Five Years Of The Brewster Good Neighbor Fund

BREWSTER – In just five years, the town’s Good Neighbor Fund has awarded more than 40 residents with over $46,000. Town officials hope there is no end in sight. 

Originally created as a COVID relief fund in the summer of 2020, the town transitioned to a more general relief fund in 2023 after seeing a drop in applications. 

“The original applications needed to be directly affected by COVID, whether you had it and had medical bills or you were laid off or your work was cut back and you needed financial assistance,” said Susan Broderick, the town’s human resources officer. “Then we saw a drop-off of applications being received for that.” 

After few applications were received around February 2023, town officials decided to transition the fund so it was still supporting residents in need. 

The informational flyer for the fund says that “residents are eligible for financial assistance for urgent situations that would help them to avoid a crisis such as homelessness or loss of heat, as well as some non-urgent situations such as assistance with mortgage and/or rent payments, childcare, after school care, summer programs, utility bills, and medical bills.”

During the COVID relief days, Broderick said around 20 applicants were awarded $27,000, meaning that more residents have taken advantage of the fund in the last two years after it transitioned to a more general application process. 

Applications are all anonymous and screened by a seven-person committee made up of Broderick, Council on Aging Director Elton Cutler, a select board member, a member of the human services committee, a member from the affordable housing trust, a member from the council on aging board and one resident.

Council on aging staff can help applicants fill out the proper paperwork, redacting specifics on names and addresses before the panel reviews applications. 

Broderick said the current maximum award is $1,000 per applicant, once approved. The limit has fluctuated over the last five years depending how much is in the fund, she said. 

Most of the donations to the Good Neighbor Fund are from local residents and businesses. Once donations are received, they go into an expendable trust. 

The applications have a few baseline requirements. For example, applicants must have lived in Brewster for at least three months, must meet the financial eligibility criteria for their household size (including household income at or below 110 percent of the area median income) and be able to provide verification of residency, income and expenses. 

Broderick said she can only remember one instance of an application getting denied, and it was simply because there were other avenues of support that COA staff felt would better suit the applicant’s needs. 

The town’s website provides a chart that will help households calculate their eligible area median income. Additionally, 50 percent of an applicant’s savings will be calculated and added to the applicant’s income and the new total must still be below the listed income limits.

The town is always accepting donations for the fund, which can be submitted online or by mail via check. The town’s website has a secure online link for credit card contributions. Checks can be made payable to the town of Brewster with a notation that it is for the Good Neighbor Fund. Checks can be sent to 2198 Main St., Brewster. 

Broderick said in addition to information on the website, staff are available to help applicants in-person at town hall.