Our Coasties campaign.

Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Marketing Officer Christina Bologna said the bank is thrilled to join HIT in the campaign.

“It was really a no-brainer for us, we jumped right on board. We are a drop off location at all of our branches,” Bologna said.

“We have branches from Falmouth to Harwich and they’re all drop off locations for this campaign, which is really to be able to support our Coast Guard families during this government shutdown and provide them with essential items that they are not otherwise able to acquire for free.”

The 10-day drive began on Tuesday and runs through Thursday, January 31. Organizers are asking the public to donate a variety of household goods that those in the Coast Guard need, but may not be able to afford to purchase or obtain at no cost elsewhere, as a result of the shutdown.

“We’re just asking the community to give donations for paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, bottles of dish soap, trash bags and soap bars,” said Heroes In Transition Executive Director Nicole Spencer.

“For 1,100 families it sounds like we only need 1,100 of everything, yet when you double paper towels that becomes 2,200, we’re looking for 4,400 toilet paper rolls, 1,100 laundry detergent and dish soap, and over 13,000 trash bags and 4,400 soap bars. We know that the community will get involved and help us with our drive and get 1,100 families enough things that could help them for up to two weeks.”

The federal government has been in the midst of a partial shutdown since December 21, which has reached a record 34 days.

The Coast Guard is the only military branch impacted by the shutdown as it falls under the Department of Homeland Security.

All other branches of the military fall under the Department of Defense, which remains unaffected by the political standoff.

By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center 

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