Helping Neighbors: At Family Pantry Of Cape Cod, There Are No Typical Clients

HARWICH – More than 800 people are served by the Family Pantry of Cape Cod each week, according to Executive Director Paul Lonergan.

 “There’s 800 folks a week, and there’s 800 different stories,” he said. “Every one of them wants to do better, and we want to help every one of them.”

 It’s become much more difficult in recent years to peg or profile who the typical pantry client is, Lonergan said. As the cost of food, housing and other goods continue to rise, the need has expanded to people of all backgrounds and demographics. It could be retirees on fixed incomes. Sometimes it’s members of the local service industry who struggle to make ends meet after the bustling summer tourist season draws to a close, he said.

 “You can’t categorize any of them,” Lonergan said. “It’s across the board, it’s all ages. It’s your neighbor.”

 This might come as a surprise to some given the Cape’s reputation as a world-renowned vacation destination. But despite that long-standing reputation, Lonergan said, the need is here on the Cape, and it’s deepening. 

 “Some people think of Cape Cod as the Riviera of Massachusetts,” he said. “But there are some people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. There are people who have had misfortune in their lives. The need is so great, and they could be right next door to you and you don’t know it.”

 Last year, 13,642 clients were served at the pantry, Lonergan said. For some people, it can be difficult to seek out the help they might need. But the pantry’s staff and volunteers have a dialed-in system in place to make the client experience a positive one. Volunteers do everything from check in visitors and situate them with a shopping list to stock shelves and help fill bags.

 “So it might be scary, but these guys are as tight as can be,” Lonergan said. “They support each other. They all have the same mission.”

 Lonergan said the pantry has a roster of about 450 year-round volunteers and an additional 250 that give their time during the summer. While volunteerism is robust, he said, there’s always a need for more helping hands.

 “The most heartwarming day I’ve had since I got here was a gentleman who came in who was deaf. The folks he was with didn’t speak a language that anybody here did. He left here with food. They used pictures. They got him through the process. It was moving to see that.”

To contribute to The Chronicle's Summertime Helping Neighbors campaign, click here. You can also mail a tax-deductible contribution to The Family Pantry, 133 Queen Anne Rd., Harwich, MA 02645, or call 508-432-6519 to donate by credit card.