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The Community Development Partnership is active in the community by partnering with a wide variety of organizations. Check back regularly to be informed of our partnerships.

The Community Development Partnership (CDP) held its’ 18th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, Route 6, Wellfleet, MA.

The program agenda included welcoming remarks by Steve Roderick and Approval of the 2008 Board Meeting Minutes, recognition of retiring Board Members, Mary Lou Petitt and Leslie Richardson, a welcoming to the new Board Members, Sandy Blajda, Heather Brown Kotel, Ernie Rogers and Terry Sousa. Jari Rappaport and Eileen Brady we re-elected as Board Members.

Newly elected officers included Steve Roderick as President, Florence Seldin as Vice President, Martha Hevenor as Clerk and Eileen Brady as Treasurer. Executive Director, Elizabeth Bridgewater , made a presentation of appreciation to the two Boy Scouts, Kevin Panaccione and Tabor VanRyswood. Each Boy Scout learned about and performed over eight hours of community service for the CDP this past summer in order to fulfill requirement #7 for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge.

At the meeting, Mary Lou Petitt became this year’s recipient of the Gwenn Pelletier Award for Excellence in Community Service to the Lower Cape Cod Community.

Nineteen years ago, Mary Lou answered the call from former Senator Henri Rauschenbach to create an organization that could direct resources and attention to the specific needs of Lower Cape Cod. The result was the creation of the Community Development Partnership (formerly the Lower Cape Cod Community Development Corporation).

Mary Lou has retired as a member of the Board of Directors of this organization after serving on the Board for 18 years. She will continue her work on the Housing Committee.

She has also served on the Task Force that developed the Cape’s 10 year Plan to Prevent Homelessness, championed the creation of the Flex Bus, chaired the Lower Cape Cod Community Coalition for several years and served on the Assembly of Delegates.

We thank you Mary Lou for all you have done and will continue to do for us here on the Lower Cape.

Another partnership is successful! The CDP joined forces with We Can of Harwich co hosts Lisa Panaccione of the CDP and Arlene Kirsch of We Can on two recent Saturdays in November and facilitated a seminar offering a unique perspective on the Cape Cod Job Market. Titled Cape Employment Trends and Opportunities A Hands on Approach. This seminar was well attended by people of all backgrounds, seeking information on how to strategically place themselves in the job market in this economy.

Says Arlene Kirsch:

Cape Employment Trends and Opportunities, A How-To Approach, was a great success thanks to our wonderful panelists: Liz Argo (Argo Productions), Chip Bishop (Chip Bishop communications), Adrienne Bradshaw (Empire Cosmetology), Kathy Cugini (TREATS Caterers), Jim Dalglish (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater), Denise Dever (Home Instead Senior Care), Leslie Fishlock (Geek Girls and Genevate), Paul Hersey (Geek Girls and Penguin Digital Design), Cathrine Macort (Arts Foundation of Cape Cod), Deborah Skinner (SCORE). and a special thanks to Lisa Panaccione of the Community Development Partnership, our co-host!

17th Annual Housing with Love Walk raises $3,000 for the CDP’s Housing Programs!

Kicking off the event in Provincetown on July 13th, Executive Director Elizabeth Bridgewater started the first of three days of CDP participation in this Cape-Wide event created to raise funding for affordable housing programs on Cape Cod.

Joining in at various stages of the Walk were Board Members Joe Bayne, Mary Lou Petitt, Florence Seldin and Rod Vyskocil, while Eileen Brady drove many miles to keep walkers going with lots of water and encouragement!

CDP Member and Orlean’s Businesswoman Marjorie Sparrow of the Chocolate Sparrow walked from Orleans to Brewster in support of the CDP and it’s programs. Many thanks to this member for her support!

The CDP would also like to thank the Harwich Stop and Shop Supermarket for providing tasty sandwiches on the first day of the Walk, as well as allowing the bright yellow canisters at the cash registers. All these proceeds support affordable housing programs across Cape Cod!

Many thanks to our Walkers as well as the generous supporters of the CDP and its efforts to provide safe and affordable housing on the Lower Cape!

At a recent press conference Governor Deval Patrick announced that the Community Development Partnership (CDP) was awarded $1.5 million by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to develop a 12-unit affordable rental project at 35 Main Street Extension, North Harwich. The CDP will enter into a 99-year ground lease with the Housing Authority and also provide long-term management of the completed rental complex.

The project will provide housing to twelve households at a range of income levels under 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). One, two- and three-bedroom units will be available and include features of Universal Design to allow for ease of access or for future accommodations for disabled and elderly residents and visitors. The development has been accepted in to the Mass Technology Collaborative’s “Affordable Green Homes Initiative,” which will fund LEED construction and green upgrades including photovoltaic panels for electricity.

Says Elizabeth Bridgewater, CDP Executive Director: “The CDP is pleased to work closely with our local communities to increase the availability of affordable housing on the Lower Cape. This grant from DHCD, our partnership with the Harwich Housing Authority and the financial commitment made by the town through CPA funds and Affordable Housing Special Revenue Funds are excellent examples of how collaboration can work to leverage resources to create a more economically diverse and vibrant community on the Lower Cape”.

Cape Cod National Seashore Debuts Two New Alternative Travel Aids The Cape Cod National Seashore has funded two new initiatives to promote car-free travel and reduce traffic congestion on Lower and Outer Cape Cod. One is a coaching video for the Cape Cod RTA’s Flex Bus, primarily for residents; the other is a combination brochure/web pages on local transit, fast ferry, air and coach travel for visitors who want to leave their cars at home, Smart Guide to Car-Free Transportation to Outer Cape Cod.