Brewster Shows Up In Wake Of Hurricane Melissa And Federal SNAP Cuts

BREWSTER – After Hurricane Melissa caused massive destruction in Jamaica and families at home faced threats of SNAP cuts, Brewster locals rallied in support of their community. 

 Last week Eddy Elementary School hosted a donation drive in support of those in need in Jamaica. The relief effort was the work of Principal Steven Guditus and Provincetown Town Manager Alex Morse. 

 After items were collected at the school, Guditus and a number of volunteers drove the donations to the Gifford House Inn in Provincetown where they were packaged and shipped to the island. 

 In a text message Monday, Guditus said, “We had two pickup trucks full of supplies, ranging from diapers and feminine products and first-aid supplies to bags of rice and cans of food. In all, we supplied over 500 items that the Gifford House shipped to Jamaica for Hurricane Melissa relief.”

 The Friends of the Captains hosted a food drive Saturday to support Lower Cape Outreach Council and the Veterans’ Outreach Council of the Cape and Islands. They requested and received nonperishable food items and monetary donations to support organizations battling food insecurity. 

 The federal shutdown has caused SNAP benefits to be greatly reduced and delayed for many families that rely on the program to put food on the table. The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday in an effort to keep SNAP benefits frozen, delaying the support program even further. Although legislators appeared poised to potentially end the government shutdown, by mid week it was uncertain when federal SNAP benefits would begin flowing again.

 Gov. Maura Healey ordered state SNAP benefits to be processed despite the federal shutdown. Barnstable County reported that the state Department Of Transitional Assistance has confirmed that 56 percent of households have already received their full November SNAP, and the remaining 44 percent are expected to receive theirs between Nov. 10 and 14.

 Town hall will continue to support food drive efforts across town-run departments. The department of natural resources will be accepting non-perishable food items at Mants Landing and at the natural resources offices at 1657 Main St. on Saturday, Nov. 23 for the annual Oyster Sunday Food Drive. Residents are welcome to bring items to the landing between 6:45 and 8:30 a.m. 

 The council on aging and town hall will be accepting donations of basic personal care items in partnership with the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. The drive started on Monday and will continue through Nov. 24. New, unopened items can be dropped off at either location. The most requested items are shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar soap, deodorant, diapers and feminine products.

 For more information on assistance programs available during the federal shutdown, visit www.capecod.gov or click the “hunger” tab at www.CapeCodChronicle.com.