 By: Liz Libby, CLC, CCCE, HBCE The whole “it takes a village” saying is a nice idea. I thought I knew what it meant…… until I had premature twins and a partner that worked all the time. And then I realized that I wasn’t going to survive this parenting gig without some backup from other exhausted moms. I literally went to a different moms’ group every weekday when my guys were babies, and that was my lifeline. Eight years later, I’m still friends with some of the ladies I met in those groups. If you haven’t yet found yourself a moms’ group, here are some reasons you need to:
Outer Cape Moms’ Group Thursdays from 10am to noon 220 Samoset Rd in Eastham, right next to where they are building the new library BirthingYearCapeCod@gmail.com or 774-207-7124 for more info Or visit our Facebook Page! Liz is a Certified Lactation Consultant, a CAPPA certified childbirth educator, and a HypnoBirthing childbirth educator at The Birthing Year. In between running after her three wild and crazy children, she is currently preparing to sit for the IBLCE exam in October of 2016 to become an IBCLC and offers a variety of prenatal classes, birth preparation and support, and postpartum and lactation support. She facilitates the Outer Cape Moms’ Group, which meets weekly and offers evidence-based breastfeeding information as well as support and solidarity for all moms.
BirthingYearCapeCod@gmail.com 774-207-7124
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Please help support The Children's Workshop Annual Candy & Coat Drive! 
Last week we were once again witness to the unbelievably generous and caring spirit of our community on Cape Cod and all the surrounding areas. A local mom was in need of help and the community rose to meet the challenge. Within 90 minutes.... only 90 minutes of our initial post, there were not 1, not 2, but 3 different individuals offering to completely pay for the cost to help this woman and her children get what they would need to continue moving forward in their lives. We also had several generous offers from owners and people int he community to help lend their support to the Cape Cod Center for Women which helps transition women and children from domestic violence situations. We are truly amazed at the community response and it goes to prove how it really does take a village. No one in our community is alone, ever! We are all in this struggle together and we will all support one another.
Thank you once again to all of you!
This program was awarded a congressional Citation in 2012 by Congressman Keating. The specifics: CONCERT: February 14th, 2014 at the Tilden Arts Center, C.C. Community College, Hyannis at 7:00 -9:30 PM. Tickets $5.00 students / $10.00 adults at the door. BENEFITING: Cape veterans by fully funding a summer "Stand Down" program organized by Duffy Health Center and the Veterans' Outreach Center. Their program brings 35 agencies to the Campus of Cape Cod Academy for a day of free services for vets. We are also expanding our contributions to the Cape Cod Council of Churches’ homeless programs and local food pantries. Background: Kids involved: We've been working with Dance Designs and the Beth Walsh Dance Troop - and with several big dance numbers now part of our program, we involve at least 90 dancers alone. Throw in the Conservatory and several bands as well as individual acts from participating schools... and then our CCA production crew and the extra hands the bands bring and the total involvement of young people approaches 200. The 2013 concert also featured a band from Brazil and a dance troop from India, traveling here at their own expense to be a part of the Shelter experience and to bring some ideas home with them. Money raised: Our first concert fed the Noah Shelter for 4 months. In order to finance the Stand Down program for our veterans and support various local homeless relief efforts, we'll need to raise around 15,000 dollars this year, exceeding what the concert raised last year. We've raised over 50 thousand dollars in the first 6 years, doing better each year. We are grateful to our donors: individuals, local businesses, banks and foundations. Consciousness raised: The Shelter concert has become a kind of bull's eye - a focal point for not only raising money but for directing public attention to serious local needs. Local media, both print and radio, have been very generous. In each case, we get to talk about the central purpose of our efforts, to house the homeless and now: to assist our local veterans. Regarding our veterans, 26% of the nation's homeless population are veterans who've served our country. A veteran is taking his own life every 80 minutes now. The Shelter project gets all these kids helping and starting conversations all over the Cape. Our organizers and performers know they are changing lives (even saving lives) with what they do. Certainly, some of the lives that are changed are their own. Organizations & Contact info.: CAPE COD ACADEMY is a private school, pre-K through 12 with a deep tradition of public service. The concert organizers are members of People-to-People International and the Barnstable County Human Rights Academy. CONTACT Lawrence Brown, CCA, faculty & Concert Director at 508-428-5400 at Cape Cod Academy, 508-771-5096 at home evenings. Duffy Health Center: The mission of the Duffy Health Center is to provide caring, comprehensive health care and support services to those who are homeless and at risk of homelessness on Cape Cod, and to be a catalyst for individual empowerment and community solutions to homelessness. Duffy provides actual treatment & counseling for substance abuse & psychological problems — and basic medical care for the homeless. 104 Park Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 (508) 771-7517 Vietnam Veterans Outreach Center: Offers a wide array of services for veterans including case work and serves as a conduit to additional local services when needed. The center also serves as a social center for area vets and operates an ambitious food pantry as well. 94 Main Street Hyannis, MA 02601 (508) 771-9599 
COME TO THE CONCERT! Bring your family. It’s one of the artistic highlights of the year – and you’ll leave feeling terrific! That’s a promise.
We’ve got around 200 young people from schools across Cape Cod collaborating on this, as performers, organizers, stage hands and ushers. They’ve picked the vets and the homeless as deserving of their efforts. PLEASE BE A CONTRIBUTER. This is a beautiful thing to be a part of. 100% of donations go to programs, no overhead. WE’LL GET YOU PUBLIC RECOGNITION IF YOU REQUEST IT. Businesses and “god-parent” donors ($1,000 and up) are listed on a full-color overhead screen projection that continues on a loop before the program, during intermission and afterwards. Please make checks out to Cape Cod Academy, noted as “Shelter.” CONTACT: Lawrence Brown, Cape Cod Academy omamerica1@gmail.com 508-428-5400  By: Meghan
Well it’s official; I heard a Christmas song at the store the other day. We are officially in the crazy, wonderful, maddening, holiday season. I love this time of year. The magic, the anticipation, the music, the movies, and the helping one another out community feeling this season brings. I feel a little behind because I completely missed Halloween. My youngest and I were both sick, sick, sick that week and missed all the festivities. Have you mamas ever had Pneumonia?! It was insanity. I could not get up out of bed. It’s been almost two weeks and I’m still not feeling 100%. The little one also had a respiratory infection, and the poor thing was so sick she didn’t even care she was missing out on trick or treating. My big girl still got to go out that night and very kindly collected treats for her sister as well. So because I was so out of it that week, I feel like I’m just jumping straight to Thanksgiving. Which is fine, because if there’s one thing being sick made me feel, was gratitude. Weird, right?! Grateful that I was only dealing with a short term sickness. Grateful that my family is mostly healthy. Grateful that my friends brought me soup (and wine) until I was feeling better. Grateful that we have a roof over our heads, warm beds to sleep in, and love and friendship. I am so grateful, mamas. For you, for my family, for my friends, for health, and happiness. When = times are tough, I want to remember this feeling. Keep it stored in my heart like a little golden pool of refreshment that I can dip into when I’m feeling beaten down, anxious, lonely, and scared. Because those times come too, don’t they mamas? They even come during this most wonderful time of the year. So, mamas, let’s talk about what we can do for one another during the holidays, to help our mama friends that are needing some refreshment from that golden pool of gratitude. Are you a member of the Lower Cape Moms’ Group on Facebook? If not, go over there and join (even if you’re not living on the Lower Cape)! It’s a great resource and filled with mamas helping mamas. Last year the group members helped 12 Cape Cod families in need during the holiday with toys, clothes, and presents. We’re doing it again this year and hope to help even more. Go join the page and if you want to help details will be posted soon on this year’s effort. Now, mamas that need some help this year (don’t be embarrassed many of us have needed help and more of us will need help in the future), here are a few resources that can help you; Cape Cod Children’s Place – This organization serves as hub for families on Cape Cod. They have Thanksgiving meals to offer and are a good place to get info on anything from fuel assistance to clothing help. Lower Cape Outreach Council - The mission of the Lower Cape Outreach Council is to provide emergency assistance of food clothing and financial support to individuals and families in Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro and Wellfleet which will lead to healthy, productive and self-sustaining lives as part of the Cape Cod community. Homeless Prevention Council – The Homeless Prevention Council works to keep people in their homes and their communities. They provide one-on-one case management, use every resource available to create individual solutions to barriers for families in need. They are located in Orleans and they are accepting families in need, and there really isn't much to signing up. So contact them and get help! Cape Cod Times Needy Fund – Provides assistance with basic needs based on real time financial status. Serves individuals from the Mid-Cape to Upper Cape area. Those in Falmouth should contact the Falmouth Service Center and those on the Lower Cape should contact Lower Cape Outreach. Falmouth Service Center – Their mission is to ease stress, reduce hunger and improve the quality of life for our neighbors in need. The Falmouth Service Center assists in accessing basic needs for families. Salvation Army – Located in Hyannis and provides a number of programs, including a Christmas assistance program, for families in need. Now, if you are feeling extra grateful and feeling like you want to help, go ahead and support any of these organizations with a donation this holiday season. Mamas, I am grateful for you and for the love you show one another. Thank you for living in this crazy community with me and helping one another whenever help is needed. Is there an assistance group that I missed? Put it out there, so that those in need can help! What are you grateful for mamas?  The Falmouth Rotary will hold its annual pancake breakfast Saturday, June 12 from 8am to noon at the Masonic Lodge on Main Street and Cape Cod Mommies is one of the Sponsors!
Tickets for the event are $6, are all you can eat and are available at the door. “Members of the armed services eat for free this year,” announced Rudy Hunter, breakfast chairman. “Rotary wants to honor those who serve our nation and this is just one small way to say thanks.” Rotary expects to raise more than $5000 for VIPS and other local charities from the proceeds from the pancake breakfast. “Advertising on breakfast place mats are sold out, and tickets sales are higher than last year. We fully expect to meet our $5,000 target.” Visit Falmouth Rotary for more information or check out their Facebook page for announcements involving scholarships, RYLA, fundraisers, guest speakers, and more! There are so many resources out there for new families to explore, but sometimes it becomes overwhelming! As a new mom myself, and a teacher on the Cape, I often find I need to go out and search for ways to connect with my community and provide educational experiences for my child. There are so many things our community has to offer. The Coalition for Children, an Upper Cape grant funded education and support network, provides families with an abundance of resources available in the community. Their services are free and just a call away (508)548-0151 ext: 172 or 128. Their website provides an extensive list of play and learn groups active in the community, as well as workshops for parents to support their knowledge-base in the latest educational topics. I must say I have worked closely with many of the ladies that work in the organization, as well as presented at their big conference held annually. They are worth connecting with. Carolyn Minervino and Tina Toran are both co-coordinators and I cannot say enough good things about both of them. They are also a great resource for preschool-aged children and finding a perfect placement for them. Awesome Ladies! ~Saramae  Tina also creates these super awesome recyclable bags called WAVYO...check them out! I love women who multi-work :) |
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